1996 SP500

[DoubleDeuce]

Got my hands on another SP500. Its been sitting on my dad's ranch for 3 yrs and hasn't been run at all. I got it running fairly quickly. Drained all fluids and oils. She was running fine for about 4 minutes, but then white smoke started coming from what appeared to be the front of the motor. Doesn't this mean the had gasket has failed and coolant is leaking into the cylinder??? The quad was only used for fence riding. I can guarantee my dad never had it over 40 mph. She has alot of hours and miles on her, but my dad is a freak when it comes to maintaining his "toys." Any help or advice would be appreciated. I wish I was home in Texas and could actually get my dad to help, but down being here in Florida, the dealers SUCK and are of no help at all!! I can do the work myself so if it is needing a top end rebuild it will be an easy weekend rebuild. Thnx!

[MrBill]

Can you get down in there and find where the white smoke is coming from.
Does this white smoke stay white or does in go away like steam?
Could just be a water leak hitting the motor or something that simple.
If coolant was leaking into cylinder you would see white smoke out the tail pipe.

[Ken]

You should also see white, or creamy stuff in the oil.

[DoubleDeuce]

Nope, the "white smoke" disappears almost like steam. It was also "smoking" at the exhaust pipe going into the silencer, but not out of the silencer. Drained the oil again, no signs of anything. I am checking everywhere up front. I can't find where water could be dripping onto the motor. The "smoke" is coming up on the right side of the motor, near the gear selector, so I would think that rules out the upper radiator line leaking on the motor, its on the left. The overheat light came on briefly, then I shut her down and tried troubleshooting again. Thought maybe lower rad hose dripping on exhaust, but then how would it smoke on upper exhaust?? Someone said to check if water is coming out the weephole on the water pump but what would that do or prove??

If I remove the rad cap & rev engine, if water splashes out would that be a sign of bad head gasket??
The white smoke is water or coolant, right??????

[MrBill]

Someone said to check if water is coming out the weephole on the water pump but what would that do or prove??

Pump seal gone bad.
I'll check the factory book tonight and Look for possibles on the left side.

If I remove the rad cap & rev engine, if water splashes out would that be a sign of bad head gasket??

You should not even have to rev it up, just idle should come up with bubbles.

[MrBill]

Ok checking out the left side.
1. you have a temp. switch above the oil filter.
2. you have the water (Coolant) outlet fitting just above that temp. switch.
If you don't find a leak at these points you might have a gasket leak.
1996 you also might have a old hose. pin hole in a cracked hose.
On the right side.
There is a water passage on the right front side of the motor in the cylinder. you may want to pull the cam gear inspection cover off, and look inside look up and to the front on the inside.

[DoubleDeuce]

MrBill, thanks. I'll start in those spots. I turned on the atv with the rad cap off. A few bubbles came, then it stopped, then a few more then it would stop. Then after that the smoke came up from the "front right side" of the motor.

I am putting a better cam in anyways so I will check the passage you spoke of.

Crap!! I found coolant all over the top of the radiator. Must have been bubbling more as I let her idle.

I checked the 2 rad hoses and they are looking their age. And like I said this thing sat for almost 3 yrs w/o being run. I'll replace them, those 2 hoses are almost $100 for OEM hoses!!

[DoubleDeuce]

Just for grins I tested the thermostat, it works fine. Since I'm replacing the hoses I figured I'd check it anyways. It opened right when it was supposed to. Have not found any leaks near thermo switch or thermo housing.

Could a water pump seal go bad just by sitting???

[MrBill]

Could a water pump seal go bad just by sitting???

Yes they will go bad sitting. They are a rotating group type seal with two micro-flat surfaces and sitting you can get corrosion on the two surfaces and this starts to leak.