By Les on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I have an 8x8 ARGO Conquest... The transmisison grinds going into gear... the Clutch is not disengaging... it just started doing this... one shift was fine the next was grinding... any thoughts?

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

les, try cleaning and lubeing the cluch, there may be goo built up and or exesivly dry condition hampering the operation of your unit,
isaac eisenman e-d me once with a simeler problem with his cluch, it was a tar like substance, he used wd-40 on it i think, then laiter a thicker lube, maybe a snowmobile shop may be able to help you with the corect lube,(i have cluch lube from a snowmoble shop) or after wd40 cleaning some 40 weight oil or spray litheim grease? clean and lube up the driveing cluch and the driven tork converter

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The idle is too high. Look at where the throttle connects to the carb. There is a screw there holding the throttle open a little for idle. Back the screw off just a bit until the engine slows down enough to let the tranny shift.

By Travis Chrystal (Travisch) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Turn the idle down a bit - thats the only adj.

By Gord Young on Unrecorded Date: Edit

David. Could you post the details of that clutch lube that you bought from the snowmobile dealer. I think more information on clutch maintenance and cleaning would be helpful to most. I noticed that you also recommended using lithium grease. Where does this advice come from? What parts of the clutch are lubricated with lithium? (ramps and sliders or the sliding sheave bushing?) Let us know.

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

the lube i got is a 30wt oil with anti sezse type graphite and coper elements in it, it's slimy stuff but its also still on the jobe after the oil dry's up as half of it was dry lubricants anyway, im thinking anything that free's a dry'd up stiky cluch and helps keep it free is good enoph, some people may disasemble a cluch system to lube it properly but others are not going to get enoph serfises from the acsess thay have because there not going to take anything apart,
after all how much of the sheve bushing ramps and sliders can you get at with some grease on your finger anyway?
how about the rolers ect..ect.. in the driveing cluch? this is where spray type grease would help, anybody can plaster all the serfices thay wish with that little hose, heh heh heh, it might dry sooner than oil and or real cluch lube but it's the compleatly gumed up and dryed up cluch we are preventing here with this genarel all around advice, food for thought, you know,"gee when was the last time i even looked at my cluch"
so lithiem isent exactly my recomendation, it's more like "use somthing damm it!" anything is beter than nothing at all,down the road you can find the right stuff,

By Les on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the help... I am very impressed the response was so quick!!!
Just a few more details... the idle is very low right now... even when it's barely running I still can't shift it.... if I do get it into gear and pull on the brakes the engine stalls... the macine will also jump when started in gear... it won't sit and idle in gear...I'm almost positive it's not the idle... as for lubing the clutch... could this cause the problem? I just bought the unit and I'm not sure the last guy ever even looked at the clutch... it has 140 hours on it.

Les

By JTBarleman on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Les,
Excuse me for being blunt ... BUT ... IF ... as your posting indicates ... you are starting your Argo in gear ... It's no surprise you're having problems with your clutch.

FYI ... My Argo technical manual specifically warns AGAINST STARTING THE VEHICLE IN GEAR. I suggest you either buy a tech manual ... OR ... try reading yours!

Incidentally ... Tech manuals are a hell of a lot cheaper than a clutch, transmission or engine.

JT

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

It is possible that your clutch is broken, but this usually happens when it is abused and run at higher RPMs then it is designed for. When the engine is off, is the belt released and able to move freely?

JT - I have never heard of an automatic ATV that was actually damaged by starting in gear. Yet another bad point of the Argo tranny?

MaxRules

By Les on Unrecorded Date: Edit

JT- Thank you for your input... I am aware of the manual and what it says... I must stress that I am only trying to diagnose a very troubling problem here and in doing so I am trying all configuations of the machine to garner as much knowledge as possible... this is why I tried turning the engine over while the transmission was in gear.

I don't know how you solve problems but I like to investigate all angles of an issue before requesting help... I also find it helpful to share that same information with the people I am turning to so they can give the best possible advise... finally, I try to keep my sarcasm to a minimum as it does not add anything to the discussion...
again... thank you for your input.

Les

By Les on Unrecorded Date: Edit

To Maxrules... no it will not move freely on the pulleys... any thoughts???

By Richard Clark on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Les:

This question comes up all the time concerning ARGOS, I am
asked it a lot. To make it simple.

1, You need about 1/64th inch on each side of belt (on the engine
clutch) when engine is not running. Thsiis side to side clearance.
2. You need about 3 inches of free up and down movement in the
Belt half way between the two clutchs when engine not running.
3. Other words: The belt must not turn much when the engine is at
idle. The only turning should be from belt drag not any clutch grip.
4. It sounds like your engine clutch may not be "opening up all the way"
Again check the side to clutch face distance
5. You are welcome to call me on the phoone, and I will try to help
6. Hope you enjoy the website.

Hope this helps
Richard Clark
ROUTE6x6
RICHARD's RELICS
812-944-1643 1pm-6pm EST best

By Les on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Richard... you are a godsend... thanks so very much for the straightforward information... I will check the driver clutch tonight and see if indeed it's not opening up all the way.
Thanks again.

PS... I am amazed by the site... you are truely a dedicated enthusiast. I spent six hours last night going through the different discussions and archives... I am an informaiton junkie and your site "feeds" my habit.

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

hey les: are you using the "right" size of belt????.. to be sure you have to check how it fit over the tranny's pulley...the belt supose to match this pulley with tolerance of 1/16" +/- flush with pulley edge...on the engine pulley ( the clutch) you should have 0.60 lateral gap with engine off.....and you should freely "turns" tranny pulley with hand with tranny at neutral and engine off......and last.....mobile shave of clutch must "touch" ( no gap) counterweight section of it...any gap means that "something" ( tar/rust/....) if freezing the necesary travel.......use wd-40 like plastic master ( david rrrd) mention and BRAKE PARTS CLEANER....the best way to reach ALL component is by taking out the belt and start engine at fast idle...when pulley close stop engine...all mechanism will be expose....when done start again engine and with a wood stick force back the pulley......fixed and back to bounce!!!!

By Les on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I have now fixed the clutch... The belt was too tight so I let off the torque converter some and this solved the problem... now the torque converter makes some clanking noise at low idle... more than it did before I had the clutch problems... the outside shell on the converted is a little loose on the fitted shaft... could I use a new torque converted cover (the bowl type thing where the weights go)?