P1000 Clutches overheating

[FloridaPath]

So I went on 2ish hour ride. Lots of sugar sand so I had machine in 2wd and low for most of the ride. I noticed I started to bog down in some towards the end of the ride and switched to 4wd just to get through the sand then maybe 10 feet was on the road and took it back out of 4wd and into turf. A little bit after this just cruising down a hard packed trail next to the canal in low because I'm not going fast it suddenly seems like I am in neutral. I notice my warning light is on. After a second the machine starts moving and I go maybe 100ft to get off the trail and shut it down and let it cool for about 5 minutes then start it up and its fine. Was I doing something wrong? I am in swfl and it is hot. So hopefully the clutches are OK. First time I've had this light on and thought I should be in low when riding like this. I was only in 4wd for maybe 20 feet total. I did notice when I put it in 4wd to get out of the sand it was shifting kinda weird. So maybe just the hot weather?

 

[hondabob]

The clutch is slipping just below 2,000 rpm. In 1st gear that is below 3 mph in low range and 6 mph in high range. I doubt there is any clutch damage for some brief slippage.

 

[FloridaPath]

The clutch is slipping just below 2,000 rpm. In 1st gear that is below 3 mph in low range and 6 mph in high range. I doubt there is any clutch damage for some brief slippage.

Thanks for the info! Have you had this happen?

 

[Remington]

Thanks for the info! Have you had this happen?

What year and milage?

 

[FloridaPath]

What year and milage?

2022 deluxe I think 900ish miles.

 

[hondabob]

Two of the guys here bought the 2016 Pioneer 1000 for hunting. They spent a day driving mostly at 3 mph in high range. Honda did a good will warranty and replaced the burnt clutch. Many of the salespeople don't tell the customers about using low range at low speed. The clutch is so smooth you can't tell its slipping.

 

[FloridaPath]

Two of the guys here bought the 2016 Pioneer 1000 for hunting. They spent a day driving mostly at 3 mph in high range. Honda did a good will warranty and replaced the burnt clutch. Many of the salespeople don't tell the customers about using low range at low speed. The clutch is so smooth you can't tell its slipping.

But thats the thing I was in low for most of my trip.

 

[ODAMO]

But thats the thing I was in low for most of my trip.

Do you know how many bars your coolant temp was at when the clutch light came on? And if the cooling fan was running?

 

[FloridaPath]

Do you know how many bars your coolant temp was at when the clutch light came on? And if the cooling fan was running?

2 bars.

 

[hondabob]

If you are keeping the rpm above 2,000 and the clutch light comes on you may have another problem. 2 bars on the temp gage is normal. If you have it warmed good and turn it off just as the fan comes on in a minute or two you can get 3 bars by turning the key on but after starting it, it will go to 2 bars right away.

 

[HondaTech]

The problem with the clutch light is its only reading oil temperature. So if the enigne is being worked very hard the oil could heat up to a point that the temperature breaks that threshold

 

[RedorDead]

But thats the thing I was in low for most of my trip.

At what speed, though? Well above 2,000 RPM, or just easing along?

Was it in first gear, or were you traveling fast enough for the transmission to up shift?

As a general practice, 4wd in sugar sand will strain less than 2wd. But as I’m sure you know, that stuff’s hard going when it’s deep and dry.

 

[FloridaPath]

At what speed, though? Well above 2,000 RPM, or just easing along?

Was it in first gear, or were you traveling fast enough for the transmission to up shift?

As a general practice, 4wd in sugar sand will strain less than 2wd. But as I’m sure you know, that stuff’s hard going when it’s deep and dry.

Yea thats why I had it in low 2wd. Maybe I will run in 4wd low when going through it. I was going fast enough for the trans to upshift. Except at the end when I had it in 4wd low because I was having a hard time. When I did that there was some weird I would say like shifting between gears it sounded like.

 

[Jerryg]

I was going fast enough for the trans to upshift.

You probably want to avoid the upshifting.

 

[FloridaPath]

I

You probably want to avoid the upshifting.

I was thinking if I was going fast enough to stay on top of it it would be better then going slow and sinking down more. If I keep it in first I will sink down more and be spinning more.

 

[RedorDead]

You probably want to avoid the upshifting.

The point of asking about upshifting was to indirectly get some sense of speed. I asked directly, but no answer on that.

However I don’t really agree, if you’re going for instance in the 10 mph range, the trans control is smart enough to know if the load is lighter to up shift, and if you get deeper in the throttle to downshift. As it should.
I can agree that manual gear selection is the way to go if there’s an annoying amount of gear changing happening.

 

[RedorDead]

I

I was thinking if I was going fast enough to stay on top of it it would be better then going slow and sinking down more. If I keep it in first I will sink down more and be spinning more.

I agree with you. Sugar sand is like running a boat in water, getting up on top and planing takes less power than plowing through it. The only thing I’d change is keep it in 4wd if the sand is that deep.

IMO sounds like you did nothing wrong, if you were going fast enough to stay on top of the sugar, you were way faster than 2,000 RPM. Could be an issue that needs further investigation by a good tech.

Addendum: just rereading your first post, when you say you bogged down. Do you mean you lost all momentum in 2WD and came to a halt, still into the throttle? That’s going to get hot quick.

 

[Remington]

@FloridaPath we have sugar sand all over our trails. Heavy tires and wheels don't help, also lots of air in tires. Not much u can do about that when u suddenly approach it. The other thing is when u get in it and your struggling to go, dont push it just stop and winch out or get some help, your bound to burn something up.
Just dont be this guy! DMPH!
right @trigger? 🤣

 

[Jerryg]

This is where a CVT has an advantage.

 

[Remington]

This is where a CVT has an advantage.

I agree
And DMPH is a bad driver cuz @trigger made it 1st try NP 🤣