[CRAWLR]

I posted this vid a while back to show the small crack that developed in my Stator side cover.

I figured it was just a small casting flaw and it's just a cover so some JB Weld should take care of it, right?..... WRONG!!!

It turns out the stator is mounted to the cover and apparently was a little too much weight for the cover!

Stator removed and cover reinstalled.

You can see the JB Weld I tried.

This is what the stator is mounted to.


Unfortunately that was only the beginning! No one seems to know why, but the case is also cracked right above the cover under the water pump. The motor still runs and sounds perfect. The heads and pistons are still awesome and everything spins totally free. The crack in the case makes no sense. I took it to the dealer to see if AC would do anything even though I have one of the first models that only had a 6 month warranty. As far as I'm concerned, this is totally a manufacturing issue and they should help me out....especially since the warranty is longer now and I shouldn't have to suffer just because I bought one of the first ones. The dealer agreed and tried to get me a new motor. After some negotiating, the best AC would do is give me a new case and stator cover, and I could pay to have the work done or do it myself. I decided to do it myself. This should be interesting.

 

[jesseowen27]

They should totally give you a new motor, that crack is rediculous!

 

[MCR500]

That frickin sucks CRAWLR; I agree totally with jesse, they should have given you a new motor!!!!

Good luck with the rebuild, looks like you'll need a couple more of those cans on the left of the last pic!!!

C-Ya!!!

 

[NosMan]

Just JB weld it all back together and smear black silicone over the leaks. It's what Arctic Cat calls properly fixed

 

[Box]

As a long time auto technician, I've gotta say I admire you for doing the job yourself. I would much prefer to do a job like that on my own. I don't know what kind of technicians are out there at Arctic Cat dealerships, but I can only imagine that truly good ones are few and far between.

 

[Bshack]

I had the exact same problem with my Cat about 2 weeks ago. My block did not crack but my stator cover looks identical. The dealer laughed at the design when they took it apart. It's a joke how they designed a heavy stator to bolt to the thin walled stator cover. There will be alot of people having this problem. If you see oil leaking around the black cap on the stator cover, its getting ready to pop. Arctic Cat sent the $750 in parts but made me pay the labor because I am out of warranty by 2 months. Hope nobody breaks down in the middle of nowhere. What a junk drivetrain they put in these things!

 

[kabin]

That's kooky. Obviously another flawed design. Makes you wonder.

 

[CRAWLR]

As a long time auto technician, I've gotta say I admire you for doing the job yourself. I would much prefer to do a job like that on my own. I don't know what kind of technicians are out there at Arctic Cat dealerships, but I can only imagine that truly good ones are few and far between.

I had the same thought. The idea of someone learning how to build one of these motors by scattering mine all over the shop scared the hell out of me!

 

[Huck]

Hey so is the new cover they sent you any different?? Also what approximate mileage when you noticed the issue? Thanks. Ill be watching that for sure!

 

[CRAWLR]

Hey so is the new cover they sent you any different?? Also what approximate mileage when you noticed the issue? Thanks. Ill be watching that for sure!

I'm still waiting for the parts. I'll post pics when I get them. I think I was at about 800 miles. The first 100 were nice and easy in the desert, the rest were pretty much wide open all the time in the sand. Oil was changed 2 or 3 times.

 

[Huck]

Ya. Curious if there is a diff. Part # or if its the same one. Keep us posted. Thanks!!

 

[CRAWLR]

I had the exact same problem with my Cat about 2 weeks ago. My block did not crack but my stator cover looks identical. The dealer laughed at the design when they took it apart. It's a joke how they designed a heavy stator to bolt to the thin walled stator cover. There will be alot of people having this problem. If you see oil leaking around the black cap on the stator cover, its getting ready to pop. Arctic Cat sent the $750 in parts but made me pay the labor because I am out of warranty by 2 months. Hope nobody breaks down in the middle of nowhere. What a junk drivetrain they put in these things!

That sucks that I'm not the only one. I hope this doesn't become common. It's a really heavy stator hanging on some very thin aluminum. Was your replacement cover the same?

 

[CRAWLR]

I finally got the new case and side cove, but now I'm waiting on some unrelated internal parts.

The case is a little different but the side cover is exactly the same. I'll get some pics of the differences in the updated case later.

 

[kabin]

I finally got the new case and side cove, but now I'm waiting on some unrelated internal parts.

The case is a little different but the side cover is exactly the same. I'll get some pics of the differences in the updated case later.

You think it'll break again?

 

[Rockhopper]

I've been pondering why the crack formed in the first place...can only visualize a couple ways:
1. a large chunk of debris jumped up and slammed the cover...causing some internal misalignment.
2. bad crank bearings allowing the rotor and stator to smack one another.
3. a slightlly bent crank from the factory causing rotor and stator interferrance.

What do you guys think?

 

[TxChristopher]

Poor castings is the most likely reason.