[PapaK]

Hello everyone, new member here. I've been lurking a bit but I have some specific questions I can't find the answer to so I thought I would make a post.

First off, an introduction. I have been looking for a 6x6 for a while and with prices climbing and missing a few by hours, I bit the bullet on one more or less unseen 4 hours away. I had a buddy who lived close go to look it over for me and when he got there it wouldn't start.The old "it was running when I parked it" line. My buddy thought it actually looked fairly ok but would need chains, sprockets, and bearings at a minimum and he thought it just needed a new starter. So I ended up negotiating $1300 off the price and got him to through in a plow. My buddy took it to his place, swapped out the starter and viola, she was running . She has 2" wheel spacers in the rear and I think was running tracks over the wheels.

My friend was coming my way and brought the ATV for me which was super nice. I rode it around in the snow for an hour and all seemed well. Until I got high centred breaking through some crusty snow. By the time I got out, I realized there was a lot of coolant on the ground. Driving it would shoot coolant out the top of the reservoir. So I pulled all the plastic off. Unbolted the valve cover and noticed the rocker arm was wearing from the decomposition bearing. I ordered a new exhaust rocker/camshaft kit to replace that. After getting the head off I could definitely see where the head gasket had failed.

When I opened the inspection hole on the flywheel housing looked super gunky and corroded through the hole to the point where I couldn't even tell where the marks were. While I was pulling off the flywheel cover, I noticed the bottom drain bolt was so loose that it almost fell out. I'm guessing that where the intrusion of water had happened. It not surprising the starter had failed if the bends drive was in that environment.

So this is basically where I am today. I am waiting for the new cam and rocker in the mail. I need to clean up the head (I was thinking of removing the valves and getting it soda blasted.

The coolant is really gross like it has combustion byproducts in it or something. If anyone has any good advice on how to clean this, I would be interested to hear.

Now, for the questions I have. I have scoured the Internet and it seems like a 2001 Fuji 500 engine can not have the stator upgraded in anyway shape or form. Ricky stator says that's all the can do for it. Now, I'm not sure if that's because the existing wiring can't handle it? Either way, it seems like the 2002's if I'm not mistaken have about 30% higher output on the same engine. If I am going to replace this stator anyway, I would hate to put in the same low output stator. So my big question, on a carbureted model, can I swap out the wiring harness from a later model and put in the 350 watt stator instead of the 260. What problems would I run into? Would I need to switch to in electronic ignition? It seems to me that all this should be pretty doable but I have owned the machine such a short time I really don't know if there is a big gotcha in there. The reason I am asking is because the machine came with heated handle bars, thumb, and a winch for plowing. If anyone has any drop in replacement lights that are LED that will help too. I found a post that had bulb part numbers but they went on to say that they aren't that great in the original housing...so I'm not sure if anyone has a better entire unit that would fit. I will probably just disconnect the tail lights. This thing will be living on my property and no trail riding.

My second question is that it has been impossible to find a 6x6 parts and maintenance manual anywhere. Maybe I'm just blind but it's been a little tricky ordering parts. for example, I tried to order a rear bearing set and wha the pictures show between two sets is very different even thought they are advertised for the same machine. I bought a rear bearing kit from Pivot Works part number PWRWK-P20-000 and I'm not even sure it's correct. I will find out when I tear it down but it might be too late to send back by the time I get to that.

I'm super close to pulling everything off the fame, getting it coated, etc. I'm bad for not stopping where I should. But the engine is almost out, the axles basically have to come off to do the chains and sprockets. At that point im not too too far from having it totally stripped anyway. Someone talk me out of it. I need another project like I need a hole in my head.

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any info or tips. Also, if someone hears of any over wheel tracks for sale, let me know!

 

[PapaK]

Thanks for all the great info! Your rebuild looks amazing.

The tips on xplorer and trailblazer was a piece of the puzzle I was missing! I figured they had to have parts commonality with something.

Any reason why I shouldn't leave the rear wheel spacers on? I figure the the 4" wider stance would be nothing but a good thing....if I can still get it in my truck.

If you think of any other little nuggets of wisdom or gotchas I'd love to hear it.

I'll keep you posted as I chip away.

 

[PapaK]

I plan on rebuilding the front soon. I'm able to wobble them around pretty easily. Thanks for the heads up about the torsioning sequence. The manual seems to show two tapered bearings per side but the online kits seem to come with 4? A video I found online I saw at least 3 come out so there probably is 4 a side?

Looking at the manual it seems to recommend changing the jets below 5C. This machine will be hitting -25C easily if not colder. Do you find the jets need to be changed in winter or is this over kill?

My hubs seems thoroughly stuck on and I thought there might have been something I was missing but looking a the manual it seems like they should just pop right off. I was beating them with a mallet and was able to get one off but I think I need to try heat. In the sea location, the rear chain doesn't not seem to have a master link that I can find anywhere. The front chain did and I took that off no problem. The problem is the rear chain runs through that guide so I has to be broken. I imagine I will just cut it with a grinder or something.

I'm going to be taking some things to my buddy who has a soda blaster. Is there anything that you would take off to get cleaned up if you were me at this stage?

Thanks again for all the info. Did you document your rebuild anywhere? I would be interested in reading through it so that I might not have to ask a million questions.