4 wheeler engine rebuild

[outdooraddict]

been looking on craigslist, and there seems to be now and then a decent looking 4 wheeler for real cheap (compared to the year and size).  heres why, "needs the top end re-done"  "ran it without oil" etc.  has anybody ever bought one of these situations and re-built the top end or fixed it up and ended up with a quad or dirtbike for pretty cheap and some elbow grease?

[Duffer]

"Runs but smokes" is a lot easier to fix than "ran out of oil"

Hone the cylinder, New rings, clean up heads, gaskets n seals. Done.

[outdooraddict]

what usually the issue "when runs but smokes"?  worth pursuing?  how difficult is the honing/gasket fix. 

[syoungs]

is it a 2 stroke bike?

im assuming it is based on the ran without oil part. not terribly hard to rebuild a 2 strokes top end, if you have to split the case, its a different story, still doable, but harder.

if it just needs a top end, pull the head and cylinder, have the cylinder machined, and install new piston/rings, and put it back together (basically)

if its a 4 stroke ran without oil, its an entire rebuild, still doable, but more expensive.

what are your mechanical abilities like?

[outdooraddict]

my mechanic skills are poor lol,  however, my dad is a mechanic so im thinking with his help it would be doable for the right price

[syoungs]

it will be, but splitting cases and doing full rebuilds, vs working on cars is a whole different ball game, not impossible, but it will leave ya head scratchin a time or 2 lol.

I would go into it planning the worst, and hope for the best!

[Mudman]

Done a few top ends.  If its a bottom end problem don't touch it.  Top ends are cheap and easy.  For example a Honda 400ex can hone it put new piston in and gasket kit under 400$, cheaper sometimes depending.  Head work and valves can be pricey if performance required but stock cheap as well. 

[outdooraddict]

does 4 stroke vs 2 stroke make any difference, I think a 2 stroke is to loud for hunting and getting anywhere, but maybe im just over thinking it

[Mudman]

2 stroke quad for dunes only.  They suck otherwise.

[syoungs]

For a cheap quad, some of the 2 stroke Polaris 4x4s are usable, we beat the crap out of some trailblazers with no major issues for years. As long as you dont have expectations of them running like the newer big bore 4 strokes, you'll be OK.

Stock exhaust on them wasn't to loud at all,, but they are kinda annoying after listening to them buzz, and do require more maintenance. If I picked having a quad vs not though, I'd take one.

Now if your talking a sport quad with a 2 stroke it's different story all together.

[outdooraddict]

no I just am looking for a quad to ride to hunting spots on a logging road or for the family to cruise around on, not racing or anything like that.  so those trailblazers are just fine?

[syoungs]

yeah, they are basic machines, but they will cruise logging roads just fine, think about the technology with quads in the early 90s, they worked just fine back then for people.

power steering, and big engines, and heated grips etc are nice, but not required.

keep up on maintance and use it in a realistic manner (cruising logging roads is basically what they were made for), and itll work just perfect. is it a trailblazer your looking at?

[outdooraddict]

im waiting for the guy to answer but  the ad just says Polaris 350 4x4 and when I google that, mostly all I find is the trailblazer, the pics are hard to see the quad but it has racks on it.

[syoungs]

Could be a trail boss as well, nothing hi tech about em, I believe they had oil injection, a popular mod for bikes with that is to block it off, and mix the gas with the oil yourself, probably got clogged or run dry, hence the top end needing built.

[outdooraddict]

well if he ever responds ill let you know, thanks