check engine YAMAHA KODIAK 450 2018 User Guide

5-3
5
EBU19542FuelMake sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-11.)EBU19561Engine oilMake sure that the engine oil is at the specified
level. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-17.)EBU19591Final gear oilMake sure that the final gear oil is at the specified
level. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-22.)EBU19601Differential gear oilMake sure that the differential gear oil is at the
specified level. Add oil as necessary. (See page
8-24.)EBU19632CoolantMake sure that the coolant is at the specified level.
Add coolant as necessary. (See page 8-26.)
TIPThe coolant level must be checked on a cold en-
gine since the level varies with engine tempera-
ture. EBU28533Front and rear brakesBrake levers and brake pedal
Check that there is no free play in the front
brake lever. If there is free play, have a Yamaha
dealer check the brake system.
 Check for correct free play in the rear brake le-
ver and brake pedal. If the free play is incorrect,
adjust it. (See page 8-40.)
 Check operation of the levers and pedal. They
should move smoothly and there should be a
firm feeling when the brake is applied. If not,
have a Yamaha dealer check them.
Brake fluid level (front brake)
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-38.)
Specified brake fluid:DOT 4
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6
on. If the indicator light does not come on,
have a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.
3. Apply the rear brake lever or brake pedal.
4. Completely close the throttle lever, then push the start switch to crank the engine with the
starter. Release the start switch when the en-
gine has started.
TIPIf the engine fails to start, release the start switch.
Wait a few seconds before the next cranking at-
tempt to allow battery voltage to restore. Do not
crank the engine more than 10 seconds on any
single attempt. NOTICEECB00164For maximum engine life, never accelerate
hard when the engine is cold!
EBU36230Operating the drive select lever and
driving in reverseNOTICEECB03330Do not shift without coming to a complete stop
and waiting for the engine to return to normal
idle speed. Damage to the engine or drivetrain
may occur. Shifting: Neutral to High-range and High-range
to Low-range1. Bring the ATV to a complete stop.
2. Apply the brake pedal, and then shift by mov- ing the drive select lever along the shift guide.TIPMake sure that the drive select lever is completely
shifted into position.
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TIPWhen in reverse, the reverse indicator light
should come on. If the indicator light does not
come on, have a Yamaha dealer check the elec-
trical circuit.
 Due to the synchronizing mechanism in the en-
gine, the indicator light may not come on until
the ATV starts moving. 4. Check behind for people or obstacles, and
then release the brake pedal.
5. Open the throttle lever gradually and continue to watch to the rear while backing.EBU36861Engine break-inThere is never a more important period in the life
of your engine than the first 240 km (150 mi) or 20
hours of operation. For this reason, you should fol-
low the engine break-in instructions carefully.
Since the engine is brand new, do not put an ex-
cessive load on it for the first 240 km (150 mi) or
20 hours. During this period the various parts in
the engine wear and polish themselves to the cor-
rect operating clearances. Avoid prolonged full-
throttle operation or any condition that might re-
sult in engine overheating. 0–120 km (0–75 mi) or 0–10 hours
Avoid prolonged operation above 1/2 throttle.
Vary the speed of the ATV regularly. Do not oper-
ate it at one set throttle position.
120–240 km (75–150 mi) or 10–20 hours
Avoid prolonged operation above 3/4 throttle. Rev
the engine freely, but do not use full throttle at any
time.
240 km (150 mi) or 20 hours and beyond
The ATV can now be operated normally.
NOTICEECB00221If any engine trouble should occur during the
engine break-in period, immediately have a
Yamaha dealer check the ATV. EBU27322ParkingWhen parking the ATV, stop the engine, and shift
the drive select lever into the park position.
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7-8
7an overturn. Never attempt stunts, such as
wheelies or jumps. Don’t try to show off.
[EWB01482]Modifications and accessories
Never modify this ATV through improper installa-
tion or use of accessories or other modification. All
parts and accessories added to this ATV should
be genuine Yamaha or equivalent components
designed for use on this ATV and should be in-
stalled and used according to instructions. If you
have questions, consult an authorized ATV dealer.
WARNING! Operating this ATV with improper modifications may cause changes in handling
which in some situations could lead to an acci-
dent.
[EWB01492]
Exhaust system
WARNING
EWB01502 Dry grass or brush or other combustible ma-
terial accumulated around the engine area
could catch fire. Do not operate, idle, or park
the ATV in dry grass or other dry ground cov-
er. Keep the engine area free of dry grass,
brush, or other combustible material.
 Someone touching the exhaust system dur-
ing or after operation could be burned. Do
not touch the hot exhaust system. Do not
park the ATV in a place where others might
be likely to touch it. The muffler and other engine parts become ex-
tremely hot during operation and remain hot after
the engine has stopped. To reduce the risk of fire
during operation or after leaving the ATV, do not
let brush, grass and other materials collect under
the vehicle, near the muffler or exhaust pipe, or
next to other hot parts. Check under the vehicle
after operating in areas where combustible mate-
rials may have collected. Do not idle or park the
vehicle in long dry grass or other dry ground cov-
er.
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7around and remount, following the procedure de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual. WARNING! Stall-
ing, rolling backwards or improperly
dismounting while climbing a hill could result in
ATV overturning. If you cannot control the ATV,
dismount immediately on the uphill side.
[EWB01803]RIDING DOWNHILL
WARNING
EWB01622Going down a hill improperly could cause over-
turns or loss of control. Always follow proper
procedures for going down hills as described
in this Owner’s Manual. 
Always check the terrain carefully before you
start down any hill.
 Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for
the ATV or for your abilities. The ATV can
overturn more easily on extremely steep hills
than on level surfaces or small hills.
 Shift your weight backward and to the up
side of the hill.
 Never go down a hill at high speed.
 Avoid going down a hill at an angle that
would cause the ATV to lean sharply to one
side. Go straight down the hill where possi-
ble.
 Improper braking can cause the wheels on
the uphill side to come off the ground or cau-
se loss of traction. Apply brakes gradually. If
in “2WD”, apply only the rear brake.
When riding your ATV downhill, shift your weight
as far to the rear and uphill side of the ATV as pos-
sible. Move back on the seat and sit with your
arms straight. Engine compression will do most of
the braking for you. For maximum engine com-
pression braking effect, select the low-range posi-
tion and change to “4WD” before beginning to
descend the hill.
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8
18*Engine mount • Check for cracks or other damage, and replace if
necessary. √√√
19 *Axle boots • Check for cracks or other damage, and replace if
necessary. √√√√√
20 Engine oil • Change.
• Check ATV for oil leakage, and correct if neces-
sary. √ √√√
21 Engine oil filter car-
tridge • Replace.
√√√
22 *Engine oil strainer • Clean. √√√
23 Differential gear oil • Change.
• Check ATV for oil leakage, and correct if neces-
sary. √√
24 Final gear oil • Change.
• Check ATV for oil leakage, and correct if neces-
sary. √ √√√
25 Cooling system • Check coolant level and ATV for coolant leakage,
and correct if necessary. √√√√√
• Replace coolant. Every 2 years
26 *Moving parts and
cables •Lubricate.
√√√√
NO.
ITEM CHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOB INITIAL
EVERY
Whichev- er comes first month136612
km (mi) 240
(150) 1300
(800) 2500
(1600) 2500
(1600) 5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320UBB560E0.book Page 6 Friday, March 10, 2017 10:20 AM

8-15
8To install the panel
1. Connect the coupler, and then place the pan-
el in the original position.
2. Install the quick fasteners.
3. Place the carrier in the original position, and then install the carrier bolts under the fenders.
4. Install the carrier top bolts, and then tighten all bolts to the specified torques. 5. Install the cover.
For YFM45KPXJ / YFM45KPAJ /
YFM45KPHJ: Install the handlebar-mount-
ed light cover.
 For YFM45KDXJ / YFM45KDHJ: Install the
handlebar cover.
6. Install the panels.
EBU23214Checking the spark plugThe spark plug is an important engine component,
which is easy to check. Since heat and deposits
will cause any spark plug to slowly erode, the
spark plug should be removed and checked in ac-
cordance with the periodic maintenance and lubri-
cation chart. In addition, the condition of the spark
plug can reveal the condition of the engine.
To remove the spark plug 1. Remove the spark plug cap.
Tightening torques: Carrier bolt (top):34 N·m (3.4 kgf·m, 25 lb·ft)
Carrier bolt (under fenders): 7 N·m (0.7 kgf·m, 5.2 lb·ft)
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8
2. Remove the spark plug as shown, with the
spark plug wrench included in the owner’s
tool kit. To check the spark plug
1. Check that the porcelain insulator around the center electrode of the spark plug is a medi-
um-to-light tan (the ideal color when the ATV
is ridden normally).
TIPIf the spark plug shows a distinctly different color,
the engine could be operating improperly. Do not
attempt to diagnose such problems yourself. In-
stead, have a Yamaha dealer check the ATV.
1. Spark plug cap
1
1. Spark plug wrench
1
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8-17
82. Check the spark plug for electrode erosion
and excessive carbon or other deposits, and
replace it if necessary.
3. Measure the spark plug gap with a wire thick- ness gauge and, if necessary, adjust the gap
to specification. To install the spark plug
1. Clean the surface of the spark plug gasket and its mating surface, and then wipe off any
grime from the spark plug threads.
2. Install the spark plug with the spark plug wrench, and then tighten it to the specified
torque.
TIPIf a torque wrench is not available when installing
the spark plug, a good estimate of the correct
torque is 1/4–1/2 turn past finger tight. However,
the spark plug should be tightened to the speci-
fied torque as soon as possible. 3. Install the spark plug cap.EBU30243Engine oil and oil filter cartridgeThe engine oil level should be checked before
each ride. In addition, the oil must be changed and
the oil filter cartridge replaced at the intervals
specified in the periodic maintenance chart.
Specified spark plug:
NGK/DR7EA
1. Spark plug gapSpark plug gap:0.6–0.7 mm (0.024–0.028 in)
Tightening torque:Spark plug:18 N·m (1.8 kgf·m, 13 lb·ft)
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8
To check the engine oil level
1. Place the ATV on a level surface.
2. Remove panel E. (See page 8-8.)
3. Check the engine oil level on a cold engine.
TIPIf the engine was started before checking the oil
level, warm up the engine, and then wait at least
ten minutes until the oil settles for an accurate
reading. 4. Remove the engine oil filler cap, and then wipe the dipstick with a clean rag. 5. Insert the dipstick into the filler hole (without
screwing it in), and then remove it again to
check the oil level.
TIPThe engine oil should be between the tip of the
dipstick and the maximum level mark. 6. If the engine oil is not between the tip of thedipstick and the maximum level mark, add
sufficient oil of the recommended type to
1. Engine oil filler cap
1
1. Engine oil filler cap
2. O-ring
3. Engine oil dipstick
4. Maximum level mark
5. Tip of the engine oil dipstick
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