I got the 2000 in basically many laundry hampers. Some idiot who took everything appart for "Shift forks" when all it needed was a "shift actuator" 80$ at the dealer and stupid easy to fix. Anyways I tore the engine right down and went through the transmission. all gears and shims were put back and the transmission shifted beautifully through all the gears on the bench. I purchased an OEM service manual. New Kevlar wet clutches and springs installed. New top end went on without a hitch. Carb was rebuilt as well. Adjusted the valves and she fired up like it had just been running. Broke it in well nice and slow. added a little 2 cycle oil for the first tank. Rode it all last year without any issues. Went all through the hunting season and in mid november in ontario, it can get to -10 -15 celcius. No issues. A little valve train noise, but went away when warm
Fast forward to february. Fired the quad up on a nice sunny day, wanted to give it a run and get rid of some of the old gas. Fired it up and it was LOUD. Terrible ticking coming from the top end and died instantly as soon as i let off the throttle. would not idle at all. So I parked it until now where its warm enough to hold a wrench and not freeze! Got the valve cover off and she looks rough. The valve lash adjusters are heavily worn and were actually starting to seize on their pivot. I soaked them in oil and ATF and they move just like new now. Ordered new valve lash adjusters. Luckily no major damage from what i can see. Fantastic compression. Infact I adjusted the valves and the quad fired up and ran perfectly, EXCEPT no oil to the top end! not a drop, not a mist, nothing. So I pulled the oil filter. Dry. little residual oil, but not the good pour of oil that comes out when doing a filter change.
So I started troubleshooting. Pulled the oil cooler line off and cranked the engine. Gushes out oil. Pulled the return oil cooler line. Nothing. I thought i had solved it. Back flushed the oil cooler and tried again. Still nothing. I then went and poured about 400 ML of oil into the block via return oil cooler line. Crank the engine and the oil filter cavity instantly fills with oil, but then soon depletes after the 400ML is depleted. Oil level is at the top dipstick mark. I went as far as pumping oil from the oil filter cavity and it gets to the top of the engine with no problems.
What can cause this? I’m very mechanically inclided and I can’t figure this out. The honda oil flow diagram is terrible in the manual. Does anyone know where the oil filter cavity gets its oil, and what does it feed? The oil pump is obviously working and the crank has no knock or rod play so the bottom end and piston have to be getting oil. I’ve put on about 500 km since the rebuild. I can’t imagine the top end and valves lasting that long without lubrication. Then again it is a honda…. I would have thought this would have got worse and worse before me tearing it down, not just suddenly on a cold day. I’m open to all ideas preferably before having to split the frame and pull the engine out. By the way, these models SUCK for pulling the engine! Nothing like my trx 300.
Any help is greatly appreciated. I am also looking for a new vss (speed sensor) I never had one when i got the quad, so i made a nice alumium block of plate so i could ride.
