[GirlsRideToo]

You are buying a used Rancher and you stand back and look at the engine from each side. What are you thinking? Does anything look odd to you? What questions would you ask the seller, if any?
I've read many posts with advice about buying a used ATV. The best is ShadeTree's sticky! But, I have not found a mention of any "visual" concerns like the attached photos. I hope these photos will be helpful to others. It's easy to overlook the basics.

 

[LedFTed]

the engine sealant looks some what like JB Weld

 

[GirlsRideToo]

the engine sealant looks some what like JB Weld

So, one opinion is sealant looks odd. But, I don't know what sealant is supposed to look like.

 

[Macarena Man]

The motor has been apart .....
Why ?

 

[GirlsRideToo]

The motor has been apart .....
Why ?

Exactly! Why? That's what I want opinions about. Why would someone take an entire engine apart?? Rancher is a 2014 420 FM1 with 343 hours and 2780 miles. That amount of engine work seems a bit extreme to me for a 2014, but I'm a novice.
The fact the sealant looks so ....so...... wrong it makes me wonder if the engine work inside is as messy as the outside.

 

[shadetree]

The motor has been apart .....
Why ?

Exactly! Why? That's what I want opinions about. Why would someone take an entire engine apart?? Rancher is a 2014 420 FM1 with 343 hours and 2780 miles. That amount of engine work seems a bit extreme to me for a 2014, but I'm a novice.
The fact the sealant looks so ....so...... wrong it makes me wonder if the engine work inside is as messy as the outside.

I can answer you. been sunk would be my first guess. as to why would someone tear an engine apart ?, well, many things come to mind. broken gears ?, bad tranny ?, bad crank ?, bad bearings ?, good lord..there is soooo many reasons why someone would need to split a motor. yes, the gray sealant very well looks like yamabond or hondabond, but why so messy ?..lol. I always clean the cases off when I put my cases back together( makes it look cleaner..lol ). last but not least, the trx420's were bad about 4th gear ( I think it was this gear ? ) being defective, which means, you have to pull the motor, and split it to fix it.oh, and thanks for the sticky mention ! .

 

[Jeepwm69]

Yep, someone's been in the motor.

I leave messes like that, but then again I always advertise that the engine was just rebuilt, and can usually post a link to the build thread showing how I did it.

Has the seller disclosed that the engine has been apart? Unless he did, I'd say shady seller and walk away.

Bike have a snorkel on it?

 

[XJCountry]

Looks like they used too much Honda Bond, and I think that there should be gaskets there instead of HB...but not sure. There are gaskets between the trans and crank case on my 450.

From what I have read in the shop manuals the HB should be a very thin coating. If you have enough on there that it is squishing out from the sides more than a thin bead you have too much. I have a "rebuilt" 300 motor that came with a quad I bought and it looks worse than this one. Honda bond is squeezed out like 1/4" all the way around.

If they have proof that a Honda shop rebuilt it (reciepts) then maybe you dont have to worry about something breaking down that otherwise might..?

 

[Jeepwm69]

No gaskets on the 420 motors. Hondabond in middle of cases and for both case covers.

 

[Carolynskii]

This engine has recently been rebuilt top and bottom by someone who does not know what they are doing.
They way I know is not only because the gasket material is messy but because they put gasket material under the cylinder where it requires a crush gasket.
If you do t know how to work on it I would steer clear because it’s gonna need work again to correct whatever else they may have messed up.

 

[Jeepwm69]

Good eye. The sloppy seams didn't bother me as I tend to concentrate on the innards more than outward appearance, but hondabond in lieu of a cylinder base gasket is a big no-no, and as you said, tells you the person who did it didn't know what they're doing.

 

[GirlsRideToo]

Yep, someone's been in the motor.

I leave messes like that, but then again I always advertise that the engine was just rebuilt, and can usually post a link to the build thread showing how I did it.

Has the seller disclosed that the engine has been apart? Unless he did, I'd say shady seller and walk away.

Bike have a snorkel on it?

Seller did not disclose this. Engine had so much mud/dirt on it I did not notice the issue. My bad, no doubt. However, he was adamant it had never been sunk. Told me oil and filters needed to be changed because it had been sitting at "his shop" for almost a year. He even went so far as to offer to pay for any repairs I found that it might need and gave me the option to return it the following week if my mechanic found issues with it. LMAO. My town is not that large and it's not like I don't know where he lives and works. I did have a male friend with me and they did most of the talking.
He did not come across to me as a con man as much as he did being someone young and not very knowledgeable. No doubt he rode it hard and put it away wet out in the open.

Did not have a snorkel. If it had I would walk away.

 

[shadetree]

unless your loaded with cash and time ?, walk away, don't bother with it.

 

[Jeepwm69]

unless your loaded with cash and time ?, walk away, don't bother with it.

This.

Walk away. Not like they're rare or hard to find.

He's probably hoping that it will hold together for a few weeks, outlasting any verbal warranty he's giving you.

The top end has been off, and with those miles on it a new top end almost guarantees it's been sunk.

Some people will say "it hasn't been sunk" while muttering in their head "since I put a top end on it" and think they're not doing anything unethical.

Walk away.

 

[retro]

Y'all may find my opinion a bit over the top, but I won't even go look at used bikes that the owner (or anyone else) has worked on; unless I know the person and his/her habits/skills. or the bike is extraordinarily cheap or free. Fact is, very few people are capable of performing quality repairs/maintenance these days. And within that shrinking number, very few of those capable are proud producers... who actually give a crap about the value and fitful-ness of their result. Many seem to excel at lying though. Best advice is turn your back and walk away from the seller if a bike has been worked on.

 

[Jeepwm69]

Y'all may find my opinion a bit over the top, but I won't even go look at used bikes that the owner (or anyone else) has worked on; unless I know the person and his/her habits/skills. or the bike is extraordinarily cheap or free. Fact is, very few people are capable of performing quality repairs/maintenance these days. And within that shrinking number, very few of those capable are proud producers... who actually give a crap about the value and fitful-ness of their result. Many seem to excel at lying though. Best advice is turn your back and walk away from the seller if a bike has been worked on.

I don't buy used bikes unless they're dirt cheap basketcases, and then I buy them knowing I'm going to completely go through them.

That's the only way you know what you have. You can get a "cheap" bike that looks mint, and you have no way of knowing that the owner rode it ONE time through some deep mud and water and sank it. Bike looks mint. Engine is a ticking time bomb.

 

[shadetree]

Y'all may find my opinion a bit over the top, but I won't even go look at used bikes that the owner (or anyone else) has worked on; unless I know the person and his/her habits/skills. or the bike is extraordinarily cheap or free. Fact is, very few people are capable of performing quality repairs/maintenance these days. And within that shrinking number, very few of those capable are proud producers... who actually give a crap about the value and fitful-ness of their result. Many seem to excel at lying though. Best advice is turn your back and walk away from the seller if a bike has been worked on.

I don't buy used bikes unless they're dirt cheap basketcases, and then I buy them knowing I'm going to completely go through them.

That's the only way you know what you have. You can get a "cheap" bike that looks mint, and you have no way of knowing that the owner rode it ONE time through some deep mud and water and sank it. Bike looks mint. Engine is a ticking time bomb.

same here, I buy them dirt cheap ( knowing it needs a complete rebuild ), and tear it apart, complete rebuild, piece by piece gets looked at ( I did over look that trx500fm 1st gear problem..that was an over sight , as I had no idea then they made them bad..lol..sooo..shushhh ! )..lmao.

 

[retro]

... and then I buy them knowing I'm going to completely go through them.

That's the only way you know what you have.

This might be the mother of all Best Practices, when buying anything previously owned!!! Excellent advice for everyone, the best I ever heard/seen in all my 60+ years!

 

[shadetree]

... and then I buy them knowing I'm going to completely go through them.

That's the only way you know what you have.

This might be the mother of all Best Practices, when buying anything previously owned!!! Excellent advice for everyone, the best I ever heard/seen in all my 60+ years!

now..you know full well..in all our phone conversations..how many times have I said, I completely tear them down, knowing full well it has to be done..if it is to be right !..lol. but yeah, jeep is correct !.

 

[retro]

same here, I buy them dirt cheap ( knowing it needs a complete rebuild ), and tear it apart, complete rebuild, piece by piece gets looked at ( I did over look that trx500fm 1st gear problem..that was an over sight , as I had no idea then they made them bad..lol..sooo..shushhh ! )..lmao.

No one can bat .1000 and drive the ball over the fence every at bat. But some try to... and thats the reason why you can produce great quality products of labors consistently! I think we oldtimers (not you necessarily, but I'm getting up there! LOL) work on stuff to challenge, improve and entertain ourselves. It won't be long and you'll be looking for another project bike shadetree... you can't live without a project chewing on your brain-calories. I know you that well...

We all benefit each time one of us sets out to "save" another Honda.