I am going to be 70, in the next 30 days, and I was always doing the basic troubleshooting like you do in all the bikes, snowmobiles, and ATV’s I worked on from 17 years old to my early 60’s, as I loved a challenge like you do. Got many machines running that others could not get running, overheating, or not running well. It makes me happy that you are carrying on this kind of work. I do however go to a trade school for two school years my junior and senior years of high school, in the small gasoline engines. It gave me some basics, but back then in the early 70’s, we had books and manuals, not computers, google and smart phones. I watch your channel on every challenge. Great work my friend!😊
@@itsmers lol,me as well and me and you and @sysmanagerlax,we 3 are the original owners!!lol.as we all solod this atv and were to dumb to figure out what was wrong with it!!!lol
Joe is amazing but will Bosch, Denso, Mitsubishi, BBB industries all manufacturers of starters please sponsor this guy!!! How these starters hold up as he cranks is amazing.
I was wincing around the one minute mark with Joe holding his thumb on that starter button. I swear it started to sound like it was going to burn out at the end there.
Methinks Joe knows how to diagnose issues with things we all love to ride . So much knowledge . I always view his latest immediately after putting my feet up . Cheers from Christiano in Australia .
He always does this, spaz, it's a crazy maker. If after a few tries, when you see that what isn't happening will never be satisfactory,,, fix it. Running a starter and waiting for ?????
Hey Joe the z400 lights are turned on by turning the key another click to the right. Unless it’s an aftermarket ignition. Turn it past the on position to the right
You have very good deductive reasoning, and your patience and persistence is admirable. It must be extremely gratifying to take machines people have given up on and bring them back to life.
I watch in the mornings before work as you post early. My wife became a bigger fan than me! She is requesting a Vinnie Cameo as she hasn't seen him in a while. Thanks for the constant education dude!
Another great video Joe, believe it or not I have actually learned a lot from watching you. I think it's amazing how you think out loud what you are thinking about possible problems to the current situation. Great camera views, great editing, it's like going to school every time I watch one of your videos. Thanks Joe!! Jay from Pa.
I can do the same thing with pianos. Unfortunately, men rarely play and women aren't interested in seeing how to fix them. There wouldn't be much of an audienc and fewer people interested in purchasing them. I'd love to make videos on how to buy, fix-up and sell pianos, what I've done for the last 35 years in a continually declining market. I really like how you're able to do this and presumably make a living doing it. Keep up the great work.
I love the fact that you make it through these videos without cussing or swearing… my uncle always said, a tell-tale sign of a bad mechanic is cussing and swearing…the more they cuss…the less they know”…i guess that makes you an awesome mechanic…
Not really sure how sound that advice is...some people curse, some don't. Joe doesn't curse on video...doesn't mean he doesn't curse at machines or in general. I curse like a Sailor...shame on me. Doesn't mean I'm a bad mechanic.
@@marinetodd06Maybe he means that if you do cuss and you are cussing while your mechanicing, Just means the more you don't understand or know what you doing/or what's going on,
I’ve rebuilt two so far. First thing is swap petcock to 350 Raptor petcock . Always keep fuel off when not using because it floods the bottom end and destroys cranks. Good luck friends 🤙🏼🏴☠️🤙🏼🇺🇸
I had a similar problem on my DRZ400, sitting over the winter the vacuum petcock failed and filled the entire engine with gas, replaced it with a non vacuum petcock and it's been fine ever since.
I just got a 2006 Polaris outlaw 500 and your videos from 3 years ago helped a bit. I’m dealing with wiring issues, someone tried to steal it and cut up the harness. No key or tumbler, I’m trying to fix it without just buying a new harness… lol I doubt I can but it’s good practice. Did order a new key and tumbler.
Wait wait hold on. If it's got cams like that those will be noisy but that's not just the cams making all that. I'm willing to bet because of the very large lift and the valve springs that need to be used, the cam chain tensioner is not working or already about to break. That's a LOT of rattle. Please check the tensioner for broken teeth or shiny spots on the ratchet mechanism or it's going to have an unhappy marriage with piston to valve collision. Edit: In fact, I've just watched a few videos of LTZ400 and hotcams and they don't sound like that. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE TENSIONER!
As person that owns this same bike with the same cams in it it 100% sounds like this and has for some years now so i say its fine depends on the camera for sound lol if he use a diffrent camera it wouldnt sound as bad as u think
This reminds me of the '92 Yamaha YZ 125 you purchased some time ago. Not quite as clean, but excellent condition nonetheless. I just started the video, but even if you have to rebuild the entire engine, you're still going to make some good money because of how tight it looks. Even the factory warning and instructional stickers are still in place. Really great find.
Great find on a super clean 20+ year old quad! Awesome that it was a fix and ride in one video! The lights are probably just bulbs after sitting for 10 years. Get some new LED lamps and you will love them.
I own two and work on three of these model machines. Great job with it. I found and feel that the petcock is labeled wrong. I turn mine in the on position to shut them off, and in the PRI to run them. It hasn't failed me yet. I have heard that they run on some sort of vacuum but have never confirmed it. As far as the LIGHTs. Rotate the key switch past the on position and the lights should come on. It looked like the light symbol by the key stitch was missing so you did not see it, but the key will rotate clockwise past the on switch.
Sounds like the same petcock on my Suzuki DR650; on and reserve will not open until there is vacuum, prime turns on the fuel without vacuum, ideal if the bike hasn't ran for a while.
Dam nice find for 1600. That z400 is in excellent shape. I literally just finished rebuilding an 05 with low compression. The rings ended up being stuck. Rebuilt it with a 434 kit from BP ATV & she rips now. Love the Z400’s. Fun quads!
Gas in the crankcase or oil sump means the float is sticking and the needle isn’t seating allowing fuel to pass and go into the crank. I’ve seen this a lot as I do what you do for a living. Sometimes they hydrolock.
Thanks for all the nice videos! No advertising. No unnecessary blablabla. I had or rode a lot of old bikes you've shown, brings back sweet memories! Greetings from Sweden
it’s a vacuum operated petcock, left on pri it flows gas to prime/ fill the carb float bowl, after wards never use it there and set to “On” (which will feed gas on vacuum as it runs) if it runs out while running it, switch it to “res” until you you get more gas then put it back to “on” and leave it there indefinitely ps i own a 2005 Kawasaki version in Orange, and a 2007 Drz400sm which is basically the same setup:)
Plant next years crop near that swail in the middle of the field, along with the soil amendments, and you may be amazed. As long as it doesn't flood... good luck, and great video!
That’s what we call a lemon. I’m glad I could say that on this video instead of the seven TRX or 750 whatever you wanna call it that made me almost cry. I love the sound of that quad and wish you could figure out the compression the exhaust being loud shows the tension of the valves and if it’s hard to turn over, it’s on the other side
Nice job. Few suggestions observations… 1. Install fuel filter in the right direction 2. What type of oring did you use on the oem float needle seat? I recommend harbor freight assortment of viton orings. They hold up well to gas. Standard black buna orings are junk for long gasoline storage. 3. Before tossing carb in cleaner, pull apart cutoff valve and inspect diaphragm, spring, and ball check valves 4. Pick up a cylinder leakdown. It’s the next step after finding low compression. It’ll narrow down the low C issue real fast. 5. Pick up a carb pressure gauge. Not worth putting a carb back in service especially with a used float needle, needle seat and needle seat oring without press testing it. You got lucky with this one. 6. That valve rattle would drive me crazy. Quad seems by sound to be either behind time or exhaust can’t handle AM head work or something. It sounds sluggish. Could just be the audio to I suppose.
Joe, Harbor Freight has lovely air hammer attachments that would have brought that plug out easily. They have place for a wrench and a socket on the end. I use them for exhaust manifolds when they are stubborn. A worthy addition to the tool box!
I got a set of specialty air hammer attachments from Eastwood automotive tools that are rubber coated made specifically to remove stuck seals and bushings
Nice job of troubleshooting Joe, its a good thing he kept the original carb, you can use the chinese one for a door stop. Nice machine looks new.and runs new.
That is the first time I learned that a primer is at the tank. Old motorcycles had a button on the carburetor called the ticker. You press the button till gas came out the vent on the carb then release. Good on cold days to start the engine.
I kind of would like you to turn off the gas and put a little oil in the cylinders and see if the compression goes up because of the gas is washing the rings off
Just a FYI, if you ever come across another carburetor that has a bunch of varnish or the green crap, I can say this, try this before you use carburetor dip, carb spray, or anything else, try hoppys number 9 nitro solvent gun cleaner. It will melt that stuff away instantly and will also polish the aluminum. Soak the jets why ya clean the carb itself. I'm a 35 year Mechanic and was amazed by this.
Always a great day when you don't have to pull the motor out. Great diagnosis, I never would have guessed, but it makes total sense. Very budget friendly fix.
When I saw how diluted the oil was, I was pretty sure the compression was affected by the amount of fuel on the cylinder walls. Fantastic work. I'm pretty sad that poor thing say for a decade because of over-fueling and a petcock valve. Could've been fixed and back up and going so long ago. I don't think I would've thought to put oil in the cylinder to increase compression. lol. Great job man.
You may want to check the oem chain tensioner (possible engine noise), they have been known to weaken/fail over time with this engine, which of course causes slack in the timing chain thus noise. Many owners simply change over to a Manual chain tensioner (eBay $20) and have had great results.
A couple helpful hints for you,get yourself a long handle flex head ratchet,once you use one you wont go back.get yourself an impact driver for those stubborn bolts and also,when you get a wet cylinder like that take a torch and heat the end of the spark plug,it helps ignite the fuel like a hot motor😁
Hey ya'll, I'm the new owner of this LTZ400; and I just wanted to give some information on the quad, as I saw some comments pointing out some issues. First off, this quad more than likely did sit for 10 years as Joe said. The quad hasn't been registered since 2013 and is in pretty damn good condition because of that. The one thing I noticed, as did others, was the cam chain and cam noises. I've worked on older Suzuki sportbikes and have heard noisy cam chains before. The culprit was usually a bad cam chain tensioner. It turns out the automatic cam chain tensioner on this quad would not reset itself, as a there was a defective spring hindering it from doing so. Because of this, there was no tension on the chain causing it to slap around and give the "death rattle" sound. I went ahead and replaced it with a manual cam chain tensioner and the cam chain noise was gone. For the cams, those are the older style stage 2 hotcams with the paint marks. The newer style had indented marks where the painted dots are. I had to scower the old ltz400 forums to find a picture as to what the correct timing looked like; the timing on this quad was definitely not correct. The cams were retarded by a few teeth on both the intake and exhaust for some reason; could be because it jumped teeth from the faulty cam chain tensioner, or the previous owner installed them wrong. I was able to time them correctly with the painted dots being parallel with the case, and the cam lobes pointing to 10 and 2 o'clock. Also when checking the valve lash, the exhaust valves were in spec at 0.274mm, while one intake was not. The intake valve lash was 0.124mm for one, and 0.034mm for the other (basically near zero!). The quad would die when it got warm and could only be fired up again if it cooled down for like 10 minutes, or if we push started it. I was able to get some smaller shims from a local dealer and I got the intake valves in spec near 0.174mm. I know I'll have to get new valves in the future, but re-shimming it has at least extended the life of the current intake valves a bit. Lastly, I upped the pilot and main jets. These come stock with a 22.5 pilot and 130 main, so I swapped to a 25 pilot and 155 main while leaving the needle alone; as this does have the airbox lid removed. This thing feels very smooth now throughout the whole range of throttle input. It sounds very crisp now compared to before being really boggy sounding. Picked up a 13-tooth front sprocket and did away with the petcock and installed a Raptor 660 Petcock. Also got a really sweet deal on some front ITP Holeshot tires, as the front left stock Dunlop had the sidewall bulging out, or it was patched, either way it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to tires. All in all, I spent around $100 for parts and tires (helped finding some really good deals locally) to get this thing running like new. My brother has a trx450r and I can keep up with him decently when on the straight aways, but on the trails this thing really shines. Gonna slap a Yoshimura full exhaust on it and maybe upgrade the carb to an yzf450r 39 mm FCR carb. Joe was super cool and gave me a pretty good deal on this quad, so I don't have anything against him for missing a few things when diagnosing the initial issue on this quad. I had a good time working on this small, yet simple machine. Kanpai!
You have 2 register off road stuff now? I'm not that old but in the 90s and early 00s we all just ran them wherever. Am I missing something man? Can they be run on the street in some states?
@@deathunitesus2135I mean technically you don't have to, but you do have that piece of mind if your quad or bike were ever to be stolen; along with not being hit with a hefty fine if you were ever stopped while riding on public roads or trails. I'm in Wisconsin so a good amount of the roads are atv/UTV legal. It's $25 for registration every two years, but i'm sure other states are different.
@MegaJarass grew up in CT in the 90s our small town cops would chase us all over the place even if we had a chick for a ride they would try and hit us to make us stop like we robbed a bank. Now that pot got legalized they must watch squirrels cross the road in between speeding tickets.
This is absolutely amazing 👏 I have watched 2 of your videos now and I'm certain your a wizard , I know little about engines but I'm learning fast from you !! You explanations are so in depth , I'd absolutely love to do projects with you and learn but sadly I'm from Britain 🇬🇧, your fault diagnosis is second to none , well done pal 👍 👏
i had a suzuki s40 and it had the exact same problem a friend gave it to me and it only had 1000 miles on it. got a new petcock valve and new oil and filter and she runs great now.
Love the aesthetics and for the year! I have a 2004 DRZ250 in the exact same color and graphics scheme. I picked up a 99 Warrior that’s a basket case for my first quad project. I’m not a quad guy by any means but will be trying to fix it to use on my parents land. Your videos rock!
You should have a live feed on one of these flips. It would not only help educate you and everyone else but it would save you time. Time is money my man.
Whenever you're faced with the timing caps being overly tight like they were, you're going to want to use the shortest socket/extension possible. I noticed that you tend to use a combination of tools that are far too long, which will encourage the caps to strip out. By keeping them short, you'll maximize the effectiveness of the breaker bar while also greatly reducing the possibility of them stripping out. Trust me on this one.
Kind of what I thought it was when you said that he put on a new carb and dig plug was soaking wet, usually indicates as you well know that float height
I believe a Raptor 660 petcock will mount right up to that tank and eliminate the need for a vacuum petcock altogether. Usually the first mod people do to those things if I recall correctly. Vacuum petcocks can cause an unnecessary headache for sure.
I knew the problem all along. My kids z250 had the same issue only my airbox had gas sitting in it as well. I replaced the petcock with a standard on/off/reserve and blocked the other line to the carb
I had a z400 approx 8 years ago and bought it mint almost new with like 5 hours on it. I must have put 200+ hard hours on it riding it almost every day hours at a time and it still ran great when I sold it to someone. I couldn't kill the engine, but I changed the oil very very often and used a super sticky air filter oil that caught everything. I cleaned and reoiled the air filter every 4-8 hours max. These 400cc engines were some of the most reliable engines I have personally beat the snot out of if you left them Stock. I have an ltr450 that I always had to replace pistons and valves though pretty often but I beat the snot out of it when I rode it. 450 engines are much more high strung so that is why.
Got shit house lucky on that one!! Yes you saw a 50/50 mix of gas and oil, in the crankcase. I bought a 68 Charger R/T with the original 440, with the same issue, seller had the same issues, non runner, I pulled the dipstick and it showed completely over full, and reeked of gas.. the old school RED gas, that actually stunk. Pay attention kids… drained 12qts of gas and oil out, found the carb shaft completely worn out, did a major tube up, oil change, replaced the carb, and went out in two days, and layed 80ft black top burnouts in it. Ran like a top. Amazing.. your repair reminded me of that same experience… feels good to get that lucky! Wish I had kept the car, was worth a shit ton of money nowadays.. oh well, we didn’t know back then… it was just a 20Yr old muscle car lol!.. Great Work!!
After working on my shed build by myself, after working on that, I think a coffee from my coffee maker and switch on the pc and see what going on in the world of utube and Joe has a video uploaded. Nice. Glad it worked out for you bud, I always try on problem solve when watching. Sounds like a nice machine. Looks clean. Well worked out bud and glad you have it up and running. Can I say that this video looks really sharpe, have you change camera? As always bud, you are a LEGEND when it come down to these vechiles. many thanks for your work.
I had an 03 that looked alot like this, HMF used it for their mock up since i live in NE Ohio. After Baldwin Motorsports got done with the motor, God that thing would rip. Miss it alot, but life changes. Hold on to it!
Another great video and diagnosis, Joe! You are always so methodical in your approach. We all learn a lot from you and it’s great that you share your knowledge. Keep up the great work!
If it has the oem petcock valve it's possible for it to fill the motor with gas because it doesn't actually shut off,most people say the raptor petcock valve is better but it doesn't have the spot for the vent hose,it will work if it has a fcr carb
Hi joel am amazed how many people state carnt get it going suck squeeze bang blow no matter what Joel you keep up the good work and keep finding them little gems that are basic checks and knowledge
Good job! I like to use a small auxiliary fuel bottle to check carburetor float shut off. Hook it up to the carb, with the bowl off. Hold the carb upright over a pan. Turn on the fuel flow. Gas should run freely through the carb into the pan. Push up gently on the float and fuel should stop. Just my backwoods method.
I’ve watched you since day one you are a master mechanic now ,I’m very impressed with your troubleshooting! keep grinding keep doing what you’re doing. Do not let haters get in your way of enjoying what you’re doing. Love from Illinois.
I am going to be 70, in the next 30 days, and I was always doing the basic troubleshooting like you do in all the bikes, snowmobiles, and ATV’s I worked on from 17 years old to my early 60’s, as I loved a challenge like you do. Got many machines running that others could not get running, overheating, or not running well. It makes me happy that you are carrying on this kind of work. I do however go to a trade school for two school years my junior and senior years of high school, in the small gasoline engines. It gave me some basics, but back then in the early 70’s, we had books and manuals, not computers, google and smart phones. I watch your channel on every challenge. Great work my friend!😊
happy belated birthday steve
I’m the original owner of that quad, can’t believe it’s still in great shape.
That’s gotta be a pretty good feeling to see your old baby being taken care of lol. Like when your daughter finds a really good husband
to be fair, that was a pretty tricky ass issue.
yeah right,me too!!lol
I'm the original owner. I had that quad in the elps
@@itsmers lol,me as well and me and you and @sysmanagerlax,we 3 are the original owners!!lol.as we all solod this atv and were to dumb to figure out what was wrong with it!!!lol
Joe is amazing but will Bosch, Denso, Mitsubishi, BBB industries all manufacturers of starters please sponsor this guy!!! How these starters hold up as he cranks is amazing.
10,000 cranks or 500 kicks and "she started right up" :d
I was wincing around the one minute mark with Joe holding his thumb on that starter button. I swear it started to sound like it was going to burn out at the end there.
@@JustAnAverageBrad Best part is he does not have his face in the camera like the " I wooo like a girl" from legit street cars...
@@stkyfngrszmoothThat’s what they’re for.
Methinks Joe knows how to diagnose issues with things we all love to ride . So much knowledge . I always view his latest immediately after putting my feet up . Cheers from Christiano in Australia .
Let’s get a round of applause for that starter.
thats always joes style!!lol sad but true!!!lol
Yup, I was saying out loud “Why does he do that?” But….it runs!!!
Yeah that starter is definitely the MVP for this video
must of been brand new before joe got it haha!. impressive
He always does this, spaz, it's a crazy maker. If after a few tries, when you see that what isn't happening will never be satisfactory,,, fix it. Running a starter and waiting for ?????
Hey Joe the z400 lights are turned on by turning the key another click to the right.
Unless it’s an aftermarket ignition. Turn it past the on position to the right
You have very good deductive reasoning, and your patience and persistence is admirable. It must be extremely gratifying to take machines people have given up on and bring them back to life.
I watch in the mornings before work as you post early. My wife became a bigger fan than me! She is requesting a Vinnie Cameo as she hasn't seen him in a while. Thanks for the constant education dude!
Another great video Joe, believe it or not I have actually learned a lot from watching you. I think it's amazing how you think out loud what you are thinking about possible problems to the current situation. Great camera views, great editing, it's like going to school every time I watch one of your videos. Thanks Joe!! Jay from Pa.
A q-tip in the chuck of a drill and lapping compound cleans those seats up nicely.
I can do the same thing with pianos. Unfortunately, men rarely play and women aren't interested in seeing how to fix them. There wouldn't be much of an audienc and fewer people interested in purchasing them. I'd love to make videos on how to buy, fix-up and sell pianos, what I've done for the last 35 years in a continually declining market.
I really like how you're able to do this and presumably make a living doing it. Keep up the great work.
I can honestly say you inspire me I've been watching your videos for years thanks for the inspiration
Glad you checked the oil first instead of just trying to fire er up this time!
I love the fact that you make it through these videos without cussing or swearing… my uncle always said, a tell-tale sign of a bad mechanic is cussing and swearing…the more they cuss…the less they know”…i guess that makes you an awesome mechanic…
😂
Joe is obviously a Christian and doesn’t swear or use the Lord’s name in vain.
Not really sure how sound that advice is...some people curse, some don't. Joe doesn't curse on video...doesn't mean he doesn't curse at machines or in general.
I curse like a Sailor...shame on me. Doesn't mean I'm a bad mechanic.
@@marinetodd06Maybe he means that if you do cuss and you are cussing while your mechanicing, Just means the more you don't understand or know what you doing/or what's going on,
@@charlesshort4287 you ever work on a UH-1N? You'll curse until the sun goes down.
I’ve rebuilt two so far. First thing is swap petcock to 350 Raptor petcock . Always keep fuel off when not using because it floods the bottom end and destroys cranks. Good luck friends 🤙🏼🏴☠️🤙🏼🇺🇸
Enjoy your content!! The best part is that there are no "commercials"!!!
I had a similar problem on my DRZ400, sitting over the winter the vacuum petcock failed and filled the entire engine with gas, replaced it with a non vacuum petcock and it's been fine ever since.
I just got a 2006 Polaris outlaw 500 and your videos from 3 years ago helped a bit. I’m dealing with wiring issues, someone tried to steal it and cut up the harness. No key or tumbler, I’m trying to fix it without just buying a new harness… lol I doubt I can but it’s good practice. Did order a new key and tumbler.
Wait wait hold on. If it's got cams like that those will be noisy but that's not just the cams making all that. I'm willing to bet because of the very large lift and the valve springs that need to be used, the cam chain tensioner is not working or already about to break. That's a LOT of rattle. Please check the tensioner for broken teeth or shiny spots on the ratchet mechanism or it's going to have an unhappy marriage with piston to valve collision.
Edit: In fact, I've just watched a few videos of LTZ400 and hotcams and they don't sound like that. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE TENSIONER!
As person that owns this same bike with the same cams in it it 100% sounds like this and has for some years now so i say its fine depends on the camera for sound lol if he use a diffrent camera it wouldnt sound as bad as u think
Also if it was really making any noise he would know he builds bikes all the time
You are the man @JOE /@2vintage, I believe you can fix anything. Welldone.
👍👍👍
This reminds me of the '92 Yamaha YZ 125 you purchased some time ago. Not quite as clean, but excellent condition nonetheless. I just started the video, but even if you have to rebuild the entire engine, you're still going to make some good money because of how tight it looks. Even the factory warning and instructional stickers are still in place. Really great find.
Nice Job Joe... that was a problem in plane sight. Very well done. You are an amazing mechanic.. Well done
Great find on a super clean 20+ year old quad! Awesome that it was a fix and ride in one video! The lights are probably just bulbs after sitting for 10 years. Get some new LED lamps and you will love them.
I own two and work on three of these model machines. Great job with it. I found and feel that the petcock is labeled wrong. I turn mine in the on position to shut them off, and in the PRI to run them. It hasn't failed me yet. I have heard that they run on some sort of vacuum but have never confirmed it. As far as the LIGHTs. Rotate the key switch past the on position and the lights should come on. It looked like the light symbol by the key stitch was missing so you did not see it, but the key will rotate clockwise past the on switch.
Sounds like the same petcock on my Suzuki DR650; on and reserve will not open until there is vacuum, prime turns on the fuel without vacuum, ideal if the bike hasn't ran for a while.
Good job! I don't think I would've ever found that problem.
Dam nice find for 1600. That z400 is in excellent shape. I literally just finished rebuilding an 05 with low compression. The rings ended up being stuck. Rebuilt it with a 434 kit from BP ATV & she rips now. Love the Z400’s. Fun quads!
Good lord you are so freaking smart. I absolutely love watching your videos.
Finally a clean machine to work on !
Gas in the crankcase or oil sump means the float is sticking and the needle isn’t seating allowing fuel to pass and go into the crank. I’ve seen this a lot as I do what you do for a living. Sometimes they hydrolock.
Thanks for all the nice videos!
No advertising. No unnecessary blablabla.
I had or rode a lot of old bikes you've shown, brings back sweet memories!
Greetings from Sweden
I always love when they fire up!
Keep up the good work!
it’s a vacuum operated petcock, left on pri it flows gas to prime/ fill the carb float bowl, after wards never use it there and set to “On” (which will feed gas on vacuum as it runs) if it runs out while running it, switch it to “res” until you you get more gas then put it back to “on” and leave it there indefinitely ps i own a 2005 Kawasaki version in Orange, and a 2007 Drz400sm which is basically the same setup:)
Basic instructions on fuel tap operation!
He knows how it works its just clearly bad 😂
Plant next years crop near that swail in the middle of the field, along with the soil amendments, and you may be amazed. As long as it doesn't flood... good luck, and great video!
That was a good diagnosis and repair. I would love to buy the machine. Older is better. I am in Shreveport Louisiana.
Thats a sweet quad, now that you figured out the petcock issue. Good diagnosis, and as usual, really enjoy your content Joe. Vinny is the best!!!!!!
SWEET, GIVING LIFE BACK 2 ANOTHER MACHINE, AWSOME WORKS, JOE.
That’s what we call a lemon. I’m glad I could say that on this video instead of the seven TRX or 750 whatever you wanna call it that made me almost cry. I love the sound of that quad and wish you could figure out the compression the exhaust being loud shows the tension of the valves and if it’s hard to turn over, it’s on the other side
Nice job.
Few suggestions observations…
1. Install fuel filter in the right direction
2. What type of oring did you use on the oem float needle seat? I recommend harbor freight assortment of viton orings. They hold up well to gas. Standard black buna orings are junk for long gasoline storage.
3. Before tossing carb in cleaner, pull apart cutoff valve and inspect diaphragm, spring, and ball check valves
4. Pick up a cylinder leakdown. It’s the next step after finding low compression. It’ll narrow down the low C issue real fast.
5. Pick up a carb pressure gauge. Not worth putting a carb back in service especially with a used float needle, needle seat and needle seat oring without press testing it. You got lucky with this one.
6. That valve rattle would drive me crazy. Quad seems by sound to be either behind time or exhaust can’t handle AM head work or something. It sounds sluggish. Could just be the audio to I suppose.
I agree here sounds under powered a little.
You can find a harbor freight o-ring in that Chinese carb you took off...
Great video Joe watching from Edinburgh Scotland UK 🇬🇧
Great job, just go through the diagnostic steps. No short cuts and start eliminating possible failures. Well done!
Joe, Harbor Freight has lovely air hammer attachments that would have brought that plug out easily. They have place for a wrench and a socket on the end. I use them for exhaust manifolds when they are stubborn. A worthy addition to the tool box!
I got a set of specialty air hammer attachments from Eastwood automotive tools that are rubber coated made specifically to remove stuck seals and bushings
You can bench check the carb for flooding. Just add gas line above the carb and clamp level in vise for a hour. Watch for leaks
Fantastic, beautiful machine. You just don't know til ya know. Something that simple. Good find Sr.
Nice job of troubleshooting Joe, its a good thing he kept the original carb, you can use the chinese one for a door stop. Nice machine looks new.and runs new.
That is the first time I learned that a primer is at the tank. Old motorcycles had a button on the carburetor called the ticker. You press the button till gas came out the vent on the carb then release. Good on cold days to start the engine.
I kind of would like you to turn off the gas and put a little oil in the cylinders and see if the compression goes up because of the gas is washing the rings off
I love how you diagnose things and work through them. Keep up the great videos.
Diagnosing is the hardest part of the job most of the time.
32:05 fully agree. I always oil O-rings when it can be done given the application. makes them go in easy and prevent them from being sheered off.
Surprising they did the airbox mod, added hot cams, but didnt put a bigger 39mm fcr carb on it. Especially when carb was being replaced anyway.
It is very simple to find out if the float is working or not by blowing in to the gas hose when you hold the carb up side down!
Just a FYI, if you ever come across another carburetor that has a bunch of varnish or the green crap, I can say this, try this before you use carburetor dip, carb spray, or anything else, try hoppys number 9 nitro solvent gun cleaner. It will melt that stuff away instantly and will also polish the aluminum. Soak the jets why ya clean the carb itself. I'm a 35 year Mechanic and was amazed by this.
I swear your video's are gonna help me fix my 2003 zx12r electrical issues. You are the man!!
Always a great day when you don't have to pull the motor out. Great diagnosis, I never would have guessed, but it makes total sense. Very budget friendly fix.
DR your patient is alive and ticking. Good job on finding the problem.
When I saw how diluted the oil was, I was pretty sure the compression was affected by the amount of fuel on the cylinder walls. Fantastic work. I'm pretty sad that poor thing say for a decade because of over-fueling and a petcock valve. Could've been fixed and back up and going so long ago. I don't think I would've thought to put oil in the cylinder to increase compression. lol. Great job man.
This is the perfect Z400 !!! I recommend keeping it!!!! Keep it as a fun quad! Those Suzukis are pretty solid machine!
That was amazing. Never seen anyone troubleshoot anything like this.👍🏼. Wish you lived near me. Keep up the great work.
You may want to check the oem chain tensioner (possible engine noise), they have been known to weaken/fail over time with this engine, which of course causes slack in the timing chain thus noise. Many owners simply change over to a Manual chain tensioner (eBay $20) and have had great results.
A couple helpful hints for you,get yourself a long handle flex head ratchet,once you use one you wont go back.get yourself an impact driver for those stubborn bolts and also,when you get a wet cylinder like that take a torch and heat the end of the spark plug,it helps ignite the fuel like a hot motor😁
Turn the key to the second on position for lights
I was just about to comment this but figured id see if anyone else figured it out first so I scrolled through the comments first 👍🏼
The yamaha raptor 660 petcock is a very common fix for that petcock issue you are having i run one on my kfx400
Hey ya'll, I'm the new owner of this LTZ400; and I just wanted to give some information on the quad, as I saw some comments pointing out some issues.
First off, this quad more than likely did sit for 10 years as Joe said. The quad hasn't been registered since 2013 and is in pretty damn good condition because of that.
The one thing I noticed, as did others, was the cam chain and cam noises. I've worked on older Suzuki sportbikes and have heard noisy cam chains before. The culprit was usually a bad cam chain tensioner. It turns out the automatic cam chain tensioner on this quad would not reset itself, as a there was a defective spring hindering it from doing so. Because of this, there was no tension on the chain causing it to slap around and give the "death rattle" sound. I went ahead and replaced it with a manual cam chain tensioner and the cam chain noise was gone.
For the cams, those are the older style stage 2 hotcams with the paint marks. The newer style had indented marks where the painted dots are. I had to scower the old ltz400 forums to find a picture as to what the correct timing looked like; the timing on this quad was definitely not correct. The cams were retarded by a few teeth on both the intake and exhaust for some reason; could be because it jumped teeth from the faulty cam chain tensioner, or the previous owner installed them wrong. I was able to time them correctly with the painted dots being parallel with the case, and the cam lobes pointing to 10 and 2 o'clock.
Also when checking the valve lash, the exhaust valves were in spec at 0.274mm, while one intake was not. The intake valve lash was 0.124mm for one, and 0.034mm for the other (basically near zero!). The quad would die when it got warm and could only be fired up again if it cooled down for like 10 minutes, or if we push started it. I was able to get some smaller shims from a local dealer and I got the intake valves in spec near 0.174mm. I know I'll have to get new valves in the future, but re-shimming it has at least extended the life of the current intake valves a bit.
Lastly, I upped the pilot and main jets. These come stock with a 22.5 pilot and 130 main, so I swapped to a 25 pilot and 155 main while leaving the needle alone; as this does have the airbox lid removed. This thing feels very smooth now throughout the whole range of throttle input. It sounds very crisp now compared to before being really boggy sounding.
Picked up a 13-tooth front sprocket and did away with the petcock and installed a Raptor 660 Petcock. Also got a really sweet deal on some front ITP Holeshot tires, as the front left stock Dunlop had the sidewall bulging out, or it was patched, either way it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to tires. All in all, I spent around $100 for parts and tires (helped finding some really good deals locally) to get this thing running like new. My brother has a trx450r and I can keep up with him decently when on the straight aways, but on the trails this thing really shines.
Gonna slap a Yoshimura full exhaust on it and maybe upgrade the carb to an yzf450r 39 mm FCR carb. Joe was super cool and gave me a pretty good deal on this quad, so I don't have anything against him for missing a few things when diagnosing the initial issue on this quad. I had a good time working on this small, yet simple machine. Kanpai!
You have 2 register off road stuff now? I'm not that old but in the 90s and early 00s we all just ran them wherever. Am I missing something man? Can they be run on the street in some states?
@@deathunitesus2135I mean technically you don't have to, but you do have that piece of mind if your quad or bike were ever to be stolen; along with not being hit with a hefty fine if you were ever stopped while riding on public roads or trails. I'm in Wisconsin so a good amount of the roads are atv/UTV legal. It's $25 for registration every two years, but i'm sure other states are different.
@MegaJarass grew up in CT in the 90s our small town cops would chase us all over the place even if we had a chick for a ride they would try and hit us to make us stop like we robbed a bank. Now that pot got legalized they must watch squirrels cross the road in between speeding tickets.
James Condon uses a separate wire mesh basket with lid for all the carb small parts put into the ultra sonic.
My favorite ever sport quad. Had a 2006kfx 400 and my cousin has a 03kfx 400 he bought new and still has it till this day. They’re a blast
This is absolutely amazing 👏
I have watched 2 of your videos now and I'm certain your a wizard , I know little about engines but I'm learning fast from you !!
You explanations are so in depth , I'd absolutely love to do projects with you and learn but sadly I'm from Britain 🇬🇧, your fault diagnosis is second to none , well done pal 👍 👏
The petcock on those things are always an issue. Replace it with a Raptor 660 petcock. And never worry about that vacuum again.
Yeah I put a standard Yamaha petcock on my Suzuki King Quad, it had that stupid vacuum one
2V, after a short struggle it's a fine machine! Petcock power! A new or rebuilt petcock makes it a true bargain! Congrats!
i had a suzuki s40 and it had the exact same problem a friend gave it to me and it only had 1000 miles on it. got a new petcock valve and new oil and filter and she runs great now.
Love the aesthetics and for the year! I have a 2004 DRZ250 in the exact same color and graphics scheme.
I picked up a 99 Warrior that’s a basket case for my first quad project. I’m not a quad guy by any means but will be trying to fix it to use on my parents land. Your videos rock!
You should have a live feed on one of these flips. It would not only help educate you and everyone else but it would save you time. Time is money my man.
Excellent job Joe !!!!
Very clean quad. I mean from the plastics to the motor. I owned a Honda 110 ATC a long time ago right before quads made it on the scene.
I speend my time see all videos from this guy. I Enjoy very much. Regards from Portugal 🇵🇹
Joe you are the wizard of Bikes N Quads;....Also you find 'em with the weirdest problems....! Good fix!
Whenever you're faced with the timing caps being overly tight like they were, you're going to want to use the shortest socket/extension possible. I noticed that you tend to use a combination of tools that are far too long, which will encourage the caps to strip out. By keeping them short, you'll maximize the effectiveness of the breaker bar while also greatly reducing the possibility of them stripping out. Trust me on this one.
Your fuel filter is on backwards as well.......get another one. Excellent deal on this quad, Joe! Great find on that carb issue, too. Thanks man!
I had no doubt you would get that bike running. You are a wazzard buddy.
What's a "wazzard?" Is it a cross between a wizard and a hazard? Either way, I like it.
It means brilliant. @@stkyfngrszmooth
Enjoyed that piece of detective work,from an old retired detective, in the canaries ,good to watch joe keep them coming.
Kind of what I thought it was when you said that he put on a new carb and dig plug was soaking wet, usually indicates as you well know that float height
I believe a Raptor 660 petcock will mount right up to that tank and eliminate the need for a vacuum petcock altogether. Usually the first mod people do to those things if I recall correctly. Vacuum petcocks can cause an unnecessary headache for sure.
I knew the problem all along. My kids z250 had the same issue only my airbox had gas sitting in it as well. I replaced the petcock with a standard on/off/reserve and blocked the other line to the carb
Outstanding job on the fix it. If I owned it I would replace the rear sprocket with a larger diameter -- 4-6 teeth or so
FYI - a Raptor 660 petcock fits the Z400 and turns it into a standard on/off petcock, no need for the vacuum line. Just plug it off at the carb.
The bloke is a genius ! Lee across the pond !
I had a z400 approx 8 years ago and bought it mint almost new with like 5 hours on it. I must have put 200+ hard hours on it riding it almost every day hours at a time and it still ran great when I sold it to someone. I couldn't kill the engine, but I changed the oil very very often and used a super sticky air filter oil that caught everything. I cleaned and reoiled the air filter every 4-8 hours max.
These 400cc engines were some of the most reliable engines I have personally beat the snot out of if you left them Stock.
I have an ltr450 that I always had to replace pistons and valves though pretty often but I beat the snot out of it when I rode it. 450 engines are much more high strung so that is why.
Got shit house lucky on that one!! Yes you saw a 50/50 mix of gas and oil, in the crankcase. I bought a 68 Charger R/T with the original 440, with the same issue, seller had the same issues, non runner, I pulled the dipstick and it showed completely over full, and reeked of gas.. the old school RED gas, that actually stunk. Pay attention kids… drained 12qts of gas and oil out, found the carb shaft completely worn out, did a major tube up, oil change, replaced the carb, and went out in two days, and layed 80ft black top burnouts in it. Ran like a top. Amazing.. your repair reminded me of that same experience… feels good to get that lucky! Wish I had kept the car, was worth a shit ton of money nowadays.. oh well, we didn’t know back then… it was just a 20Yr old muscle car lol!.. Great Work!!
One of the best looking quads ever made.
After working on my shed build by myself, after working on that, I think a coffee from my coffee maker and switch on the pc and see what going on in the world of utube and Joe has a video uploaded. Nice. Glad it worked out for you bud, I always try on problem solve when watching. Sounds like a nice machine. Looks clean. Well worked out bud and glad you have it up and running. Can I say that this video looks really sharpe, have you change camera? As always bud, you are a LEGEND when it come down to these vechiles. many thanks for your work.
I had an 03 that looked alot like this, HMF used it for their mock up since i live in NE Ohio. After Baldwin Motorsports got done with the motor, God that thing would rip. Miss it alot, but life changes.
Hold on to it!
Hi all, you should think about getting a inspection camera, they are super cheap but super helpful tool. Thanks for the great content mate.
You make some great videos, enjoying your content man. Surprising how easy you solve most issues. Keep it up man!
Had a 08 white one. Had a 440 kit. Ran awesome. The reverse was a plus.
Another great video and diagnosis, Joe! You are always so methodical in your approach. We all learn a lot from you and it’s great that you share your knowledge. Keep up the great work!
You should get a metal tea ball for your small parts you run through the ultrasonic cleaner it makes it easy to retrieve them.
If it has the oem petcock valve it's possible for it to fill the motor with gas because it doesn't actually shut off,most people say the raptor petcock valve is better but it doesn't have the spot for the vent hose,it will work if it has a fcr carb
I love these videos I wish I had the aptitude to do this ,good mechanics make it look so easy
Very nice quad. Probably sat for more then 10 years not beat at all. Great content as always Joe. How about a LT80 on the channel one day!
Hi joel am amazed how many people state carnt get it going suck squeeze bang blow no matter what Joel you keep up the good work and keep finding them little gems that are basic checks and knowledge
I love wrenching on bikes and quads or whatever u want to call em and I have learned a lot from this guy keep it up man
Good job! I like to use a small auxiliary fuel bottle to check carburetor float shut off. Hook it up to the carb, with the bowl off. Hold the carb upright over a pan. Turn on the fuel flow. Gas should run freely through the carb into the pan. Push up gently on the float and fuel should stop. Just my backwoods method.
I’ve watched you since day one you are a master mechanic now ,I’m very impressed with your troubleshooting! keep grinding keep doing what you’re doing. Do not let haters get in your way of enjoying what you’re doing. Love from Illinois.
Dang u get so lucky being a good mechanic. I love that quad.