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I have found two methods to be effective: mice don't like to be in the open. Leaving covers off our pump engines has kept mice out of the compartment. If you can leave the equipment with the hood up, that can make a huge difference. One of the other things i do is poison them. (sorry mice, but it's not your equipment) I buy the block baits that have a hole down the middle to hold them in the dispensers. Then I use safety wire to attach them to a convenient spot. That way the mice or rats don't drag them away and I can monitor how fast they're being consumed. I used to think steel wool was a deterrent, but I've seen rats tunnel right through it. For those situations now I use hardware cloth. Cut and bent it tends to stay where it's put.

How to stop Mice Rodents eating Tractor Wiring
Parts and Repair
Replies 25 Post by Trainpilot

It sounds like you should be more than capable of overhauling the primary clutch. It also sounds like you got a batch of bad gas into it. For a while, I was buying ethanol-free gas for my motorcycles. I got a bad batch and it affected three machines in a similar way--missing, vibrating, and not revving out. It's water and age. Gas that has ethanol in it will absorb a lot of water without your being able to see it in the bottom of a container. Fuel stabilizer helps against aging, but not against water, and can only do so much. I've gotten to the point that I rotate my gas at home through my truck, and try to keep things fresh in the equipment that doesn't get used a lot. Rebuilding the clutch is not a bad job. The worst of it is the in/out of the clutch itself, though I guess you might be able to do it without removal from the engine. Gatoraider knows what he's talking about.

John Deere 6x4 Vibration
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 6 Post by Trainpilot

I hope the bushings work for you. McMaster-Carr is an amazing resource. If you need tamper-proof, metric, pan head allen screws, they'll have them in your choice of about 20 lengths and five different materials. In my business, I couldn't do without them.

Primary clutch bushings
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 6 Post by Trainpilot

I THINK the Mcmaster part number is 8491A363 . I suggest you check to see if they are at least close to what is needed.

Metal rollers for 4x2 JD Gator primary clutch
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 19 Post by Trainpilot

If it's the drive clutch (on the engine) that isn't opening up enough, your probably right that it needs attention. Be advised, when I went to rebuild the driven clutch on our diesel 6x4 it absolutely would not come off in one piece. I literally had to cut it into pieces to get it off. So there was no question of a rebuild. I rebuilt the drive clutch and installed a new driven clutch and all has been good. I really like the snowmobilers technique for primary clutch removal--that is to lay the engine on its side, fill the clutch retaining bolt cavity with water, and then thread in a bolt with teflon tape on it into the flywheel(clutch) removal tool threads. Then you're using hydraulic pressure to remove the clutch. Of course it's not so easy to turn a gator of mule on it's side, but it might be worth it. You might try this guy http://thegatorguy.net/

idle speed vs clutch springs
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 2 Post by Trainpilot

I'll try to take a look at one of ours and get back to you. Ours are Turf Gators that do not have differential locks, so they may be different anyway.

Transaxle Dipstick
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 2 Post by Trainpilot

Is it that the steering wheel is hard to turn, or is it that the Gator doesn't respond well to steering inputs? If the differential is locked, turning the front wheels will not result in much of a turn for the machine, as all four drive wheels are pushing the vehicle in a straight line. The differential lock is below the F/N/R shifter. I'd verify first that it is unlocked.

Gator 6x Steering
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 3 Post by Trainpilot

Thanks Dinger,
I have posted a few inquiries on the net. If I can find a source I'll post here. Otherwise I'll probably spend the boss's money on a spider kit, as he'd have to pay me almost as much to make the rollers. Comet, the company that apparently made the clutch, has gone through a change of ownership and doesn't seem to be supporting small repair parts.

John Deere Gator 4x2 clutch rebuild
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 10 Post by Trainpilot

Thanks. These Turf Gators do not have the same trans as the others. They are based more on golf car tech. 13hp air-cooled Kawasaki engines with starter/generators activated by stepping on the gas pedal in forward or reverse. 4-wheel disc brakes, 4-wheel suspension. I have tried them on our toughest terrain and they climb just fine without locking diffs. A lot of our work involves starting and stopping and the way they are set up saves time and fiddling with other controls. The shifter between the seats is similar, but there does not seem to be any provision on the transmission for locking. They go just fast enough for us and they are nice to drive.

gator differential lock
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 3 Post by Trainpilot

I seem to remember an oil passage through the cylinder head gasket to rockers. I have a couple of engines partially disassembled, though I'm not sure if any have a head removed. I'll check today and let you know. That oil pump can take a while to prime from dry. Did you fill crankcase and crank right away? Or did it sit awhile? I'd be tempted to remove spark plugs, slightly overfill crankcase (to allow for filling oil filter) squirt some oil on rocker assemblies, and crank for a bit to see if there is positive flow up to rockers. Can I ask what it cost for parts for a rebuild? I installed a Harbor Freight 25hp v-twin in the mule I usually drive, and wish I'd rebuilt the Kwacker engine as it is a good one--plus I'd already replaced the cam. I may rebuild one of my spares for a future replacement on another of our machines.

Rocker arm oiling on Kawasaki fd 620d Gator 6x4
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 4 Post by Trainpilot

Yes, I think it likely now that it is the seal on the inside of the water pump. I looked at one of our engines and there is no air gap between the pump and the crankcase. So if the seal leaks, it will leak coolant into the oil. Higher pressure = more leakage. At 750 hours, you're probably due for a water pump anyway. Just be sure you purge all air from the system after replacing it.

Water in oil
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 15 Post by Trainpilot

i'm not familiar with the TX model, but I'd be surprised if you find that kind of part from the aftermarket. if there's room, an outboard motor tank might work pretty well if properly secured. They are available in quite a few capacities and configurations, and usually have a handle through which a (preferably) metal strap could be run to secure the tank. I've seen some farmers get pretty carried away with using these tanks, but quick connect fittings are available and they can be moved between different pieces of equipment and can be disconnected and taken to a fuel source for refilling. I almost wish i'd used one of these on my little Kubota diesel, as I have to keep a fuel can just for refilling the 3 gallon tank once or twice a year. The tractor has a return line for the fuel, so would be a bit harder to retrofit one of these tanks to.

Fuel Tank
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 4 Post by Trainpilot

Fuel in the throat of the carb could also be from float level being too high. That would certainly contribute to the engine being prone to flooding. Gummy carbs can take quite a while to get cleaned up. I am still fighting carburation problems on a used motorcycle I purchased and have have had the carb off too many times already. What does your spark plug look like? (I'm asking general questions and stating what may seem like obvious things to check as not everyone on the forums has the same levels of experience) The guy who used to work on our utv's and quads likes to set valves a little loose, as he feels that helps with easy starting. I like them set to the tight side of specs, as I find it helps the responsiveness of the engine. I used to set the valves on my mini-trail 70 engine to 0.0000" hot. Back in college, that was for a time my only set of wheels. I would run that little motor at about 10,000 rpms for hours-thousands of miles with no valve issues. But if the exhaust valve does not close all the way, or does not spend enough time on the seat, it can overheat, or can prevent the engine from developing full compression. Have you tried adding a bit of oil through the spark plug and cranking a bit to coat rings before the compression test? If the readings come up dramatically, that is a sign of bad rings.

What is Normal Compression
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 9 Post by Trainpilot

Did you hold throttle open during test? That can make a big difference. If the air filter is severely restricted that could also reduce indicated compression and might make engine more prone to flooding. Some of our rigs seem like they have very little cranking resistance/compression, yet they have been running well like that for years. (620 v-twins). If the engine runs well warm and doesn't have excessive blowby I''d be inclined to run it and not go looking for trouble. In the Mules, purging air from the cooling system is critical, and head gasket problems are the common result of neglecting this step. If you really want to wrench on it, you could pull the heads and inspect the valves and cylinders. You could try, with ignition off and/or spark plug leads disconnected, turning the engine over by hand using the primary clutch. This might give you a sense of how the internals are holding up. Don't underestimate your natural senses. A bad valve, for example, may be heard leaking through the intake or exhaust during this procedure. Or leakage past the rings might be heard through the oil filler tube. Stinky oil--just sniffing the dipstick--can indicate bad rings or bad valve seals. If there is a big difference between one cylinder going past TDC and the other, that might also provide some insight. These engines are, in many respects, overbuilt for the amount of power they produce. A 620 cc motorcycle engine typically puts out 40-80 hp, whereas this engine puts out more like 17. Something to keep in mind.

What is Normal Compression
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 4 Post by Trainpilot

Congratulations on your Gator. We have the Kawi v-twins on several Mules and they have been quite reliable. Probably going 1200 hours without any unscheduled maintenance. When you say it hesitates when cranking, that sounds like plenty of compression. If the engine is not blowing excessive oil out of the breather, your rings are probably OK. I would suggest adjusting the valves--it is not any harder than overhauling a carb, and can have a big impact on starting, power, and longevity. If you haven't run it much, I'd drive it for a bit and see if shifting improves. If it creeps even at low idle, it may have too short of a belt. Are the pulleys shiny? If they haven't polished themselves up yet, you might take some Scotchbrite or very fine sandpaper to the surfaces. Or just drive it a bit. Securely blocking rear up and observing clutch action in/out at different speeds may also be helpful. Be safe--keep fingers, rags, hair, clothes, etc. well away from moving parts. Most of the tranny's in these vehicles use simple dog clutches to engage the gears, and most drives will spin in neutral with the engine running, so most will clunk or grind a bit going into gear. A firm shift can avoid much of this. Also, I have learned to shift into gear immediately upon starting the engine. This helps too. My father-in-law turns his key off momentarily while shifting to further reduce engine speed.

Let us know what resolves your issues please.

New Gator 4X2 CX with Questions
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 3 Post by Trainpilot

I think you're in luck. If yours went as mine did, you're going to need a few valve pushrods in addition to the new cam and gaskets. Mine ran for years after replacing the cam. I was able to replace mine without removing the engine. I'm guessing yours is out by now. If everything else inside is good, you might think about changing the crank seals on both sides, or just on the cover you have off. Quite a few of those engines have had head gasket problems--mostly because the cooling system hadn't been bled properly. (That's why I got my mule cheap) There's an old trick for resurfacing heads on your own: Use sandpaper sheets and a piece of glass or something very smooth and flat. I'd probably start with 320 and go up to maybe 600. Place the head on the sandpaper (sandpaper on the glass) and move the head around in a random swirling pattern. After doing this even briefly, you'll be able to see if the head is warped by looking at the sanding marks. Can't hurt, and a little more compression could be a side benefit. I'm guessing if the rest of your engine is as good as you say, you'll get years more out of it. I did.

6x4 engine rebuild vsHarbor Freight 22HP
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 10 Post by Trainpilot

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'll have to build a PTO driven power pack. Some of the pumps i've been looking at are pretty noisy. I think these are vane pumps. Would mounting the pump inside the tank help with noise? If building from scratch it would not be much harder to fabricate, as a thicker or reinforced tank wall could serve as a mounting flange for the pump. I should think the hoses would have an oil-resistant jacket, and could be used to connect to bulkhead fittings to get outside the tank (at least the HP line). I know tank size should be roughly same in gals as flow rate. The attachment will be running maybe 1/3 of the time. The bucket crusher holds about .3 yds. and one scoops up rock, drives over to truck, trailer, or stockpile, then runs the crusher. Suggestions for plumbing and valving? Should we plan on disengaging PTO between crushing? -A little cumbersome vs. having a spool valve that directs flow to the implement. I value experience and suggestions with these kinds of applications.

Need more hydraulic flow for skidsteer attachment
Operating and Attachments
Replies 5 Post by Trainpilot

I am contemplating the purchase of a rock crusher to work with the FEL on our big Kubota. The attachment (see MB Crusher) requires 26 gpm and the tractor's system is rated at 21 gpm. The rep said that it is possible to piggy back an additional pump off PTO to supplement tractor's flow. 3pt hydraulic packs are pretty pricey, even if I fab myself. A small unit that uses tractor's reservoir has a lot of appeal. Does this approach make any sense? If so, how would one plumb it in?

Need more hydraulic flow for skidsteer attachment
Operating and Attachments
Replies 1 Post by Trainpilot

I'm getting ready to replace the engine (Kawasaki 620 v-twin) on my trusty Mule. I'm planning on installing a Harbor Frt. 22hp with a new primary clutch. Several Mules have been done this way. The Kawi is a pretty good engine, and parts are available. I'd probably pull the heads and have a look at the cylinders. It's a pretty straightforward engine. On the Mule one could do an in-frame. I replaced the cam in mine without removing the engine. That was several years ago. At 4000 hours, I'm looking to go with all new. It wouldn't be that hard to retrofit a carburetor if the source of your problems is the EFI We have a 6x4 diesel which runs when nothing else will--good simple machnes.

6x4 engine rebuild
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 6 Post by Trainpilot

Good advice Thompson. I wish it was easier to get to the engine on this model. It's raining again, so I'm hoping to get a look at the pipe connections soon.

Bad exhaust smell on Gator 550
Utility Vehicles UTV/ATV
Replies 3 Post by Trainpilot