This is just a start. I aim to have one post in which the most common problems that 660 owners face will be described and resolved - to perhaps eliminate some of the constant repeats we get every day.
I’ll add to this as I have time and as readers contribute pertinent information. I will spread this across a couple of posts because the system only allows 10,000 characters per post, and I'm already way past that.
Below are, IMO, the most common problems that 660 owners have, based upon the number of times they show up on this and other forums. I’ve tried to give a concise description of the problem and a detailed explanation of the fix. If anyone has anything to add, please add a post. If it is a noticeable improvement over mine, I’ll be glad to edit it into this, the 1st set of commands.
Also, if anyone has pictures related to any of these subjects, please post them below, and if applicable, I’ll edit them into these 1st few posts.
You are welcome to add your opinions on common problems and solutions here if I've overlooked anything.
Please note that there is new information added to #3 - "My Bike Won't Start" regarding the 'unplug rectifier/regulator to get the spark back' problem... see "NEW EDIT AS OF 3/27/2011" in Post #2
QM
Here is whats in here so far, an Index, if you will -
1)MY STARTER MOTOR TURNS, BUT IT DOESN’T TURN THE ENGINE OVER
2) MY ENGINE IDLES GREAT, BUT IT SPITS AND SPUTTERS WHEN I JUST BARELY PRESS ON THE THROTTLE
3) MY BIKE WON’T START – THE STARTER CRANKS THE ENGINE OVER, AND I SMELL GAS, BUT IT JUST WON’T START
And here's what I plan on adding shortly:
4) NOTHING HAPPENS (OR I JUST HEAR A CLICK OR BUZZ) WHEN I PRESS THE START BUTTON
5) I HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE FROM MY TRANSMISSION IN ONE OR MORE GEARS
Suggestions for more?
Ok, here we go -
MOST COMMON PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS:
1) MY STARTER MOTOR TURNS, BUT IT DOESN’T TURN THE ENGINE OVER
Starter one-way bearing – the 660 has a systemic problem with this component; Yamaha had a bad design. Symptoms include a grinding noise while starting and/or the starter turns, but sometimes the engine doesn’t – it may take several tries, or it may not work.
Once the one-way begins to fail, it starts dumping small pieces of metal into the oil sump. You don’t want these pieces ending up where they shouldn’t (like in your tranny gears), so it’s a good idea to replace the one-way at the first evidence of a problem.
We recommend you not buy an OEM Yamaha one-way; it will repeat the failure later. The consensus here is that the L&A or Extreme aftermarket one-ways are a much more robust design and are likely to last much longer – for most, the life of your quad.
Also necessary, most of the time, is the replacement of the 52-tooth gear, which has a smooth bearing face that the one-way engages. As the one-way fails, it usually chews up this bearing face on the bag. If you don’t replace the gear, this scarred face will also damage the clutch sprags on the new one-way bearing… Not what you want. If the bearing look on your 52T gear is not as smooth as silk, replace it.
A website called raptortranny.com had an excellent treatise with pictures – walking you through the replacement process step by step. Unfortunately, they no longer exist. I have posted an archive of those pages in a sticky called “How to replace the starter one-way bearing (From Raptortranny)” in the 660 General Discussion area of this forum; the link is - How to replace the starter one-way bearing (From...
2) MY ENGINE IDLES GREAT, BUT IT SPITS AND SPUTTERS WHEN I JUST BARELY PRESS ON THE THROTTLE
RPM limiters - Most 660s have three RPM limiters – Max RPM (which will not be dealt with here), Reverse RPM and Parking Brake (PB) RPM limiters. If either the reverse or the PB electrical circuits fail, the CDI will invoke these limiters, and the engine will cough, spit, backfire, and even die sometimes when the throttle is just barely applied.
Reverse limiter – The engine has a reverse switch, a small, circular 1-pin switch in the engine case just under the output sprocket. The switch button, which extends into the case, is depressed by the reverse gear moving into its operating position. This switch is usually closed (shorted to ground) EXCEPT when the bike is in reverse. A wire, GREEN with WHITE STRIPE, leads from this switch up to the CDI.
The CDI (computer) looks at the reverse switch wire, and if it is at the ground, it assumes all is normal. If, however, the CDI sees that the reverse switch wire is NOT at the bottom, it takes the bike in reverse and turns on the RPM limiter and the Reverse indicator light. Note: Early ‘01s do not have this limiter; late 01’s do. If you have it, you would know it from limiting RPMs when in reverse.
Failure of the switch, unplugging the reverse switch wire, dirt or corrosion at the wire’s connection to the control, or if the wire is broken somewhere between the button and the CDI will all fool the CDI into thinking the bike’s in reverse and turning on the RPM limiter AND the light.
If your light blinks or flickers randomly (NOT at a fixed on/off rate) or is on all the time (assuming the bulb works), this is likely your problem. Find the GREEN with WHITE STRIPE wire’s connection to the switch, unplug and clean all the connecting contacts, tighten the spring clamp in the connector and re-connect.
An option is to ground the GREEN with WHITE STRIPE wire to a clean spot on the frame or the battery negative terminal. This eliminates the possibility (assuming the wire is intact back to the CDI) of this problem occurring again, BUT it also disables the reverse light. I have a sticky in the ‘660 Modifications’ section on how to lose the reverse limiter but keep the light. Look at it if you wish. It's here: Lose your reverse limiter but keep the reverse light -...
Another possible cause of this issue (reverse limiter) is if the GREEN with WHITE STRIPE wire has broken along its path to the CDI. Look carefully at the wires around the CDI and in the battery box to detect any possible damage. The reverse light should be on in this case (assuming the bulb and wiring to the bulb are ok).
Parking Brake limiter – The 660 has a switch up on the clutch perch to sense when the parking brake has been engaged. (I believe that some or all ‘05s do not have this). When the parking brake is on, the switch is engaged (closed) and shorts two wires together – GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE and BLACK. These wires come from the harness to a connector and switch. The black wire is ground. The CDI looks at the GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE wire, and if it senses it at the bottom, it turns on the RPM limiter. If you are feeling the symptoms described, spitting, sputtering, etc., but it can not be explained by the reverse switch issues mentioned above, it may be the PB switch.
Simply unplug the PB switch connector to eliminate this as a possible cause of your problem. The connecter is white, has two pins, have BLACK and BLACK wires coming in one side and GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE and BLACK wires coming in the other side. The connector is hidden behind the left headlight near the radiator. A sticky with some pictures regarding the PB switch and its removal is here in the forum: How To: Remove PB Sensor
If allowed entry to this unplugged connector, water and dirt can short across the pins and cause the limiter to come on again. To prevent this, seal the connector (the one with the GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE wire that leads to the harness) with silicone caulk or equivalent to keep out all foreign debris.
Another possible cause of this issue is if the GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE wire has chafed and is shorting to the ground somewhere along its path to the CDI. Look carefully at the wires around the CDI and in the battery box to detect any possible damage.
CONTINUED IN PART 2 BELOW
I’ll add to this as I have time and as readers contribute pertinent information. I will spread this across a couple of posts because the system only allows 10,000 characters per post, and I'm already way past that.
Below are, IMO, the most common problems that 660 owners have, based upon the number of times they show up on this and other forums. I’ve tried to give a concise description of the problem and a detailed explanation of the fix. If anyone has anything to add, please add a post. If it is a noticeable improvement over mine, I’ll be glad to edit it into this, the 1st set of commands.
Also, if anyone has pictures related to any of these subjects, please post them below, and if applicable, I’ll edit them into these 1st few posts.
You are welcome to add your opinions on common problems and solutions here if I've overlooked anything.
Please note that there is new information added to #3 - "My Bike Won't Start" regarding the 'unplug rectifier/regulator to get the spark back' problem... see "NEW EDIT AS OF 3/27/2011" in Post #2
QM
Here is whats in here so far, an Index, if you will -
1)MY STARTER MOTOR TURNS, BUT IT DOESN’T TURN THE ENGINE OVER
2) MY ENGINE IDLES GREAT, BUT IT SPITS AND SPUTTERS WHEN I JUST BARELY PRESS ON THE THROTTLE
3) MY BIKE WON’T START – THE STARTER CRANKS THE ENGINE OVER, AND I SMELL GAS, BUT IT JUST WON’T START
And here's what I plan on adding shortly:
4) NOTHING HAPPENS (OR I JUST HEAR A CLICK OR BUZZ) WHEN I PRESS THE START BUTTON
5) I HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE FROM MY TRANSMISSION IN ONE OR MORE GEARS
Suggestions for more?
Ok, here we go -
MOST COMMON PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS:
1) MY STARTER MOTOR TURNS, BUT IT DOESN’T TURN THE ENGINE OVER
Starter one-way bearing – the 660 has a systemic problem with this component; Yamaha had a bad design. Symptoms include a grinding noise while starting and/or the starter turns, but sometimes the engine doesn’t – it may take several tries, or it may not work.
Once the one-way begins to fail, it starts dumping small pieces of metal into the oil sump. You don’t want these pieces ending up where they shouldn’t (like in your tranny gears), so it’s a good idea to replace the one-way at the first evidence of a problem.
We recommend you not buy an OEM Yamaha one-way; it will repeat the failure later. The consensus here is that the L&A or Extreme aftermarket one-ways are a much more robust design and are likely to last much longer – for most, the life of your quad.
Also necessary, most of the time, is the replacement of the 52-tooth gear, which has a smooth bearing face that the one-way engages. As the one-way fails, it usually chews up this bearing face on the bag. If you don’t replace the gear, this scarred face will also damage the clutch sprags on the new one-way bearing… Not what you want. If the bearing look on your 52T gear is not as smooth as silk, replace it.
A website called raptortranny.com had an excellent treatise with pictures – walking you through the replacement process step by step. Unfortunately, they no longer exist. I have posted an archive of those pages in a sticky called “How to replace the starter one-way bearing (From Raptortranny)” in the 660 General Discussion area of this forum; the link is - How to replace the starter one-way bearing (From...
2) MY ENGINE IDLES GREAT, BUT IT SPITS AND SPUTTERS WHEN I JUST BARELY PRESS ON THE THROTTLE
RPM limiters - Most 660s have three RPM limiters – Max RPM (which will not be dealt with here), Reverse RPM and Parking Brake (PB) RPM limiters. If either the reverse or the PB electrical circuits fail, the CDI will invoke these limiters, and the engine will cough, spit, backfire, and even die sometimes when the throttle is just barely applied.
Reverse limiter – The engine has a reverse switch, a small, circular 1-pin switch in the engine case just under the output sprocket. The switch button, which extends into the case, is depressed by the reverse gear moving into its operating position. This switch is usually closed (shorted to ground) EXCEPT when the bike is in reverse. A wire, GREEN with WHITE STRIPE, leads from this switch up to the CDI.
The CDI (computer) looks at the reverse switch wire, and if it is at the ground, it assumes all is normal. If, however, the CDI sees that the reverse switch wire is NOT at the bottom, it takes the bike in reverse and turns on the RPM limiter and the Reverse indicator light. Note: Early ‘01s do not have this limiter; late 01’s do. If you have it, you would know it from limiting RPMs when in reverse.
Failure of the switch, unplugging the reverse switch wire, dirt or corrosion at the wire’s connection to the control, or if the wire is broken somewhere between the button and the CDI will all fool the CDI into thinking the bike’s in reverse and turning on the RPM limiter AND the light.
If your light blinks or flickers randomly (NOT at a fixed on/off rate) or is on all the time (assuming the bulb works), this is likely your problem. Find the GREEN with WHITE STRIPE wire’s connection to the switch, unplug and clean all the connecting contacts, tighten the spring clamp in the connector and re-connect.
An option is to ground the GREEN with WHITE STRIPE wire to a clean spot on the frame or the battery negative terminal. This eliminates the possibility (assuming the wire is intact back to the CDI) of this problem occurring again, BUT it also disables the reverse light. I have a sticky in the ‘660 Modifications’ section on how to lose the reverse limiter but keep the light. Look at it if you wish. It's here: Lose your reverse limiter but keep the reverse light -...
Another possible cause of this issue (reverse limiter) is if the GREEN with WHITE STRIPE wire has broken along its path to the CDI. Look carefully at the wires around the CDI and in the battery box to detect any possible damage. The reverse light should be on in this case (assuming the bulb and wiring to the bulb are ok).
Parking Brake limiter – The 660 has a switch up on the clutch perch to sense when the parking brake has been engaged. (I believe that some or all ‘05s do not have this). When the parking brake is on, the switch is engaged (closed) and shorts two wires together – GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE and BLACK. These wires come from the harness to a connector and switch. The black wire is ground. The CDI looks at the GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE wire, and if it senses it at the bottom, it turns on the RPM limiter. If you are feeling the symptoms described, spitting, sputtering, etc., but it can not be explained by the reverse switch issues mentioned above, it may be the PB switch.
Simply unplug the PB switch connector to eliminate this as a possible cause of your problem. The connecter is white, has two pins, have BLACK and BLACK wires coming in one side and GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE and BLACK wires coming in the other side. The connector is hidden behind the left headlight near the radiator. A sticky with some pictures regarding the PB switch and its removal is here in the forum: How To: Remove PB Sensor
If allowed entry to this unplugged connector, water and dirt can short across the pins and cause the limiter to come on again. To prevent this, seal the connector (the one with the GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE wire that leads to the harness) with silicone caulk or equivalent to keep out all foreign debris.
Another possible cause of this issue is if the GREEN with YELLOW STRIPE wire has chafed and is shorting to the ground somewhere along its path to the CDI. Look carefully at the wires around the CDI and in the battery box to detect any possible damage.
CONTINUED IN PART 2 BELOW