Spark Arrestor

L

LS248

New member
I have a 2010 RTV 900 which I use for fertilizing and liming food plots. Recently, I noticed a reduction in power (at 80 hours). Also, it wouild do only 18 MPH top end in high and when I purchesed it, it would do 25 MPH.

I took the spark arrestor out of the muffler and saw that it was plugged solid with soot. I did what was recommended by Spud Hauler and cut the screen off the tailpipe. I put the tailpipe back on the muffler and that solved the problem of the power. It was much better. Top speed became 28 MPH in high gear.

My only concern is that while traveling in the woods, a hunter stopped me and said there was a flame coming ouit of the tailpipe. Since I don't want to set the woods on fire, should I be concerned about this?

Also, I would like to eliminate the hex screws and use a case-hardened bolt to hold the tailpipe to the muffler. (I was having trouble and was stripping the hex heads. I finally got them out by heating the hex screws and then spraying them with water to cool them fast, and then putting vise grips on them. They then came right out.) Has anybody used bolts instead of hex screws for this purpose?

The machine's exhaust is definitely louder, but it does everything I want in two-wheel drive, low gear. I fertilize between 3-4 miles per hour, All three spreaders are ground-driven: 6-foot and 8-foot drop spreaders and a cone spreader.

Thanks.

Dennis
 
i would be concerned over the flame coming out the muffler.i see alot of atv's and utv's with the arestors removed and have yet to see one have flames come out i think the main purpose of the arrestor is in the case of a backfire .my rhino exhaust gets so hot it will glow red from the engine all the way up to the muffler and it never shot flames out.maybe put the arstor back in and have someone see if the flames stop if they do or don't i would check to see if you'r not over fueling it and the exhaust system is filling up with unburnt fuel if so that could be dangerous. it could be soot burning off too and might go away after a ride or two i know the arestor will cause soot to build up inside the whole exhaust ststem .i used to take the muffler off my hpx and flush ir out with carb cleaner every so often it would run out like dirty old burnt oil for a few cleanings til it all came out then i would let it air dry over night then reinstall it.
 
My 2011 RTV 900 XT has about 60 actual running hours on it. I've cleaned the arrestor twice, however, I never felt any power reduction due to the soot. My plan is to fabricate or purchase a second exhaust pipe without or remove the screen. I fear runnning the RTV without the screen during drought times. I'd hate to explain why I burnt my own farm down due a spark from the arrestorless RTV during a drought. I've also been told that if caught riding on government land without an arrestor can result in a hefty fine. I priced a replacement exhaust pipe/arrestor at the K dealer the other day at $54.
 
The early RTV's just had the little arrestor mounted to the outside end of the tailpipe with a screw. Mine fell off . Easy on and off with that '05 design.... bordercollie
 
I have never seen " flames " come out of a diesel with a muffler. NEVER

But, life is full of surprises.

Why not fabricate something like the older 900's had on theirs. Just a cap with a screen on it.
That was it. Held on with screw.

Personally, I would one night, warm the engine up really good.
And in the darkness of night, let somebody get behind the machine while a driver rives up the engine, pumping the fuel to it. And see what happens. Try to get it to "flame-up" ....

If I had a gas burner, I would worry, but with a diesel engine, don't think anyone has to worry about a fire. That is just my opinion .....
 
I just don't see no reason to even have a spark arrestor on a diesel engine.

Now, I can see it being on a gas burner.

This is just me >>>>>

I have seen MANY RTV's choked just about down to nothing. Wouldn't hardly pull out of their tracks for reason of spark arrestors. And some with even less that 25 or less hours.

Yank off the arrestors, the machines run like a bullett >>>> Just that simple.
 
Take it out and run the snot out of it for a few miles down the road at a continuous high throttle. Sounds like it was loaded up with carbon and burning off to produce the flame.
 
A while back I had a problem with my exhaust manifold breaking and the need to remove and weld the exhaust pipe and then got some help here.......While welding it and before putting it back on I had to use the RTV to do some work........Talk about power and by the seat of the pants perhaps 5 or 6 mph top end.....The real test was going up my 12% grade drive for about 1/4 mile........Didnt even need to floor it to get max speed.

So, Border Collie, a while back, I think, posted about taking out the plug on the bottom of the muffler to remove built up carbon. I did that trick and shook out the muffler while banging on the outside of the muffler with a big screw driver.......Have seen a stove pipe on my woodstove put out less carbon over a hard cold winter............

Ok........so.....put it back together and it did make a difference; but didnt pull as hard as no exhaust system.......BUT......my next fuel fill up I put in a good slug of "Cetane" and another good slug of "Lucas Gas Treatment".........HOLY HOT ROD........top end on the flat is up like never before and in high going up my drive is no strain or is kinda like flyin up the mountain...........Anyway, works for me........God bless.......Dennis
 
D&D Farm said:
BUT......my next fuel fill up I put in a good slug of "Cetane" and another good slug of "Lucas Gas Treatment".........HOLY HOT ROD........top end on the flat is up like
Click to expand...


You put Gasoline treatment in your diesel ?

Would be careful of what additive I put in. Read where there are some "treatments" that will
ruin a diesel engine. Wish I could remember where I read the article.

NOW, You want a great additive, get
Marvel Mystery Oil

It is great for the whole engine, super for injectors !!!!

YOU CAN'T GO WRONG THERE !!!!
 
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Am I bad Jamie..........no......put in LUCAS INJECTOR fuel treatment.....for diesel and gas.......Have used it for several years now in all types of engines for cleaning carbs and injectors.......For this treatment mixed with Cetane, I must have hit on just the right amount based upon the results I got.........

Thanks for the concern Bud..........Yes, have used Marvel Mystery Oil in my tractor for years now; but recently, this year have begun to put it in my OLD Troy-Bilt with an 8 hp B&S engine that drinks oil. It sat for years before I got hold of it and perhaps the rings have gotten sticky or something for since I have mixed Marvel in with the 30wt the consumption has drastically gone down.........NOW, perhaps 1/2 pint of oil every 2 hours of running vs in the past every 30 minutes..........GOOD STUFF........God bless......YOU are feeling better????...........Dennis
 
I have cleaned the muffler many times on the '05 by removing that hex head plug. The 2011 model doesn't have the plug. It will be interesting to see if this new muffler is as heavy duty- It looks thinner but not for sure. Time will tell I guess.. bordercollie
 
i use the cetane booster in my cummins it's made for deisels i guess you can say that cetane booster is a octane booster for deisels. i ussually run the slick50 with cetane booster in it.i also dump a pint or quart of 2 stroke motor oil in my tank too. with that new low sulfer fuel law they passed the new deisel just don't lubricate the fuel pumps on the deisel engines anymore so the extra oil helps out alot in keeping the pumpsd lubed up and running like they are supose to. but as for the cetane booster i will highly recomend that you use it if you never have.
 
the type of 2stroke oil is i think tcw3 thats the only one they recomend you use .now they have soe people that just use regular old motor oil that has been ran through coffee filters . but never use atf it will eat up your pump and orings faster than anything.although it has oil in it's name it's far from a lubricating oil as they come. i use the slick50 with cetane booster but the main one i run every fillup is deisel kleen with cetane booster. trust me if you drop 2 pints of tcw 2 stroke oil in the tank along with some cetane booster you'll see alot more pep in your rtv engine and you'll be helping it live longer too.
 
Hi All -

I just wanted to get back with the results of cutting the spark arrestor off. When I had first started it up, I complained about flames coming out of the tailpipe. It had to have been a carbon buildup that burned off when I first took the spark arrestor off. I have run it at night now with no fire, no flames - just much more power. I want to thank everbody for their help. This site is so user friendly, it makes problems much easier to solve.

Happy Holidays.
Dennis
 
LS248 said:
Hi All -
I have run it at night now with no fire, no flames - just much more power.Happy Holidays.Dennis
Click to expand...

GREAT !!!! We knew it would work out . It is suprising how much more power you can get with the spark arrestor off and the high rise letting the engine breathe.
 

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