Have a hardy 2011 Kawasaki Mule 4010 Trans 4x4. Usually runs great. It has started having a new issue and I am beyond tired of trying to figure it out. If anyone has had this problem any advice would be great.

Starts up, idles fine, works fine in neutral. When you put it into gear it will either run fine for a few minutes or right away has no power. I mean barely wants to go. If it does start out fine, it will just all of a sudden drop power and start to drop speed, then crawl. Once again, you put it in neutral and it is fine.

Did this a few times on me before, but has been terrible since I drove through some flooding on the ranch.

Have changed the spark plugs, checked the fuel lines, tank,etc. Checked the air filters added fuel cleaner. Cleaned the spark arrester (i guess didnt seem like it did much). Removed the drain plug and unclogged the drain on torque converter.

Is there something I am missing? Could this be an issue with belt or pulley in the cvt??

Thanks!

Clutch maybe? Sounds more transmission related to me.

Just a guess but, I've seen a Polaris do the same thing. Does it think it's in reverse or neutral?

How did you solve the "wrong thinking"?

Lmao!!! It was a friends and he ended up taking it to Polaris. They said it had a bad wiring harness.

Most ATV/UTVS have a safety to keep you from an engine overspeed in neutral and or going to fast in reverse. I am NOT a UTV/ATV mechanic but have been a mechanic for many years...

Where's the machine located, county, town or zip code?

I know there are 4010 gas units out there with lots of hours on them that have given no fuel issues but I had a 4010 gas that I was very happy with until it started giving me trouble after about 500 hours and I never did get it to stay right for over maybe 40-50 hours before it would screw up again, pretty much just like you describe. I would clean and lube the throttle body, change out the pump, drain the gas, etc. and she would be good for a while and then it would start over again. Never did get it right and spent a lot of time and money trying. Unreliable is unacceptable so I got rid of it and went to a diesel for my bird hunting rig. Hate to be a bearer of bad news but sure hope you will have better luck with the gas 4010 than I did.

It is located in Vanderpool, TX.

arandy- Ugh.. hope that is not the case! How is the diesel in noise compared to the gas? I would think substantially louder?

TenTen, the Pro DX is substantially louder than the 4010 gas but the Pro FX is louder than the 4010 too. I wish it was quieter and think I can remedy a lot of the noise with a better muffler but I'm not going to do anything that will cause the 3 year warranty to be voided so unless Kawasaki approves something probably will not fool with it. Don't bother me at all when I'm hunting anyway. The only person who has said anything about the noise says "huh" a lot. lol

LOL. Yeah, new development today with it. Hardly wants to move at all. Sputtering and hardly any power.

To the dealer it goes i guess.

Hope you do not have to buy a fuel pump from Kawasaki. They want to sell you the entire assembly just to get a pump. You will probably say ouch if it comes to that unless things have changed.

One thing you might try is to thoroughly degrease, clean, and lubricate the entire throttle body assembly before you take it in. It could just be that if you are lucky.

Good idea. I will try that for sure before taking it in. I know just a drive on the lot will be costly.

Wish I could help. Just too far away.

Not trying to state the obvious, but have you changed the fuel filter? I'm not even sure if the newer ones have one or not, but my '06 3010 does.

The filter is at the bottom of the fuel pump assembly inside the tank on the 4010.The 3010 was cold natured but I will trade cold natured any day over unreliable.

I'm with ZK. It sounds like water in the fuel if you started having trouble after you ran through flooded area. Bet the fuel filter has processed all the water out of the fuel it can handle and now is sending a mixture of gas and H20 up the fuel line to the carburetor

Thanks for the intention, it is the thought that counts.

Yes, that was our first thought and is a good point. I have been looking for the fuel filter on it. Thank you for the direction to its location. I did take the whole fuel system apart the other day (i believe), but I will look again to see if I missed anything. Does the fuel filter look like a typical filter or just a screen?

Thanks!

If you took the pump assembly out of the tank the filter is the bottom part of it. It's a double screen and imo not as effective as an in line or cartridge type and certainly not as easy to service. This is without doubt the worst fuel delivery system I have ever encountered and there is no way to get around complete removal and disassembly to service it. Also there is no way to drain water off the bottom without removing the pump and syphoning or vacuuming it out. Just a terrible set up and to all 4010 owners, it is not a question of will it fail, but where will it leave you when it does quit. I sure hope Kawasaki did not use this system on the Pro FX. The DX has a pre filter which traps water and then a fuel filter and it's all under the seat and a snap to service. Unfortunately, ANY fuel system that can't be maintained in a simple procedure, is going to give problems due to the fuel which is available and the general lack of understanding of how to deal with this issue. And it is not just ethanol because even the pure petrol goes bad pdq nowadays.

I want to say I read a while back that the Pro FX has the same...filter in the bottom of the tank on the pump. Is there not a way that you can cut the fuel line and add a small inline filter to it? If that's possible and it was mine, that's what I would do.

The pump assembly is in the tank sitting in the gasoline therefore external filtration is impossible.

yeah, I guess I didn't think that one through very well. I'm tired. leave me alone lmao.

I disagree, remove the pump assembly and remove the filter permanently. I would go to a wrecking yard and remove one from a 90's GM fuel lines and all.. and install it.

Not very hard and very simple.

Hmmmm, have you actually performed one of these very simple procedures you vaguely describe with good results?

Lol. Into the dealer it went. Unfortunately!

Yes, but not on a Kawasaki.... Remeber dodge thought it was a good idea to put the fuel filter inside the tank...