Anybody know anything about cannondales?

[blasterboy32]

I had a blaster awhile ago and loved this forum. I cant find a cannondale forum that i get replies on so i figured someone would know about them on here. I just picked up a 2002 cannondale cannibal 440 last night. I went to top off the coolant today and it was white and milky. I know on most liquid cooled quads this would be a bad head gasket.

Does anyone know if this means bad headgasket or could it be something else on this quad?

My next question is does anyone know where to get parts for em? I've check eBay,motosport,bike bandit,cheapcycle parts and rocky mountain atvmc and haven't found the parts I need.

Hopefully someone will have atleast a little insight on these things. I can already tell I'm gonna love this quad once all the little problems are fixed. Might be the first quad that I keep for over a year if nothing major goes wrong.

 

[Wheels]

Cannondale failed because they tried to develop their own motors and they had lots of issues. Fixes have been found for most of these problems and ATK is now selling well sorted versions of what is essentially the same bike. ATKUSA

 

[nboldman]

the milky white in oil would indicate a bad head gasket or water is entering the motor from somewhere., im not so sure about in the coolant.

 

[blasterboy32]

the milky white in oil would indicate a bad head gasket or water is entering the motor from somewhere., im not so sure about in the coolant.

I haven't looked at the oil yet but I know what it looks like when there is coolant in oil and this coolant looks like it has oil in it. I just don't know if its from a headgasket or if there's other things on these motors that can cause this.

 

[blasterboy32]

Cannondale failed because they tried to develop their own motors and they had lots of issues. Fixes have been found for most of these problems and ATK is now selling well sorted versions of what is essentially the same bike. ATKUSA

So if I find parts for an ATK will they fit the cannondale? I've never heard of ATK. Do they actually produce quads or just parts?

 

[Blaaster]

Milky white coolant is caused by a foreign liquid, mainly oil, emulisfying.

The more oil present the thicker the emulsion.

Gaskets, not only head gaskets, cracked water jackets, even loose nuts and bolts are usually the cause.

 

[blasterboy32]

Milky white coolant is caused by a foreign liquid, mainly oil, emulisfying.

The more oil present the thicker the emulsion.

Gaskets, not only head gaskets, cracked water jackets, even loose nuts and bolts are usually the cause.

This might sound stupid but what's a water jacket? LOL also which nuts and bolts should I check? Like the ones on water pump cover and head and such or are you talking about nuts and bolts on the inside of the motor?

 

[Wheels]

What Blaaster said. I cant speak from Cannondale experience but a head gasket or water pump would be my first guess. ATK has been around for a long time and they actually manufacture these things, they should be able to help you with parts/a dealer and tech info. There weren't a ton of these things made but they are high quality, There's gotta be somebody out there who knows a lot about them.

 

[blasterboy32]

Thanks for all the replies. Ill look over the quad again tomorrow and try to find the problem and ill see if I can find some parts or contact ATK and see if they can help me.

You're right about the quality. Everytime I look at it I notice another innovative idea especially for being an 03. Some of the things on this quad are things that just came out a few years ago like the aluminum frame and fuel injection

 

[Wheels]

Here's your forum: Cannondaler :: Home It has the manuals you will need in .PDF format

 

[Wheels]

This might help too: ATK Rider's Forum :: Index
Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Blaaster]

Water jacket is the area around the cylinder and head surfaces that the coolant comes into contact with. It surrounds all parts that need cooling.

I am not familiar with the motor in question, but there are some motors that have bolts going through the water jacket which end up ending in an oil way. If such a bolt loosens or suffers from corrosion it will allow the passage of oil to the waterjacket.


If there are any cracks where oil can enter it, or any bolt or stud which has come loose and allows oil to travel up the thread into it, emulsification will occur.

It only takes a little amount of oil to be thrashed around by the impellor of the waterpump to make white coolant.

Salad dressing or mayonaisse is made the same way, oil and other fluids, thrashed around by an impellor of a fashion.

 

[n2oforme]

could be water pump oil gasket seal ?

 

[best]

I had a Husaberg 450 bike, same sort of boutique league as the Cannondale.
Very high output engine, wheelies at 60mph, lots of fun but lots of maintenance and only one place to get parts.

These engines need an oil change every second ride and are usually very complicated and ultra expensive to repair.
Look after it carefully and they are an awesome thrill, but it did make me appreciate the rugged simplicity of a Blaster.

Steve

 

[Wheels]

Look what I came across: 2003 Cannondale 440 Glamis - $3000 (Bonney Lake/Seattle)

There's a link to parts in the ad: Featured Items | Blackwidow ATV, Cannondale Motorcyle/ATV Parts & Service

 

[blasterboy32]

Thanks man. I feel a lot better about this now that I know I can get parts.

 

[mud runner]

can you post pics of it

 

[blasterboy32]

Right now all the plastics are off and a few little things need addressed but ill still get pics in a little while

 

[blasterboy32]

The last pic is with all the plastics on when I first got it home. As you can see from the motor pics its way more complicated than a blaster LOL. The Guy also threw in the brand new mud lites with the deal

 

[Larry's Shee]

How much did you give? Need to get a matched set of tires on front.