new(used) argo conquest.. tuning??

[swampdonkey]

just purchased a 98 argo conquest i beleive and i was just wonderin what are some things to look at and check before running it.. not in too bad of shape. i took it out for a ride tonite and the machine doesnt seem to want to run to fast it has a set of tracks on it but i dont think that would sack it out that much. has the kawi 620 in it. am i just expecting too much out of it? any suggestions would be appreciated

[alaskacody]

I have a 2000 conquest with the same eng as yours and with the tracks on speed is cut way down I am thinking to all most half if i my memery serves me right if you play with the clutches you can get more speed out of it mine needs a new altanater so I might deenk with them when i change it i am kinda wating for the snow to start going away be for i change it Skip

[swampdonkey]

ya speed cut in half would prob be about right right now im thinking maybe 15-20kmh tops does ur charge light blink on and off all the time when idleing and have u ever seen anyone put a remote throttle adjustment on these machines.. from what i see on here for pics and movies if the one i have goes through what most of these do the ole moose wont have much of a chance from now on ill be able to get into the most remote swamps

[Rock Doctor]

Hi SD
Welcome to the site

Do you have the manuals that came with the machine? You will find a suggested maint schedule in there, that will get you started (as far as what to look at)

Tracks DO steal alot of power, but you can compensate with clutching. Are you a "Backyard Mechanic" kind of a guy? Most maintenance can be done at home with basic tools.

My Conquest is a 2004, and will only do about 23km/hr WITHOUT tracks, so if you are getting about 20 WITH tracks, you are probably OK.

When I let my machine idle right down, the charging light does blink on and off all the time. But I can idle mine up with the throttle to get it to stop. If I slowly let of the throttle, it will stay in "high idle", and if I then bump the throttle, it will idle down. I't kinda a little "quark" of the machine, but I like it that way.

I have made some modifications to my Conquest that we could talk about if you want, or you could check some previous posts first, and read about them.

The biggest improvements to my machine were probably the tire upgrade to 24" Frontier Tires, and the Clutching.

RD

[swampdonkey]

yes the manuals did come with the machine. ive kinda been looking through to see what needs to be done.. as for a backyard mechanic, not really. ill do my best to make **** run as good as possible.. not to good at that kinda stuff but its not from lack of tryin thats for sure. ya any mods u wanna mention are worthwhile. if i dont know how to, i can ask a guy at work thats really mechanically inclined. one thing ive been looking at today is the carb. cant really find a good picture to see where the return springs for throtle and choke connect. i can tell someones been in this machine screwing around with less mechanical skills than me. let me know! anythings welcome.. as for ur vids keep em coming reminds me of the area we have here in flin flon,manitoba awsome stuff man!!

[Joker]

Hi SD.
I recently bought a '97 Response that wasn't running bad, but not good either. I eventually had to limp home due to the engine not wanting to run under load.

The hour-meter says 490 hours. I had cleaned the carb twice and swapped out fuel, but no benifit. Then I pulled the valve covers and checked the clearances. They were 2-4 times more gap than spec. Once I adjusted them to spec, the engine purrs, doesn't bogg when breaking (turning), and seems to have a little more speed.

I don't know if the same maintenance will help your Kaw engine - just thought I'd mention it.

[swampdonkey]

ya anything helps. was gonna get into that today but the brakes were giving me trouble. machine hasnt been run in a while and after me taking it out for half hour or so the o rings in the calipers blew holes( both sides) then we couldnt get the air lock out em. thats a pain. there tougher to work on than auto brakes. gonna check the clearances one of these days here. might need a run through on that stuff. cant seem to follow the owners manual directions to easy glad to hear shes running ticadee boo for ya!!

[Rock Doctor]

yes the manuals did come with the machine. ive kinda been looking through to see what needs to be done.. as for a backyard mechanic, not really. ill do my best to make **** run as good as possible.. not to good at that kinda stuff but its not from lack of tryin thats for sure. ya any mods u wanna mention are worthwhile. if i dont know how to, i can ask a guy at work thats really mechanically inclined. one thing ive been looking at today is the carb. cant really find a good picture to see where the return springs for throtle and choke connect. i can tell someones been in this machine screwing around with less mechanical skills than me. let me know! anythings welcome.. as for ur vids keep em coming reminds me of the area we have here in flin flon,manitoba awsome stuff man!!

If you feel that you just don't quite have enough "Power" when you are on tracks, you can do a little simple clutching.
Pull your secondary apart (Carefully) and tighten the spring by one notch. This will help to hold the clutch back a bit (closed), keeping you in a "lower Gear" longer. It will also backshift a little faster when you slow down.
Primary Clutch (Note: You may want to get a NEW primary spring, yours may be weak from use)
Pull your Primary apart (Even MORE carefully). Your goal here is to make your Primary engage at a higher RPM, and backshift faster. A couple ways to do this is to "shim" the spring, or "lighten" the weights. I preferr the shim method, and I simply take a welding rod (same thickness as spring material), bend it into a circle the same diamiter as the spring, install it in the clutch under the spring. (shim then spring then spring cap).
I have not tried to lighten weights, and that would have to be a "trial and error" method, just make sure that you remove the same amount of marerial from each weight.

I just did the mods to mine last fall (new primary spring, and shim in the primary clutch. I also tightened the secondary spring). Now, it's no problem to spin the Argo around (fully loaded) from a dead stop, on soft ground (lots of traction)


RD

[Rock Doctor]

ya anything helps. was gonna get into that today but the brakes were giving me trouble. machine hasnt been run in a while and after me taking it out for half hour or so the o rings in the calipers blew holes( both sides) then we couldnt get the air lock out em. thats a pain. there tougher to work on than auto brakes. gonna check the clearances one of these days here. might need a run through on that stuff. cant seem to follow the owners manual directions to easy glad to hear shes running ticadee boo for ya!!

Did you get the "air lock" out?
A small vac pump can help alot with that.


RD

[swampdonkey]

ya ill talk to someone bout the clutching for sure.. im not the one to be pulling it apart i dont think. seen it done a time or two just dont trust myself with my own stuff.. ya a small vac pump would probly help quite a bit, me sucking from the caliper end isnt pulling any air out of the line and resevoir. got the one side by taking the reservoir off and working the piston with a finger. just wondering rock doctor if u have a top and sheild for ur machine and if so how much cdn?? i think thats the way to go for sure. have a 06 tundra thatll go anywhere but i dont think ull beat sitting in heat and listeng to tunes drinkin a bev!!! actually goin to work on it right now so ill check in later

[swampdonkey]

anyone have any ideas for hesitation for 98 or 99 conquest 20hp kawi?? also wondering what would be clunking when turning both ways only when i pull levers firmly.. if i somewhat ride them its all smooth sailing.. have the idler chains tightened up and the rest adjusters look like their taking up slack alright.. maybe tranny??

[swampdonkey]

just getting back to ya guys on the rattle box.. adjusted valves tonite and what a difference! not to hard either. the guy that owned it before me had the valves way to tight. anyone ever here of these things bending push rods?? or would that be on this machine because the valves werent seated properly!!

[Rock Doctor]

just getting back to ya guys on the rattle box.. adjusted valves tonite and what a difference! not to hard either. the guy that owned it before me had the valves way to tight. anyone ever here of these things bending push rods?? or would that be on this machine because the valves werent seated properly!!

Hey SD,
It may have been the valve set wrong on your machine, but here is another possibility.

I have straightened my fair share of pushrods on the trail. The most common conclusions I have come to (after talking to the machines owners), is:
The machine had not run for several months- 6 months or more.
The machine had been filled with old gas, and possibly had water contamination.


Either way, I believe the problem is due to "old gas". Old gas can cause the valves to stick, and this bends the pushrods (or if your lucky, the pushrod will skip out from under the rocker arm).

I have only had to straighten one pushrod for my machines, but have also had the pushrod skip out once as well.
However, I have run into this often enough that I carry a spare pushrod under the seat.

I would recommend that, if you have ANY doubt about the age of your gas, add a little ATF to your gas tank (1/4 to 1/2 liter). This will help keep the valves from sticking, and will get you home.

Hope this helps

RD

[swampdonkey]

thanks rock.. like to hear little tips that make my life easier!! one tip from me is never leave the plug wires off the plugs, fuel it up, reconnect the wires and try to start it while being in front of the exhaust pipe ( right at crotch level) NOT GOOD when she backfires! ya that might be an idea to keep an extra pushrod in parts bag. any other parts to keep besides that. didnt you mention something about throttle return spring??

[Rock Doctor]

thanks rock.. like to hear little tips that make my life easier!! one tip from me is never leave the plug wires off the plugs, fuel it up, reconnect the wires and try to start it while being in front of the exhaust pipe ( right at crotch level) NOT GOOD when she backfires! ya that might be an idea to keep an extra pushrod in parts bag. any other parts to keep besides that. didnt you mention something about throttle return spring??

Some of the things I carry...........


You might want to pull up a chair
Pretty much every tool needed to work on the machine. (Any time I work on the machine, I try to use only the tools I carry with me). They take a suprisingly small amout of room ( I use a "Dewalt" 18v Cordless drill box, with deviders removed). Fits in the hollow in the front floorboards PERFECTLY.

Spare outer Bearing housing W/ seals, Spare nuts
Outer bearing (Idler shaft brng)
Most springs and little conecting rods for the carb/throttle linkages
Little bushing under the throttle linkage (Droped one of those before)
Mechanics magnet and mirror
Pushrod
Master links
A bit of each kind of chain
Chain Breaker
Belt
Dry Graphite lube
WD40
Isopropyl gasline antifreeze
Spark Plugs + wrench
Tie down straps
Spare tire/rim
Track pin + Collar
Snatch Block
Heavy rope (winch line extension)
Spare hitch pin
Spare Trailer hitch spring/Tongue/Jam Washer
Chainsaw/gas/oil/file
Axe
Throttle cable
Air Compressor
Wire connectors/plyers
Headlight (flashlight)
Engine oil
Grease Gun
Gloves
Break pads/Soft Kit/break fluid
Fuel filter
Spare fuel line
Spare valve caps/Valve stems
can of "tire inflator goop"
Feeler guage
Misc. Bolts/washers/splitpins,ect (just a few)
Either
Rags/towl
Hand cleaner
Lighter/Benzo Torch
Firestarter
Fishing Rod/Lures (colapsable kit)
Compas
GPS
Batteries
Spare Sprocket setscrews
Power inverter (12v DC to 120v AC)
Spare body Plugs
Fuses
Bearing kit for my trailer
Tire plug kit
Spare cloths/footwear
Rain gear
Food/water
First aid Kit
Pack of Cigars
Ear plugs
Rifle/Ammo
BUG SPRAY at least 2 cans, you don't EVER want to run out
Note Pad and pencil (to leave a note if I have to walk....Got **** about that once and it wasn't even me that did it)
Small Tarp/String

No Bilge pump, but I should have one



I know there is some more stuff in there, but can't think of it right now.
I carry alot of stuff (alot of it is in a kit, that I can put in/take out easily), but I access some pretty romote places, cell coverage is poor at best, and I am often alone.


Do you think I'm CRAZY yet

RD