[Badass69]

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum. I just picked up a brand new leftover 2008 420FE last week. The price was pretty good with the rebates so I just had them add the tires, rims and lift as the winch was already on it.

Anyways I am having an intermittent stumbling issue with the machine. When I first got it home I filled it with good fuel as it was nearly empty along the way and it started bogging, and refused to pull in 5th gear. The engine was popping like it's running out of fuel.

The condition got better as I rode and then disappeared. It was fine for a few days of short rides and did it again yesterday. Again it starts stumbling and starving then clears up.

I am thinking from some quick searches maybe it's a fuel filter issue. I am going to take it back to the dealer as it is new with warranty so I may as well use it. That being said I just hope they are not like the dealers with my POS 2009 GMC 2500HD that can't find the transmission flare from 2nd to 3rd that it does every time on startup even with me giving them the TSB number for the problem. I doubt it though, this isn't Government Motors.

Beyond that I like the bike, as it's replacing my old 94 TRX300 2wd that has around 20000 miles on it, lol.

I am going to keep on searching the forum as I want to mod this engine a bit. I build engines and have no problems with efi tuning but am just a newb with Honda's ATVn engine management. I would like to tune it if I can, and go from there.

Thanks!

 

[Helmut]

Welcome to the forums.

I am thinking from some quick searches maybe it's a fuel filter issue.

That would be my guess, too. The fuel filter or the fuel pump, but that's just a guess.

 

[Badass69]

Thanks!

I should mention to at times this thing cranks quite a bit on startup. Doesn't matter hot or cold. I have a friend with a twin 08( black instead of red like mine) that I copied for mods and his starts like a typical injected engine, right on the first crank or two.

I think I will pull the plug and take a look too. It has been kicking around on a dealer lot for the last couple years with probably who knows how many starts and stops. The engine did have 20 miles and 20 hours run time on it when I got it. I am not worried though, if it's anything like my 300 it will last for a long time.

 

[69quadracer]

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Booma]

Hi Badass!

I too am new to the forum and also bought a new 08 420FE (last year though). I have had absolutely no issues at all in cold or heat.

I think you are on the right track though. I doubt the fuel pump is bad at such an early point. But sitting for a few years with only getting 20 hours on it means you don't know how long the fuel has been in the system having it's chance to gum up. The dealer probably never added any fuel stabilizer since they always hoped the ATV would sell soon.

So I would suggest that you pull the pump and clean any gunk out, replace the filter and of course start with a fresh tank of gas.

Probably a good lesson for everyone to add stabilizer at the end of the season before you store your ATV.

Enjoy your Rancher!

Booma

 

[Badass69]

Hi Badass!

I too am new to the forum and also bought a new 08 420FE (last year though). I have had absolutely no issues at all in cold or heat.

I think you are on the right track though. I doubt the fuel pump is bad at such an early point. But sitting for a few years with only getting 20 hours on it means you don't know how long the fuel has been in the system having it's chance to gum up. The dealer probably never added any fuel stabilizer since they always hoped the ATV would sell soon.

So I would suggest that you pull the pump and clean any gunk out, replace the filter and of course start with a fresh tank of gas.

Probably a good lesson for everyone to add stabilizer at the end of the season before you store your ATV.

Enjoy your Rancher!

Booma

My thoughts too. I will go price out a filter and grab a plug as I would imagine those items are cheap enough I won't bother to take it in. If the problem persists, well then yes. The dealer is a 100 mile drive each way so even $50 is offset by my time and fuel. Between the filter and a plug I think my starting issue will disappear too.

Otherwise I love this quad and bought it after being impressed with that Black 08 I mentioned as well as another 07. I like the small chassis machines for whipping down trails as well as ease of throwing it around. This quad fit the bill quite nicely. :smile:

 

[Helmut]

Here's a link to Honda EFI fuel filter replacement procedures just in case you need them.

http://www.hondaatvforums.net/forums/repair-maintenance/3949-honda-efi-fuel-filter-replacement.html

 

[ostrx250]

welcome ba69 hope you got the bug worked out

 

[Badass69]

Thanks guys. I am sure I will. And thanks for the link too! The Powercommander looks interesting for this machine but tuning blind is not the best. That being said I already have a wideband O2 sensor I would stick in my exhaust and maybe make that work.

 

[Badass69]

Yikes, what a day. Number one is I lost both my keys to my quad, which is something I have never done. Must have fell out of my pocket somewhere. Only got a spark plug as the dealer I went to said you can't buy the screens seperate and have to buy the fuel pump. So I phoned the dealer I bought it from and of course they said I can get the screens for it no problem........ This was before I realized I lost my keys.

Then I got what I am sure is a fraudulent cheque for a truck grill I am selling from some guy that is supposedly in the States even though the cheque is from the Association of Registered Nurses in PEI Canada. I knew this was a scam when he sent me the money saying his secretary sent me the shipping money by accident and I have to Western Union the rest to some random guy in Massachusets. The grill is $500 and he sent me $1850......... okay, $1350 for shipping huh. Yeah like I was born yesterday. I spent some time at the cop shop reporting this crap anyways. See where it goes.

 

[Jbray]

I have days/years like that. Hope you get it all sorted out.

 

[tomgodd]

Welcome to the Family!!
Did you ever find the keys??

 

[yotaguy]

The Rancher is a great machine. I hope you enjoy the heck out of it. Also I don't know if it has one or not but, you may check to see if the fuel bypass valve is sticking open. this happened to my bro n laws LTR450.

 

[icedgreece]

I know it may sound stupid, but I'm sure you've checked this.

My Honda did the exact same thing, and being stupid, I forgot to turn the reserve on. I doubt it's your problem, but it's worth checking.

 

[Muggin]

I had the same problem on my Rubi and it was the breather tube coming from the gas cap was blocked on the opposite end.

 

[Badass69]

The problem was simple, it was just the plug. The one in it was fouled pretty badly and after sticking in a new one and riding it, the machine is fine. I just bought a new ignition cylinder for the thing as I never did find the keys for it, it was only $60 and about 10 minutes to change.

Got my first real ride in and I like this quad but it needs a little more power. Climbing some of the sand we decided I powered out where my buddies machine didn't. I have wider tires than him, and I am bigger physically than him so that would be the problem, lol. Otherwise it's pretty flawless short of the factory wrecking the o-ring seal on the oil filter housing and it's leaking. I changed oil once and lubed it hoping it would suffice as the new filter didn't have an o-ring with it ( K and N) but I will just do it again and get a new o-ring in the process. With the 25X10 and 25X12 comboof Mudlites along with the 2" lift the quad goes through most whatever I throw at it unless I bury it over the racks in muskeg.... which I did..... and it took 2 2500 lb warns to get it out.

Now it's time for a pipe and programmer. Maybe I will go and get that today.

 

[Green]

My 09 has never started as fast as I think it should either. In all reality I'm sure it's fine...I would just like it to pop off as soon as the starter spins. It usually cranks for 1-2 seconds the first time I start it.

 

[Badass69]

That's funny because if I take mine out and ride it hard for a longer period of time, it starts nearly instantly for the next few runs around the yard, or short trips. Then I guess the plug begins to foul out and my crank time increases until I ride it any kind of distance again. This engine seems very sensitive to short trips indicating that it runs really rich cold ... unnessasarily so in fact.

I don't know if there is anything that actually can be done about that. I have ordered a power commander and an HMF Performance slip on so I should know towards the end of the week I guess. I have a wide band O2 so I will give the PCIII's HMF tune a try and see what it nets. I really don't see the engine going dead nuts lean with just a muffler swap..... that's a bit of a stretch when the thing run as rich as it does now.

On another side note I switched to Amsoil Power Sports 10W40 as I ran Mobil 1 10W30 car engine oil for a bit. The Amsoil makes the tranny shift quieter and smoother, that's for sure. I never ran any sort of special atv oil in my old 94's 300 and it's clutch never slipped nor did it ever degrade in any way. I will run the ATV stuff in this machine though as I like the difference it made so far with shifting.

 

[shadetree]

That's funny because if I take mine out and ride it hard for a longer period of time, it starts nearly instantly for the next few runs around the yard, or short trips. Then I guess the plug begins to foul out and my crank time increases until I ride it any kind of distance again. This engine seems very sensitive to short trips indicating that it runs really rich cold ... unnessasarily so in fact.

I don't know if there is anything that actually can be done about that. I have ordered a power commander and an HMF Performance slip on so I should know towards the end of the week I guess. I have a wide band O2 so I will give the PCIII's HMF tune a try and see what it nets. I really don't see the engine going dead nuts lean with just a muffler swap..... that's a bit of a stretch when the thing run as rich as it does now.

On another side note I switched to Amsoil Power Sports 10W40 as I ran Mobil 1 10W30 car engine oil for a bit. The Amsoil makes the tranny shift quieter and smoother, that's for sure. I never ran any sort of special atv oil in my old 94's 300 and it's clutch never slipped nor did it ever degrade in any way. I will run the ATV stuff in this machine though as I like the difference it made so far with shifting.

honda's are cold natured from the start...when it comes to cranking them..after you ride them for a little bit..they will start up easier...as for yours running rich..try adjusting the air/fuel mixter screw...or maybe check into changing your main jet.

 

[Badass69]

honda's are cold natured from the start...when it comes to cranking them..after you ride them for a little bit..they will start up easier...as for yours running rich..try adjusting the air/fuel mixter screw...or maybe check into changing your main jet.

This machine runs a lot richer however than any carburated ones I ran in the past. My quad is fuel injected so that's the reason for the PCIII for me.