Newbie with general ??s for '04 500

[fredd]

Happy to be a new member on a site that I have heard a lot about!! I have some general questions about my new*to*me 500I. First of all, when will I know that the belt needs to be replaced (certain mileage, loss of top end, other)?? Also, is the belt a field fix like the Polaris or different because of being a wet clutch?? Any special tools, supplies needed?? By the way, my rig has 1000 miles on it and I am loving it so far. Thanks, Guys!

[CATSKINNER]

First of all, welcome to the forums. You shouldn't have to worry about your belt for at least 4000 more miles. That is if you keep it dry and don't ever smoke it pulling somthing heavy. We have 6 Auto 500's in our family and have never had to change a belt on any of them. There are 2 of ours that have over 4000 miles and still going strong. That's one of the best thing's about a wet clutch set up, the belt very seldom ever slip's because the wet clutch takes the initial slip on take off. You should hear the belt start coming apart and you will hear part of the belt start slapping the cover. The primary and secondary clutches on the Cat's are very simular to the Polaris and Kawasaki clutchs so changing them would be close to the same procedure.

[swampyjunior]

Fredd,

I agree with catskinner, as long as the belt stays dry it should be good for lots of miles. I have close 15,000 miles on the one on my TRV and it is either pulling a load on a trailer, plowing or dragging two adults around so it has been around the block a few times and has never had an issue. It has also never been wet.

I can not say how similar it would be to installing on the AC but I have installed 3 on my friends 2*up polaris. No special tools there but not something I would want to do in the bush.

SJ

[fredd]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Sounds like my belt will outlast my bro*in*laws '04 500 HO Polaris. He has changed three belts in less than 400 miles. One of these fixes came in the middle of Lake of the Woods in *35 weather (brrrrrr). His machine seems to eat them for whatever reason.

On another note, I have noticed at low RPM that I can here a cyclical mechanical sound which seems to be coming from the front left of the machine (it hummms for a couple seconds and then is gone). It seems to go away when I am not just puddling along. Anyone know what this might be?? (fuel pump or what ???) It doesn't sound like grinding or anything like that. It reminds me of my nephew's fuel pump on his 650 prairie after he shuts it off.

[CATSKINNER]

I think the humming noise that you here when the Prairie is turned off is the Engine Brake solenoid running through it's cycle. I don't know for sure what you are hearing on your Cat. Could just be your clutches making noise at a certain RPM.

[Williebee]

Originally Posted by fredd

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Sounds like my belt will outlast my bro*in*laws '04 500 HO Polaris. He has changed three belts in less than 400 miles. One of these fixes came in the middle of Lake of the Woods in *35 weather (brrrrrr). His machine seems to eat them for whatever reason.

On another note, I have noticed at low RPM that I can here a cyclical mechanical sound which seems to be coming from the front left of the machine (it hummms for a couple seconds and then is gone). It seems to go away when I am not just puddling along. Anyone know what this might be?? (fuel pump or what ???) It doesn't sound like grinding or anything like that. It reminds me of my nephew's fuel pump on his 650 prairie after he shuts it off.

My 2006 AC 400 FIS Auto 4x4 does this when i'm riding slow , climbing hills are just riding slow in general it turned out to be the cooling fan cycling on and off ; at just under 300 miles on my 400 i was riding a track on some Ga. Power right of way when i noticed a squealing noise that would start squealing for just a few seconds then disapear .

When it first started squealing i thought it was my belt driven clutch , the next lap just as it started squealing i stopped the quad so i could see if it would stop squealing ; but kept the squealing a few seconds then stopped and i could hear the cooling fan was on !

I rode around the track maybe another dozen laps and as soon as i would hear the squealing start again i would stop again and listen with the same result each time , it was the cooling fan cycling on and again it would squeal just a few seconds ; every time the squeal would stop i could hear the fan running that was the culprit and i started checking for the price of a new fan motor !

I found a new O.E.M. replacement fan on ebay for $69 with free shipping i also checked the Dealership price was 4 times the price of the one on ebay and it was the same fan motor as the one on ebay , but before i desided to buy the fan motor from ebay i went to my Dealership and told the owner about the squealing ; she told me it was most likely a bearing and wouldn't cost me anything even though the warrany had expired the year before the problem started !

Someone on these forums told me it could be grass , dirt and debris builtup around the fan motor shaft and for me to check this out before buying a new fan motor , i checked it out and found no sign of debris around the shaft so i thought i would take it back to the track one more time to see if the squealing would get worse ; i'm sure glade i did because the squealing was gone this time.

I put over 10 miles on the track stopping about every ten lap's to hear the fan was cycling on and off each time , and the squealing was gone for good ( Thank God for that) i think the problem was caused from letting the quad sit idle to long between rides !
Good luck with your quad i hope it turns out to be as simple as mine was , and welcome to the forums !

williebee.........

[fredd]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! I don't think it's the fan because I've heard that run with the engine off. It is possible that its the clutch or engine brake. The noise is not squeeling or sharp, it sounds like a low growling humm. It is cyclical and lasts for the same length of time each time I hear it. Again, only at low RPMs. If I speed up, it goes away immediately. I haven't tried slowing down when I hear it.

[swampyjunior]

I know on both my machines I have at certain RPM's wierd vibration noises coming off the aluminum heat sheilds bolted to the exhaust. I had one on my 500TRV that was driving me nuts and it wasn't until I removed the shields to inspect them that I found very small hairline cracks neat the bolt holes. The aluminum is the rubbing against itself at lower RPM's. I reinstalled the heat sheilds with some felt/rubber washers designed for exhaust systems from the auto parts store and now all that remains is the normal tap of the valves and the internal compression release.

I did this quite somem time ago and have not had an issue since. I do not think yours is related to an electric fuel pump becasue I believe they did not start using them until 06.

So I am leaning towards your noise on the left side being an exhaust rattle/sqeak, internal pressure release valve OR valve tappet noise. If it was on the right side it could be something in the auto tranny rattling a bit.

Hope this helps

SJ

[fredd]

I've narrowed mine issue down to the engine (it does it when I am sitting still). I only hear in when I rev the engine, and then it is for a second or so. It definitely seems louder on the left side. I am thinking that it must be a shield or a valve (though it does sound like a selonoid or something atune to that). I am going to see if I can make it stop by levering against some of the guards/exhausts. Thanks again, guys, for all your ideas.

[fredd]

Went out today and applied pressure to the aluminum shields and the noise was gone. All three bolts were loose. Tightenend them up and I'm gold. Sure was a lot easier than having to take her in. Thanks again, all!!