450i MXU Stalling

[Oldfriend]

How often do you add oil to your machine? I hadn't checked it in a while and it ended up taking 1/2 quart. Never added any before. Has about twenty five miles on it.

[Bratman2]

So glad the fender clearance issue was so easily solved! Now I know your are loving your new wheels! I changed my oil at 50 miles. You may have more run time (hrs.) than me though. I think I was around 14hrs. run time.  Checked hot right before I changed it and it was full. Poured the old oil into an old 5qt. Mobil 1 jug to measure and added the exact same back. Only 6 miles since the change due to work, having to keep a sick granddaughter 2 days for my daughter to go to work, cutting my super high grass, work and rain. I did four wheel for 30mins. this morning. But I broke the Grizzly out since it has not run in several weeks. Flying out to Denver to visit my oldest Weds. so more ATV down time. I wouldn't be too concerned, not unusual for a new engine to need some in the beginning.

[Oldfriend]

I plan on changing it and the differentials when I bring it home in two month, that's when I stop going up on the weekends, I hate the cold! No fun just sitting in a trailer and because I don't have any real trails I can't ride it in the snow it would be really dangerous not knowing where holes, large rocks and downed trees are! I hope to mark some paths in the future and remove some of the downed trees. Its time consuming and I try to have a little fun and not work all the time when I'm there. Have a safe trip to Denver.

[Bratman2]

Colorado was awesome! Have managed to hit 70 miles since I have been back. It seems to run better and better as the miles start racking up.  Like you though the miles will have to slow down for a little while, at least until hunting season is over. Be stuck on my little private trail and yard work until January.  Just finished closing the pool and securing stuff down for the hurricane that looks as if it is coming our way. I hate hurricanes! It has rained here almost everyday for two weeks. If it does come it will be devastating, the ground is already saturated.

[Oldfriend]

Wecolme back! Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. I've hit 29 miles on mine and your right its definitely running better the more I ride it. Hasn't stalled again which was my biggest concern. Here's a kicker- the new tires I put on are wider in the front then the factory width by about 4". So now it won't fit in between the wheel wells in my pick up! I can't believe the manufacturers don't list this in their specs. The only dimension I changed from the original was the diameter. The back tires are fine.
So it looks like I may have to swap the front out when I need to bring it home. Not a big deal but still annoying. They feel great though, I love the way they ride.

[Bratman2]

Sure it is not the offset of the new rims? That is one reason I bought the Kymco 450, fits between the wheel wells of my Ranger. If I ever decide to bite the bullet and get 25" tires I will be sure to checks specs from as many sources as possible.

[Oldfriend]

Definitley the tires. I'll take a picture of them side by side next weekend. They didn't list anything about that in the specs and it's the same manufacturer as the factory tires - Kenda. All in all its not a huge issue if I have to swap the tires out once a year. How'd you make out with the hurricane?

[Bratman2]

Pretty soggy, have lost count of how much rain I have dumped out of the rain gauge. If I was to venture a guess I would say we have had maybe 18" of rain in the past 10 days. Winds have kicked up to 15-20 with gust expected around 30 tomorrow morning. Schools are canceled due to many roads under water around here. We have missed a devastating hurricane and the rain will pass. So we are good!

[Oldfriend]

Man, that's a lot of rain! At least the winds weren't bad, I always worry about that the most. I've been watching SC on the news, those poor people. Those are some of the same areas we've been looking at to eventually retire. They are calling it the thousand year storm, I hope they're right.

I've been trying to figure out a way to keep the quad upstate year round. The only issue is keeping the battery charged. Without any grid power I'm limited in options. The solar powered trickle charger seems to be the best, but I don't trust it, many have said they don't work reliably. I could remove the battery and bring it home, but it makes it a pain to take for a quick ride when I go up and check on the place which is about every 3 weeks in the winter. I'm pretty certain taking it for a 30 min ride every 3 weeks won't keep it charged. Your thoughts?

[Bratman2]

My thoughts are you most likely would be okay. A 30 min run time should have the battery fully charged. You stated earlier that you had a generator there. You have to run it every so often correct, best run under a load is my understanding and how I cycle my generator? You could bring a small 1-3 amp charger along and drop cord. Hook to your Kmyco for 5 mins or so before starting. Generator gets a maintenance cycle and Kymco gets a nice warm battery to start with. When I drove the Grizzly last it had not been started in 3 weeks or so. It wasn't super cold outside either which does make a lot of difference. I really don't know about solar chargers but would think a good one should work for what you need. It needs to be smart enough to back out if battery is fully charged.

My other thoughts are, I have a pea brain that bounces theories around, having slightly low voltage to start with may put excess load on the stator recharging the battery over and over. I use to have a Honda Shadow 1100 motorcycle. On the Shadow forum the single biggest expected failure was the stator at around 50k miles. My feelings was because motorcycles can tend to sit right much that many owners were causing there early demise by starting the bike and then the stator is working hard charging the battery back.  That is why I always have preferred a 1.5-3 amp charger and just put a few minutes charge on before starting if my bike has sat for a few weeks over the winter. I can't prove or disprove my theory so it isn't worth much, lol!

How about a small jump start battery? I have one about half size of most. Some times I will hook it up to the grandchildren's atvs if they have not run in a while before starting them.

[Oldfriend]

That gives me a lot to consider. I have a jump pack so that would be the easiest. I do run the gen set a bit to keep it happy so I could do that too. I might try the solar charger as it's only around $60 and it has a build in battery tender trickle charger. Worst that could happen is I'd end up with a dead battery. It does get wicked cold up there, in the single digits weeks at a time. That could be the biggest issue to consider. Ill have to give it some serious tought. Thanks for all the input!

[Oldfriend]

I need to make a correction to my previous post, I was able to get a better measurement of the tire issue today and although the tires are about 1/2" - 3/4" larger in width, the rest of the problem is from the offset as you stated. On the battery maintaining issue, I ordered a 15w solar battery tender and going to see how that works. I was able to attach a quick disconnect harness to the battery and leave the other end hanging outside the battery box so I will be able to hook up it up and discconect it quick and easy when I want to take it for a ride. Leaving it up there will elevate the problem of needing to bring it home in the winter, so the issue of not being able to fit in the truck isn't a big deal.

[Bratman2]

Sounds like you may have solved your problems then! Rode down my private trail the other day. I had cut a spur off it that heads towards the swamp so away I go! Never got to finish cutting the spur to loop back to my property due to hot weather, mosquitos, and seed ticks. So the spur dead ends a couple of hundred yards back in a sand pit. Had standing water several inches deep and when I got in it with the Kymco I found out the sand was just a thin layer on top of some oozing black mud. I can say this much, our MXU 450 will pull. I was shocked as water came within an inch or two of the center of the rims as I trudged through. Didn't even have to lock it in four wheel drive. Went back in there today and most of the water left is in my ruts. Looked like I was an inch from bottoming out when I went through there the other day. Tried the Grizzly back there too. Maybe mostly tire difference but the Grizzly wanted to spin more to get through. Hit 77 miles taking to the barn.

[Oldfriend]

Wow, I'm amazed that you got out of that much mud without even using the 4 weel drive! i do know what you mean though, i find that it can handle pretty much anything i need to go through or over. i've mentioned before that I have many trees down around the property and managed to go over most as long as it no more then 10" or so. i go through all kind of brush without worry. i really need to cut some paths though. May try to do some now that its getting cooler. I hate ticks! i'm going to do its first oil change this weekend. I just got the solar battery tender and will mount that on the shed. Getting down to the last few over nights up there before I have to winterize.

[Oldfriend]

Hey, I went up today and It started fine! I haven't been able to go up in 6 weeks. It was 7 degrees and it started so I'm prepared to say the solar trickle charger worked. I'm very happy with it.