04 Cat 400 Knocking?

[tipup]

Ok to make a long story short, my 04, AC 400 wheeler is makeing a knocking noise at mid-high RPMs. This fall a friend of mine was goiong to use it for a trail ride and changed the oil. While doing this he found some metal shavings in the oil, not alot but enough(i didnt see it). We were going to tear into it as it is out of warrenty but did not have time. i started the machine up today for the 1st time in months and it started just fine. It idles great and I drove it around the yard and up and down the streets a bit. It seems to have good compression, same power as it always has had and does not smoke anymore than it ever did. Look at the oil after the ride and it was clean. I have talked with a # of people who said it could many things from bearings to valves to piston rings. The temp lite has never come on and I have had clutch probl;ems in the past. It is an automatic model. I ahve a trip planned on Monday with a few friends and was wondering do i take it or not? The local dealer said it sounds like valves and it should just need adjusting, another dealer said it could be clutch part knocking. My buddie said the metal did not look like softe metal but hard metal? Any ideas or input would be great, deciding to get fixed and get rid of for a sled or just get it fixed and keep it> Thanks again, and sorry for the book I wrote. tipup

[jtm]

I wouldnt get a sled, trade it in and get a different brand wheeler. I know alot of people with the ac's and none of them are happy with them. What are you going to do when the snow melts with a sled?

[Dave S]

it's normal to find some shavings in your oil in the first few hundred miles. This is the reason the drain plugs are magnetized.

You didn't mention how many miles are on your machine or the type of riding you do.

What type of gas have you been running in it lately? The octane rating will also cause a knock.

All things aside, your machine is 4 years old and it's probably due for a valve adjustment.

There is no better time for an upgrade than the present

[tipup]

Well the wheeler is used most for ice fishing, a few trip to WI for some trail riding, and of course a few trips through the ditches in the fall. I would say i dont keep my equipment perfect but I do service them and I also use it. I have just over 1000 miles on it and AC had to replace the clutch at about 700 miles as they said I got it wet??? I have used 89octane gas in it since it was new also. Also the first few oil changes did not have any shavings in them, just the last one at 100 miles, and I did not see it my buddy did. Thanks again for any advice, and I agree I would not go with a AC again!!

[Ryan_V]

I have a cat and love it!!! it's not fair to bash something because you have a different brand. anyone you talk to will say don't by a xxxxxx machine, others say don't buy a yyyyyyy machine, yet others swear by their x's and y's but say don't buy a zzzzzz machine. If your machine fits your needs, then it's a good buy. Like I said, I bought a cat and love it. wouldn't trade if for a polaris or anything else. just my 2 cents gents!!!