It won’t be a surprise if someone thinks that the “A” in ATV stands for adventure. That could be an honest mistake considering that quads are mostly used for adrenaline-pumping rides. Unfortunately, owners who like to keep it fast and dirty are sometimes guilty of keeping the vehicle filthy for a long period of time. If you are one of those owners and you are wishing for a list of the least things that you can do to ensure that your ATV still runs, you are in luck because you can learn all about them here.
Clean the Air Filter
Whenever you take your quad on an extended spin on muddy or dusty terrain, you need to commit a few minutes of your time after the ride to clean the air filter. Your engine is bound to suck nasty elements like mud and debris if the air filter is dirty. When that happens, your quad’s engine could fail.
Cleaning the air filter is easy. All you need to do is to detach the air filter and give it a good wash using a filter cleaner. After that, blow-dry the filtering component and then apply filter oil before putting it back inside ATV. It is recommended that you also follow this procedure once a month.
Check Engine Oil
Quad engines are high revolution per minute machines that need synthetic oil for lubrication. Whenever shopping for quality synthetic oil, make sure that you buy the type recommended by the factory. The frequency of refill depends of how you use your vehicle.
Many ATV riders think it is enough to change oil once or twice per season, but if you are one of those owners who often take the quad to its limits, you need to change the oil a few more times. Regular oil drainage and replacement is necessary to keep your vehicle in excellent condition. Keep in mind that every time you change the vehicle’s oil, an oil filter change is also required.
If you have no idea how to replace oil, here are simple steps that you can follow:
- Start the engine to warm the oil.
- Once the oil is warm, turn off the engine and take off the drain plug. Be sure to wear gloves before touching the plug.
- Drain the oil and remove the oil filter.
- Apply fresh synthetic oil to a new oil filter’s seal.
- Install the new oil filter and screw the drain plug back on.
- Add fresh synthetic oil up to the recommended level
After following these instructions, fire the engine again and then keep an eye out for leaks. Give yourself a pat on the back for successfully changing your ATV’s oil.
Curb Condensation
As part of maintaining the quality of oil running inside your quad, you need to monitor condensation, especially if you are zipping through wet and muddy terrain. If your gear casing is hot and your front differential is splashed with cool water, you can expect condensation to occur. The moist condition can affect the quality of your ATV’s oil which could result to engine failure.
To avoid this situation from ever happening, check for the oil’s consistency. Insert an immaculate zip-tie into the plug hole. Milky oil means condensation took place and to prevent any damage to your quad, you have to follow the steps above to replace the adulterated oil.
