Mackc

I have had awhile to get familar with the Buck 400, due to my physical disability I can't crawl under to do a proper oil change etc., etc. but I did make do with a oil change pump to drain the old oil. I fond a service manual here from a member and appreciate it. The engineering of the engine and running gear is really strange and foreign to me, I was brought up on Model A Fords and Chevrolet six engines, Harley Davidson, John Deere and vehicles and B&S and these Asian built stuff is alien science to me  It has more bells and whistles than I expected,  but it is just how modern machinery appears to be.

The machine seems to be doing just what it is supposed to do, start up instantly, do it's job and when it is shut down it is ready to go again when needed.

I know that most of the folks that come here have an issue with their machine.  We need to realize that the bad stuff we see that is noted hert isn't a reflection of all the machines that are sold and giving quality services.  I am a forum rat for several things, guns, cars and DIY, It is the same story, If you rate the usefulness of the items on the forums one would think everyone has only problems.  It is too bad that those folks that never have special problems don't come on forums and tell their story, but as has been said "The squeaky axle is the one that gets all the attention.

17 hours ago, T-boss 410 said:

I'm sorry to hear that. Could it be somehow binding up when you tighten it down? Maybe the body of the starter is somehow bending a small amount when you torque it down, and tapping it with a hammer loosens it enough to crank over? You said it spins fine when you tested it off the machine, correct?

13 hours ago, Travis said:

yep, spun fine not bolted up.   I think this arrowhead starter ought to do pretty good from Jacks.  I was told by a friend who is a Briggs dealer that they manufacture alot of the starters and switches etc. for Briggs and  Kohler.

 

Have you checked the battery with a battery load tester, My Craftsman riding mower starter went CLICK,Click,Qruick, Qurick and after pulling al  the covers etc,etc, then checking how much a starter costs, load tested the battery and it had a bad cell, new battery fixed everything

Actually the quality of USPS service must depend on the mail carrier people at the local post office in the Zip code area.

  Our RFD mail carrier is super! 

Since the China Virus debacle we have been ordering online and the USPS has delivered our stuff on the , tracking info as shown on the vendor's tracking info over 95% of the time, we usually get 5 or 6 packages each week.

Which Pledge product is good to use on UTV windshields?

I saw somewhere that a Pledge product is good to use  a non-glass UTV  (Buck 400) for cleaning the windshield,

I have been using Windex, and a  aerosol spray glass cleaner, and glass wax. with paper towels. Is Pledge considered the go to product?. . .anyone?

Also has anyone made a rear windshield for a Buck 400 ?

On 11/21/2020 at 3:54 PM, T-boss 410 said:

Just finished up. Glad I did, too. There was a tiny amount of residue in the screen, but basically it was very clean. However, the oil was black, which kinda surprised me since the UTV only has 14.6 hours on it. I hope it's not a bad sign. This was a demonstrator model, so maybe that's why it looked so dark? I don't know what quality of oil is used by the manufacturer, either. 

If an engine don't have an oil filter the carbon particles don't get removed from the oil, a screen only catches some of the junk particles that are heavy enough to fall to bottom and not get picked up by the pump, 

A Harbor Freight battery tester probably costs less than a 40 mile trip to WallyWorld (that is how far I am from a big town with a wallyWorld or a McDonalds.  Out here in the Boonies the RFD mail carrier delivers what Fedex or UPS don't. Then you don't have to wonder about that battery.

I have this one from Amazon

On 11/11/2020 at 5:46 PM, T-boss 410 said:

Thanks, I will try that. I am aware of the auto parts stores testing a battery for free, I am just trying to avoid going out as much as possible. The COVID 19 infection here is really high currently. I also feel sort of beholding to the parts store to purchase a new battery there. 

This battery is a 335CCA unit. I would think it would spin the motor easily. 

I ordered a battery of the right size and amps from Amazon. It is more likely you have a battery with a bad cell, one of these gave me a problem for two days, it caused me to tear down the body to get to the starter because my new tech battery charger gave a full battery reading but the starter acted like it was dragging. I had checked the battery for voltage with a multimeter, but finally hooked it up to a battery tester (One that can add a heavy load).  It showed under load only 6 volts. A new battery fixed the problem.

Go ahead and get the golf cart for your wife, you both will be happier and you don't have to tell her you would rather ride in it than the Snowplow rig. use the golf cart AFTER you plow all the snow. "Different strokes for different folks" stay around and keep us advised !

That was my point exactly, What Airsence00 asked about; " What I am looking for: Light duty around the house, snowplowing, taking 2 adults and 2 young kids for a ride to the bus stop or down the street. "

To me is what we use our Golf cart for. every day, in the winter (not too bad here) we put an enclosure on it, We go about a half mile to pickup the mail from our RFD mail box and down to the fishing dock and to the neighbors, or just to give the dog a ride, she expects it every day at mail time. It is easy to keep charged up and no exhaust smell or noisie  engine exhaust sound, it gives a nice comfortable, smooth ride. I don't advise using a golf cart in rough terrain.  most of where we go is gravel roads of mowed grass.

I do not use the golf cart where the 4X4 UVT is in it's element. That is why we have both, and we can afford to keep both,  since we do live out in the country and do have some rough trails, when hunting etc.

Gottchuxv!

and I been out there in that Gulf, and it looked to me like a swamp without trees, grass, and alligators! keep that dry side of your PIROGUE and dat UTV shiny side UP!

On 10/24/2020 at 9:35 AM, Treeman1942 said:

I own a Mule Pro FXR and love it.  However, my neighbors also own a Mule 600 and a golf cart and they much prefer driving the cart because of the added comfort, quietness, etc.  Golf cars are way underrated.  Your comment makes sense for many people!   

If you live in a Louisiana swamp you may need a UTV and a boat (how do you spell a   swamp canoe? ( P-a-r-e-a-u or P-a-e-r-e-a-r-u--e-x)

If you are smart, maybe you should be looking at an (made in America) EZGO  48 volt golf cart, or other brand cart unless you are going to be doing trail bikeing type trail riding. . I have had Kawasaki Mules, and now have  a Massimo Buck 400.

I have also had two EZGO 36 V golf carts over the last 30 years, and now have a EZGO 48 volt  all being a two person side by sides. For around the house (going to the mail box at the highway, visiting the fishing dock, and taking my wife and a grandkid or puppy dog for a ride  we all prefer the golf cart, BTW the 48 v cart will climb any hill a two wheel drive car will and up and over places you would expect to use a  UTV . plus to refuel just plug in the charger! Batteries well maintained last up to 5 years, now there are Lithium batteries being developed for golf carts, so who knows what else will be available for electric powered carts, no gasoline fumes or exhaust problems as with gas or diesel powered carts. Think about it......

I hope this doesn't get me banned from this site.

As another newbie here and a first time Massimo owner that had a Kawasaki Mule before, both of Asian persuasion , Not a lot like my first vehicle (A Ford 1930 Model "A") about the only things either of the UTVs had in common with the each other and the Ford is 4 wheels, a steering wheels and  run on gasoline.  A lot of learning required to keep the dirty side down and the shiny side up and still moving along.

Welcome to you.

That is what I am thinking, but haven't seen anything in print to verify that.

Okay here I am again....

I been reading the Buck 400 Service manual, well kinda trying to interpret it some and I was looking at the FUEL pump and saw a reference to the OIL PUMP pipes and OIL seal . What does the oil pump (maybe oil pressure?)  have to do with the Fuel Pump and fuel tank?

36 minutes ago, Joe Breaux said:

no, I think not.. if you increase the time the fan runs to cool the water, everything works fine .. so radiator size is not the issue, nor is waterpump output .. its simply set up to run way too hot.. at least for my severe climate in the swamp of south Louisiana . Might be fine in Canada, but it cooks heads  and gaskets down here  REAL QUICK... Mine overheated on its very first day.. .. 

Absolutely,

If your UTV is running hot with ambient temperatures in the 80 to 100 degrees F, it needs air flowing thru the radiator.  The thermoswitch is a cheap way to raise the engine temperature high enough to satisfy the stupid exhaust emission mandate, which will soon destroy the small one cylinder engines in our summer like ambient temperatures.  (Today's high is forecast to be 94 degrees.) End of story.

On 8/23/2020 at 2:03 PM, dant849 said:

This looks to be a pretty common topic and I've had issues with mine overheating since I got it back around the end of 2019. Started running hot again, thermostat was not opening and they sent me a new one. Installed that, burped the system for air all to no avail. Next in line is the water pump to replace, they sent me a water pump and when I got the old one off it was not turning freely to say the least so I'm thinking that could have been my problem. My issue now is getting the slot in the water pump shaft to line up with the tab inside the engine of the machine. Any tricks to doing this? Thanks in advance

I would try "Take the sparkplug lead off and hold the water pump up against the tab, by hand, and have someone just bump the starter and it should drop the slot over the tab."....If the waterpump bolts are long enough to start the threads into the engine, you may be able to start two or three of them to keep the parts lined up and just put a little hand pressure on the pump to tell if the slot and tab engage, then slide the pump on and quickly turn the bolts in to keep the two parts together

If you pull the sparkplug out of the head the starter might spin the engine too fast, since the compression won't be available to keep the engine rotation slow enough to let the tab and slot to engage.

14 hours ago, T-boss 410 said:

That's been a fix that seems to the favorite, for good reason. But I have read some articles that say that running an engine without a thermostat could be detrimental. I just want to try this first. I haven't had any overheating issues yet, but I don't want that extra cost of parts and labor for something I could have avoided. 

Woah!,  HOSS  T-Boss! I am not suggesting you run without a thermostat (Mechanical heat sensitive valve) that is installed in the water outlet of the engine. The thermostat opens at 147 degrees F. to allow the engine to warmup, on the cold start.  The FAN Electric Thermoswitch is what we are saying could be  bad for the engine, it is screwed into the bottom of the radiator and senses the temperature of the coolant that has already passed thru the radiator and it is a switch that turns the fan on at somewhere around 230 degrees and then back off at 217 degrees. which it looks like to me would keep the coolant returning to the engine at over 220 degrees. 

IMHO, I consider that to be too hot for an engine like the one in the Massimo  UTV. 

To me it is a sad state of affairs when Engineers are mandated to design a vehicle for what comes out of the exhaust  tailpipe , rather, what comes out of the powertrain......

5 hours ago, Joe Breaux said:

yep LA titles all ATV, UTVs  . It says ORV   [off road vehicle]  on title..  and charges 10.5% sales tax .. but in my case I had to pay TS , and then pay DMV on the same day.. almost $900 .00 each .. and then wait WEEKS for TS to finally refund mine after many phone calls .... They could have EASILY credited it back to my VISA that I paid with... but REFUSED!  pitiful operation 

Sorry way to gain friends and satisfy good customers, seems to me, and it may be a local TSC store thing, there is always some other place to spend our hard earned dollars.  we have several so called "PowerSports" multi brand dealers here in the DFW marketing area,  all trying to make a dollar any way they can, brag about their Service Centers, several that consist of a "Technician" trained on Youtube videos and a using a pocket full of Harbor Freight tools and a photocopied copy of the Massimo  Service manual  with a color picture cover @ $75.00  +$38 shipping + ?? Tax + some other ridiculous phantom fee, in a padded USPS envelope.

They will deliver a Buck 200 X hundred 400, 410, UTV on a pallet "to be assembled by new owner" or "completely assembled" for an additional $599.99 amount plus a double or triple digit dollar delivery charge to a terminal in Abilene or Timbuctoo , because you don't have a forklift and it is shipped on a flatbed truck with NO power lift tailgate. Hell it looks better to go down to the local Johnny Derre Dealer and pay $12,000 for a green and yellow UTV assembled out of most of the same Chinieze  parts that were cloned from a Japanese made UTV with a hundred electronic protected "Safety Relays", just because of the honored J.D. name.    J,D, farm equipment . At least most of J.D. farm equipment dealers  HAVE A REAL SERVICE SHOP WITH SOME MECHANICS.

By the way the reason for the 217/230 F. Thermoswitch  is to keep the head and exhaust temperature high enough to pass the American, (California) emissions control standards for Gas powered vehicles.  No gas powered engine works better running red hot than a properly liquid cooled internal combusted engine does, which won't instantly turn water into steam.     MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN !  WOW!

On 9/16/2020 at 9:14 AM, T-boss 410 said:

Well.....I can understand your frustration with both companies. At least you did finally get the refund. But it was a lack of respect from both the companies. I don't understand why TS would charge you the 10% sales tax, and just furnish you with the documents. Were they supposed to report the tax collection to DMV? That sure sounds suspicious. 

Wow, in Texas, nothing not road worthy, tractors, ATV, UTV needs a title nor  registration, I got a Bill of Sale from original owner, but TSC provides a Manuf. Certificate of Manuf. with a VIN, mine came with the CofMOF with the purchaser's name blank, but unless it is used on a farm or ranch has to be sales taxed at purchase @ 8.25% in a city or town. since TSC is in town that is 8.25% .  looks like LA get's you a coming and a going.

If I  can get the wires to unplug I will jumper them, if they won't unplug I will cut and tie them together and put a oilfield 10,000 PSI tape job on them like I did on  a drillpipe back off stringshot 

On 8/24/2020 at 7:02 PM, T-boss 410 said:

So, there is no known way to reprogram the ECU to lower the temp for the fan to kick on? There's lots of programmers out there in the automotive industry that will accomplish that. Could it be set at that temp for environmental reasons, ad the automakers did?

On the Buck 400  the fan thermoswitch runs independent of the ECU it is hooked to a 10 amp fuse on the fuse block.  The thermoswitch  is screwed into the bottom of the radiator 

So as I understand it, To make the fan run 100% of when the switch is on is to find the Thermoswitch that screws into the bottom of the radiator on the passenger side of the radiator and jumper the two wires and just leave the thermoswitch without any wires? is that correct?

Also I haven't seen any conversations about the engine thermostat, has anyone had to replace the engine thermostat because it fails to operate properly?

Thanks Joe, I will have to see if I can even get to the radiator. This thing is almost all enclosed in plastic! The service manual has a lot of information, but is sadly missing any "how to get to" pictures and information.  If I figure it out I will try to keep good notes to be posted here. 

On 8/17/2020 at 1:21 PM, Joe Breaux said:

well. after 6 trips to shop..replacing the cfracked head, bad gaskets, waterpump and bypassing fan to run 100% ..   NOW  it doesnt run hot anymore.. HOORAY   and that awful heat coming up behind my seat is gone too.. Also removed windshield.. that keeps ME from running hot too .. Guess I wont be needing an electric pump after all..... 

Your Solution: by bypassing fan thermoswitch to allow fan to run 100%..

My Question, exactlely where is the thermoswitch located? and would you please post a picture of this Thermoswitch which appears to be a relay triggered by a heat coil. Is that correct?