Japanese Stuff-I love it!

[Steve Wood]

Ever notice how Japanese stuff appears to be made like a Swiss watch? At least until it needs to be worked on? Then it appears to have been made gnomes from the stone age.

Please, I said gnomes, not gomes.

So, you get the manual out, but, nothing in the manual is quite like what you bought. Then you get the parts catalog, or look one up online and you find a blow up of the part with 75 jillion little parts all nicely arrayed with a a parts description and listing below the picture.

One minor problem, none of the parts in the picture have a name or number beside them so you can look it up in the list below and know what the hell you need. Then just to piss you off, they list about five alternate numbers for the same damn name, but, don't give any hints as to what the difference is, or what they fit.

Then you notice that you can buy all 75 jillion parts individually-maybe-but, there are no rebuild kits with the commonly replaceable parts...in this case, a Mikuni carb, but, you can buy the whole frickin' thing for $350.

Or, the manual tells you to check the fuel pump, and if the diaphram is cracked, you can spend $75-150 bucks for a fuel pump when you need a 75 cent fiber diaphram...except none of the pumps listed have the slightest resemblance to the one in your hand...but, you don't realize it until you have placed a special order for a non returnable part.

And the manuals are a joke and appear to be written by Boid. They last full description on how to do anything is far a 1988 model and the subsequent models are all just a few pages of written specs with no illustrations. And, it is quite obvious that there is no more relationship between what you own and what is in the picture than a Volkswagon engine and Ford flathead engine.

Then they tell you to be sure to have the serial number in order to get the right parts, but, the serial number must be somewhere on the engine that requires its removal in order to view it...but, that does not matter, the idiot running the parts counter does not know how to use the number anyway, and prefers to play Russian Roulette with the pictures on the computer screen which are meaningless as prior stated.

I love this stuff.

Whatever happened to Stromberg 97 carbs?

I just love ATVs

Probably should just put a couple on the trailer and take them up to Otto and watch 15 years of transmission experience go at 'em!

[DCEPTCN]

Oh, I've already informed the missus that her current car is the last piece of Japanese engineering that will ever take up any space in our driveway. Even recently while changing the oil I was throwing wrenches and swearing in tongues and dead languages....all the while wondering where the built-in hidden camera is, 'cause I knew there was a group of automotive engineers somewhere in Tokyo watch a live video feed and laughing at the stupid Roundeye who can't get a filter wrench into the .00004" space they've given him.

[gn85]

One of the kids in the neighborhood was asking me about my thoughts on import cars. I didn't want to burst his bubble, but I just told him, you'll love it until you work on it or pay for parts.

[Steve Wood]

And, I set out to adjust the valves. Picture in the manual is perfectly clear...remove a plug on the crank case that fills the TDC hole, remove the recoil starter, turn the magneto drive over until a line appears in the TDC hole and it lines up with an arrow on the crankcase...then remove two plugs over the valves and set them...not to worry that my .002 & .004" feeler gauges are in Houston in the shop there...that is simply to be expected.

Hmmm, where is the TDC plug? Oh, there it is...directly under the exhaust with about a half inch of clearance...after going thru 15 different wrenches, I find one that will clear the pipe, fit the plug, and still turn it.

No biggie, what is 30 minutes to a retired guy that only has to take care of 300 goats and drink Tea at the cafe? Not a problem...it is the three hours of fumbling with an inspection mirror and several different lights trying to see thru/around the exhaust and into the inspection hole in order to look for a line that lines up while turning the magneto drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone touches the damn thing before I get a set of the right size feelers to set the frickin' valves, I will kill them.

I may move to Ohio and become Bruce's assistant before this little diversion is over.

[earlbrown]

Steve what kind of ATV are you working on? I used to be a service manager at a powersports shop so I might be able to help you.
And if you want to compare parts without going to a shop, check out www.mrcycles.com They have online fisches for all of the big 4 and I haven't found a cheaper place or order. They even use lube for shipping (and no sales tax)

[Steve Wood]

I have a couple of '98 King Quads from Suzuki that I bought with a lot of mileage on them...They ran good, but, my son and his friends managed to kill them and they have been sitting for awhile now...fixed them a couple of times, but, the last time, they really died.

I think I have been using that link to double check parts with.

[Steve Wood]

actually, that is not the one I was using and it has much better fiche and actually denotes the parts...Thanks!

[earlbrown]

Setting valves is easy on those engines. Don't worry about finding the exact TDC, just pull the starter untill you see one valve start to open and then check the clearance on the other. Unless you have hot start problems from a tight valve or they're really making some racket, I wouldn't fool with them.
With the small engine valves you normally find in ATV's the clearance rarely moves much. Those valves are so light and with overhead cams there's really no mass to pound themselves silly.
If you can hear them ticking, you're usually fine. If they "rattle", you might want to get in there and see what's going on.
Back when I did that stuff for a living I could get under .0005" just by listening to them at idle. That was a major timesaver on some of those ATVs!

[Steve Wood]

Intake valve has no play at all in it...exhaust is slightly loose. Wondering if that is why the compression is way low....other than the very high mileage

If it ran, I could check for a tick...but, no runnee, no tickee...I am just going thru the motions of trying to get everything as near right as possible.

Fuel pumps on both are integral parts of the fuel **** rather than being separate units as shown on all the models.

I ordered one the other day when I went to town and they called while ago to say it is in...not going to be too happy if it is a separate unit like the picture...but, I cannot find any mention of a one piece unit.

Maybe I will get one to run. and then again

[CallMeMud]

I thought you meant the other Japanese stuff

[earlbrown]

Yep, if you have a tight valve that'll do it.
Those engines have to have some sort of lash to even start. And since they only have one cyl, they're kinda picky about having all the cyl's running right
Most of the time a tight valve will show itself with hot start problems. When there's just a micron of lash, the engine will crank and run untill it get's hot. The next day when you go outside to troubleshoot, it'll fire right up and run like a champ. Nice and quiet too.

[Steve Wood]

one of them used to be hard to start when hot...not sure which one it was tho...the other one is leaking out the crankcase, or some other unknown area so I picked this one to fix

[Doc1of7]

Originally Posted by Steve Wood

I may move to Ohio and become Bruce's assistant before this little diversion is over.

LOL

Your just in warm up mode compared to some of the nonsense that goes on around here....

[Zap]

All your ATV's are belong to us.

[Zap]

Originally Posted by Steve Wood

actually, that is not the one I was using and it has much better fiche and actually denotes the parts...Thanks!

Maybe you were using the wrong bait on your fiching pole?