Argo operation question?

[crowhater]

I just received my Argo conquest and I have a few questions. The machine only has 33hrs on it and it looks new inside and out. When I shift gears sometimes it grinds, is this normal? I shift the gears at idle am I doing something wrong?

Driving is going to take a while to get use to, you guys make it look super easy on you tube. I drove it into some deep water and it went backwards real slow. The scorpion tires do ot work in the water at all. I got it stuck once already with one side in the mud and the other on dry ground. After screwing around with the controls and my friend pushing it back out.

[LarryW]

It will grind while the gears clash together some. That is normal. If the idle is too high the clutch wont completely disengage and it will do it more. Shift it at an idle and shift it fast. If it gets to bad you can turn it off to shift but if its that bad your idle is probably too high. As for the driving skills. Puts some hours on it and you will get the hang of it. Every model is a little different. With the argo, one side can spin and not the other. You need to learn to turn in the direction to lock that side up some. Hard part for me was seeing what side was spinning but Im not an argo expert. Maybe some Argo owners can help with some driving tips. Congrats on your new Argo!

[guyfox]

I find to put my conquest in a forward gear it is better to put it in reverse first and then move it to a forward gear really fast. As stated above make sure the idle is down as much as possible first. As for driving....it comes with experience.....check out RockDoctor videos on youtube or this site.....there is some driving to be "in envoy" of......I can only hope to be that good and do what he does with his machines....

[crowhater]

I read that the trans takes 90w gear oil but has any one used royal purple max gear? I switched to it in the gear box on my airboat and it dropped temps and quieted down the gear noise at idle. I also read that the factory alternator puts out 20amps while the RPMs are up is there a way to improve on this? I want to add a couple HID lights and a winch.

[pcmark]

I run Royal Purple in the engine and transmission. However, I can't speak to any performance improvements, since I went to Royal Purple very early on in my owning a brand new 6x6. Nevertheless, the reason why I went to Royal Purple right away was because, like you, I've had great results on other equipment. Regarding your running accessories, you might look at going to a pure-lead AGM, dual-purpose battery -- look at Odyssey or the Sears Platinum (most people don't know it's the same battery), and you'll get insane cranking power and deep-cycle capabilities for your accessories.

[Rock Doctor]

I find to put my conquest in a forward gear it is better to put it in reverse first and then move it to a forward gear really fast. As stated above make sure the idle is down as much as possible first. As for driving....it comes with experience.....

I agree with the above part of what guyfox said. The rest made me blush a little

A couple more things to try:
If your idle is too high and causing the clutches to engage, pull the choke for a second. This will cause your idle to drop, then shift.
Another thing that seems to work is "Bump" the throttle quickly. Sometimes causes the engine to idle down for a couple seconds, then shift.
There is a fine line between to low of idle, not enough oil pressure AND too high of idle, impossible to shift trans.

I read that the trans takes 90w gear oil but has any one used royal purple max gear? I switched to it in the gear box on my airboat and it dropped temps and quieted down the gear noise at idle. I also read that the factory alternator puts out 20amps while the RPMs are up is there a way to improve on this? I want to add a couple HID lights and a winch.

While there is a "Cool Factor" to what you suggest, you probably don't need more than the 20 amp Alternator (Are you sure you even have one on the machine? Most don't have them). I have one machine with and one without, the most notable difference between the two is that I have to try to tighten the Alt Belt ocasionally on the one.
To be fair, I don't run much at night, with lights on, but when I do on extended trips, I will kill the battery in the machine without the Alt.
LOL, I'm just lazy and haven't bothered to install the Alt Kit in my other machine. Most of the time, I will just put a "Head" light on and call it good. That way the light points wherever I'm looking

PS, Make sure you have a spare belt for the Alt. The Alt is mounted at the front, under the Rad. Very easy for sticks, and STUFF to get washed up into that area and can damage the belt. Well, maybe not "easy", but it can happen.

Take it easy

RD

[crowhater]

We took the Conquest on it's first hunt today and all I can say is WOW! At first I was hitting stuff fast and trying to skirt the edges. When the hunt was done and the sun was out we got brave. I had 4 adults, 1 child, and gear stacked to the top, the Argo went through it all. The engine seemed to lug in high gear when I got in mud or water, it would go just fine but it was working. When I put it in low it had no troubles at all. I removed the Scorpion tires when I got home and had the Run-a-mucks put back on. The Argo now swims and it performs better in the mud.


Next question!!!
When you shut your engine off do you get an exhaust pop out the exhaust? It also dieseled several times when I shut the engine off. The fuel in it could be old, I did add 3 gallons of super unleaded to what was already in the tank.

Question!!!
Is it normal to hear the chain hit the front floor from time to time? Can I shim the floor pan up with a few washers to clear the chain?

Thanks in advance

[JohnF]

... hunt today and all I can say is WOW!

I've had mine a couple years and still get that feeling every now and then.

When you shut your engine off do you get an exhaust pop out the exhaust?

Interesting. I bet you don't have the anti-afterfire solenoid on your carburetor. I'm not going to tell you to replace it - if you catch my drift. If this is the case then here is what is happening; You shut off with a little heat in the muffler and enough RPM to maintain a bit of airflow inertia through the carb. When you shut off the ignition is cut but the airflow still carries a bit of fuel that eventually hit the heat in the muffler and POP. The solenoid shuts off the fuel at the same time as the ignition to prevent this. All you need to do is let the RPMs down (idle) and let the muffler cool for a bit before you shut it off. Everything I've read about afterfire says it is not harmful to the engine. Anyway, that's my guess, BUT:

Dieseling is a different thing and perhaps symptomatic of something else. Perhaps you are running lean and getting localized hot spots inside the cylinder. Dieseling and backfiring (another type of POP) can be damaging to an engine. Lean could be wrong jet, partially plugged jet or port. What were your temps? What do your spark plugs look like?

Is it normal to hear the chain hit the front floor from time to time?

Mine do.

[LarryW]

Back to the shifting thing, I do remember hearing about Vanguards running to low RPM and ruining the crank bearings. I think that was only for a couple years and its fixed now.
Someone needs to make a driven(secondary) clutch brake. Or maybe see if you can find some snowmobile that had the disk on the driven clutch and use that and the calipers to stop it before shifting. Or try mounting a go kart band brake setup on it.

[crowhater]

. Lean could be wrong jet, partially plugged jet or port. What were your temps? What do your spark plugs look like?

My temps are good, they look to be around the 180*mark. At idle the temp gauge and volt gauge dance around but when you give it gas the volt gauge goes to 16. The engine runs real smooth and starts up with ease, the response is very crisp. I have not looked at the plugs yet I have only had it a day so far but all the fluids are at the correct level and they are new. I thought about putting a can of Sea Foam in the fuel to clean the system out. I use Sea Foam on my airboat and my drag cars. The exhaust is very clean with no soot, and it does not show any sign of heat coloring. Several times I have had it jump out of low gear while driving but I think I just did not have it 100% in the gear. The Argo now has 35 hours on it and everything looks brand new, I do not even have any scratches on the plastic.

Question
What are eight 22x8 Scorpion tires worth? They still have the nippels on them they are so new.

[JohnF]

My temps are good, they look to be around the 180*mark.

Yep. mine too.

I thought about putting a can of Sea Foam in the fuel to clean the system out.

That stuff is great, I use it too.

...Someone needs to make a driven(secondary) clutch brake. ...

I've seen a primary clutch that had a bearing(ed) center shaft so that there would be no parasitic force applied to the belt via the shaft when the clutch was open.

[plott hound]

thats gonna be my next mod larry.

Back to the shifting thing, I do remember hearing about Vanguards running to low RPM and ruining the crank bearings. I think that was only for a couple years and its fixed now.
Someone needs to make a driven(secondary) clutch brake. Or maybe see if you can find some snowmobile that had the disk on the driven clutch and use that and the calipers to stop it before shifting. Or try mounting a go kart band brake setup on it.

[crowhater]

I just got back from hunting this morning and once again WOW! We had 4 adults a dog, gear, and a 14' alum boat hooked to the back as a sled full of gear. I drove through stuff you could not walk through or ride a horse through. As a duck hunter you know if you see cat tails the mud is going to be very nasty and I drove right through it. It did have trouble with the 8' tall saw grass but it managed to push through it. I have see all I need to know I am an Argo owner for life. Now what is out there as far as engine mods for the 20hp Kaw?

[Rock Doctor]

. Now what is out there as far as engine mods for the 20hp Kaw?

I pulled my 20 Kawi out and dropped in a 27HP Kawi. Very happy with the results. Very easy, it took me 2hrs to pull the old motor and 3 hrs to get the new one back in.
I might drop a 29HP EFI into my next one.

RD