Growling Honda Rubicon

   / Growling Honda Rubicon #1  

yanmars

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Messages
1,057
I have a Honda Rubicon that when it warms up loses power, has a growling noise and has difficulty getting up a hill because of the power reduction.
Any ideas or thoughts. Thanks
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon #3  
Brakes? Wheel/carrier bearings out? I am not intimately familiar with the Foreman but maybe it has a clutch adjustment most automatics of this type do.
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon #4  
Transmission runs on engine oil. My Rubicon was overfilled and I had a similar issue along with a leak at the oil tank caused by the over fill.
The transmission is a variable swash plate, fluid coupled. No belts, no clutch, no "gears" if you will, it's a constant variable. Electronically controlled.
Oil filter is a PIA the get to, and is an internal cartridge type. I did it myself a few times, dealer has done the servicing since I had my problem.
Good bike though, mine is a 2001 and still going strong.
I would start with the engine oil / filter. If is hasn't been changed, low or high, gotten water in it, etc. If that is ok I would try to run it on the manual mode and see if it makes any difference.
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Hi: Not a brake or wheel bearing problem. Oil is Honda oil for the Rubicon and filter and has less than 10 miles on the same. Filled properly.
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon #6  
Does fine when cold though?
Wonder if it is thinking it is overheating and going into limp mode?
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I was thinking it may have been the limp mode. The fan did not seem to kick on but it was checked, they work and the ground is good.
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon #8  
If it acts right in auto and will shift up and down through all 5 in ESP when it is cold then I am thinking one of the sensors. I ain't no expert, but I think it has 4 or 5 different sensors (throttle, temp, etc.) that feeds data that controls the transmission.

If it doesn't seem to shift up and down in ESP mode when it is cold I'd be looking at the actuator that actually moves the swash plates.
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon #9  
Could be the stator going-it would cuase loss of power, growling and eventually backfiring when warmed up.
 
   / Growling Honda Rubicon #10  
Are any lights blinking when you just turn the key to the on position. The honda blinks codes when it has a problem.
 

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