Honda fourtrax issues

DRZRon1

DRZRon1

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After checking everything else I could think of, I finally cut the muffler off the exhaust pipe...the exhaust pipe and muffler are one piece. The issue is that the muffler is blocked on the inside. So I am going to most likely look for a muffler to replace it.
Any chance to take a portaband, cut off wheel, etc and cut an end off and see what’s cooking inside ?
 
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Cowman

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I used a cutoff wheel to cut around the circumference of the inlet end of the muffler, but it would not come apart. Appears that internal perforated tube is connected somewhere inside. I guess I could cut completely through. Funny thing is, nothing came out when I whacked it on each end while holding vertically, nor does anything rattle inside when I shake it.
 
Farmer

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Yeah exhaust issues can drive you nuts... I once rebuilt a CR250 thinking the two stroke was tired. Turned out the silencer core rotted and let the packing fall to block the hole. Was pulling my hair until a buddy put his hand over the exhaust and said....there's nothin coming out. I was pretty green back then. Good news was that bike ran fast after the new rings and piston. If I skipped race day, my buddies were fighting over who got to borrow it.
 
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Cowman

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I ended up ordering the Caltric muffler/exhaust pipe for it. But there is a good chance I will end up just cutting the new muffler off the pipe and attaching it to my existing pipe as it seems to be in good condition. I have soaked the two exhaust header bolts/nuts with a penetrating oil for a few days, but they don't seem inclined to turn loose, and I really don't want a broken exhaust header stud. I have a piece of tubing that is just the right size to slip over the ends of the exhaust tube and the muffler where they will join, and since I have already cut the old muffler off, I think that is the route I will go. I can then weld that in place and still have my hanging and shield brackets.
 
ChadD

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I ended up ordering the Caltric muffler/exhaust pipe for it. But there is a good chance I will end up just cutting the new muffler off the pipe and attaching it to my existing pipe as it seems to be in good condition. I have soaked the two exhaust header bolts/nuts with a penetrating oil for a few days, but they don't seem inclined to turn loose, and I really don't want a broken exhaust header stud. I have a piece of tubing that is just the right size to slip over the ends of the exhaust tube and the muffler where they will join, and since I have already cut the old muffler off, I think that is the route I will go. I can then weld that in place and still have my hanging and shield brackets.



This stuff works pretty good. Local farmers recommended it to me. They use it when working on stuff in the fields 😎👍
 
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Cowman

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It's been soaking in Kroil for several days. That is pretty good stuff that I have had a lot of luck with. But may have to give what you show a try.
 
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DRZRon1

DRZRon1

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It's been soaking in Kroil for several days. That is pretty good stuff that I have had a lot of luck with. But may have to give what you show a try.
kroil/little bit of heat and always try to tighten a little before loosen if possible
 
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Hello_Darkness

Hello_Darkness

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It's been soaking in Kroil for several days. That is pretty good stuff that I have had a lot of luck with. But may have to give what you show a try.

Generally the studs cone out of the head instead of breaking, atleast in my experience.

It's rare that I've broken a stud, usually it's on Goldwings where they use tapered studs to fit a smaller nut due to space.
 
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Cowman

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Ok, a little update...

I did try loosening the nuts on the manifold studs, but they didn't seem to want to budge, so I just chickened out rather than risk breaking a stud. I've developed a feel over the years for when I'm reaching the limit on something like that. The new Caltric muffler/exhaust pipe came in, and I cut the exhaust pipe loose from the muffler after measuring where to cut as best I could. I then bolted the new muffler to the muffler hanger and darned if it didn't mate up perfectly to my old exhaust pipe. It was then a simple matter to weld the muffler to the exhaust pipe. Cranked 'er up and she sounds good and runs great. I did adjust the valves. ☺️

Here's another question. I decided to adjust the brakes while I was at it. The right front brake adjusted up with very little adjustment. But the left front gave me some issues. When I backed the adjustment off, the brakes still seemed to be dragging against the drum. I can adjust them up to the point where they lock the rotation, but when I back it off, they free up the rotation but not 100% - no matter how much I back the adjustment off - like the return spring on the brake shoes is stuck or some such. May have to pull the brake drum off, but that may be problematic if I can't get the brake shoes adjusted off the drum. Or it may be something else?
 
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Hello_Darkness

Hello_Darkness

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Ok, a little update...

I did try loosening the nuts on the manifold studs, but they didn't seem to want to budge, so I just chickened out rather than risk breaking a stud. I've developed a feel over the years for when I'm reaching the limit on something like that. The new Caltric muffler/exhaust pipe came in, and I cut the exhaust pipe loose from the muffler after measuring where to cut as best I could. I then bolted the new muffler to the muffler hanger and darned if it didn't mate up perfectly to my old exhaust pipe. It was then a simple matter to weld the muffler to the exhaust pipe. Cranked 'er up and she sounds good and runs great. I did adjust the valves. ☺️

Here's another question. I decided to adjust the brakes while I was at it. The right front brake adjusted up with very little adjustment. But the left front gave me some issues. When I backed the adjustment off, the brakes still seemed to be dragging against the drum. I can adjust them up to the point where they lock the rotation, but when I back it off, they free up the rotation but not 100% - no matter how much I back the adjustment off - like the return spring on the brake shoes is stuck or some such. May have to pull the brake drum off, but that may be problematic if I can't get the brake shoes adjusted off the drum. Or it may be something else?

There are 2 adjusters on each side, are you adjusting both?
 
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Cowman

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Until I tried adjusting them recently (yesterday), it had been many years since I adjusted the brakes on a fourtrax. If there are two adjusters on each side I had forgotten that, but will go back and check. I was assuming that there was only one on each side as with most of the older style automobile drum brakes.

Thanks for the heads up...
 
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Cowman

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Well, I went back and checked and there is only one adjuster on each side. But the good news is that the brake shoes on that side have loosened up. The fourwheeler was borrowed by my son to do some spraying around his home and got left sitting out in the weather for a few weeks, so that may have had something to do with it. All seems to be well for the time being.

That fourtrax has been all over the mountains in Colorado including to the top of Mt. Antero and to the top of Taylor Pass in Taylor park among many other places. In the summer of 2000, my wife and I road it up to some old mining areas just about timberline in Union Park just south of Taylor Reservoir. We followed an old mining road that evenually played out on a hillside. After turning around we were coming down the trail on a relatively steep hillside with a small stream below. though I was taking it slowly I didn't see a big clump of grass on the right side and ran the front tire upon it. In slow motion the Honda started over and I couldn't reach the ground enough on the left side to keep it from going on over. We rolled down the hill about a hundred feet and ended up in the stream bed among some small willows with the Honda upside down and us under it. The engine was still running, so I switched it off and we finally managed to get it off of us. Miraculously, the only damage was to the Honda with one handle bar bent down. How we kept from being injured I have no idea.

Someone wanted a pic...for a 27 year old it is in pretty good shape.
5131j7L.jpeg
 

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