Hi caveeagle,

Here is my advice on removing any fuel tank breathing pipes, evap hoses, filters, traps or valves etc. 
Leave well alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why....despite what you may have seen on the splinternet, one has to ask one key question....WHY!
Why do you want to remove the pipe, what are the benefits, or more importantly what are losses?
One simple key point to remember in the unlikely event of you being found in a ditch off some trail burnt to a cinder the forensics people will ask the same question. Why did he remove that pipe?
Manufacturers fit, design and develop fuel systems based on rigours testing against stringent laws to make sure the bike is safe and conforms to stringent requirements in each of the countries they are marketed in.
Removing a fuel system pipe especially one that permits venting or breathing of the system voids your insurance on the bike. All claims for property damage or personal injury will be void because you removed and or altered the fuel systems beyond what the manufacturer specified.
Whilst I am a great supporter of modification to the enjoyment of our rides, I ensure that the modification is such that it improves safety, in most cases goes above and beyond what the manufacturer specified. Especially when one is modifying Brakes, suspension, steering, lighting, electrics or fuel systems. For all fuel system modifications I ensure that systems and components follow the stringent off road/rally regulations with the components being purchased from reputable suppliers, never EBay or Amazon.
Enjoy your ride, stay safe.........Grand Master Splash & His Furious Ride

Hi Lukeatuke

Difficult question to answer, kind of like how long is a piece of string?
Should be what factors influence fuel consumption: -
The factors that influence fuel consumption are: -
1.   What type of fuel do you use? I use Super Grade 97+ octane fuel in my X8, or E5 fuel as it is known here in UK. Mainly because E10 or 95 octane fuel in UK is 10% Ethanol based and will impact fuel economy.   E5 will improve economy, give better combustion efficiency, a better burn, reduce emissions and improve overall driveability. Stale fuel especially high Octane 98 RON if left for a while in the tank will go off an degrade. After 6 months or more it will degrade and will have an impact the quads driveability, flat spots, throttle hesitation, poor idle and economy. Remove the fuel, use it in your garden tools, 4 stroke and 2 stroke. Fill the quad tank back up with fresh fuel and keep it fresh. 
2.   What spark plugs do you use? Stock NGK plugs are in short crap and provide a poor burn reducing driveability and economy. Fit a set of NGK Iridium plugs, they will be expensive about £20 each or 25 dollars each but they will be worth every penny or cent. NGK have comparison charts that will provide you with a direct exchange for your plug type. Iridium plugs will vastly improve economy, driveability, idle RPMs and kill overrun backfires because the burn is more complete.
3.   What sate are injectors in, do they both delivery perfect atomisation spray patterns and both deliver the exact same quantity of fuel.  Worth getting them checked out at local fuel injection service shop. Your CFMOTO dealer will not have the knowledge, skill or equipment to do this. Better even still stock Delphi injectors will be very basic, consider investing in a bespoke set of injectors that will improve economy. If economy is your goal, injectors can be purchased to match your goals, from specialist's fuel injection shops, Bosch injectors are by far superior to Delphi stock injectors.
4. A K&N high flow air filter will improve economy and overall driveability, the stock CFMOTO filter is a very poor example of a filter, it restricts air flow and is not good for economy.
5. We could start to talk about exhaust systems, the snag here is we start now to enter the realms of performance, as we do this fuel economy falls. Modifications to exhaust systems will have a serious impact on driveability and Engine ECU O2 sensors. Modification to the exhaust system, tweaking with the injection ECU software or hardware should never be considered unless one has access to a rolling road dyno tester.

6.  Then we have many other factors to consider as follows: -
•   Do you drive like a bat out of hell?
•   Do you pull excessive loads?
•   Are you carrying a passenger?
•   Do you carry loads of kit?
•   Have you changed the tyre size and what type of tyres are using off road or road tyres?
•   Have tweaked the CVT primary and secondary pulleys?
•   What type of surface are driving on, snow, mud and loose surfaces will severely impact fuel economy.
•   Are constantly driving in high/two-wheel drive or low/4-wheel drive?
•   What altitude are driving at?
•   What is the average ambient temperature you are driving in?

Whatever be the answer to factors stated under para 6 they will all impact fuel economy. We all have different drive styles, different machines and drive them in different parts of the world under different conditions. Hence, we will all have differing levels of fuel economy or if you like efficiency.   

Take care, have fun and be safe.....Grandmaster Splash & His Furious Ride   

Hi Steve,

Blinking oil pressure light on the X8 is a common problem, especially after braking or accelerating hard.

It will become an ongoing problem if you follow the CFMOTO manual of topping up engine oil to the correct Max fill point on the dip stick in the manual.

Ignore the manual if you want the oil light to stop blinking and add an additional approx 0.50 of litre of engine oil over the recommended amount, now it will be showing over the top of the max fill mark on the dip stick. But the light will stop blinking!

The above I have applied to all of my X8's, they have been faultless since applying the above method.

However, the above method assumes that you are using correct viscosity engine oils and have confirmed oil pressure is OK? If the oil light continues to blink on/off after applying above method, there is the possibility of low oil pressure, wrong engine oil viscosity i.e. too thick, or the oil sensor that everyone appears to go for with the issue you are getting. In my experience the oil pressure sensor has never been at fault.

Take care and be safe......Grand Master Splash & his furious Ride (P.S. use only Fuchs Silkolene Quad ATV 10W-40 Semi Synthetic 4T engine oil)

 

Lift the plastic cover on the front behind the cargo rack. You will now see the fuse box top left, the OBD diag socket is on the right

The engine kill switch on the left on handle bar has been inadvertently switched to the kill engine position

Oil light coming on under heavy braking and cornering CFMOTO C force 800 X8 Euro 4 spec This is a common problem on the V twin cylinder, liquid cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 8-valve,  800cc engine, more of a problem if you believe the engine dipstick indicated "Full Oil Level" position on the dipstick as produced and exited the CFMOTO factory.


If you follow the instruction in the CFMOTO manual the engine is filled with oil when at the top of the taper bit on the dip stick, well it might be but the oil light will come on under heavy braking and cornering. With extensive testing and different combinations in my experience fill the engine until the oil level is approx. 25% above the taper on the dipstick. I am not sure what this equates to in additional oil quantity or if indeed it matches the extra quantity of oil your dealers have recommended. This definitively worked for me, with zero issues of oil light coming on under heavy braking and cornering once filled as recommended above.

Not sure how close your Z Force is to C Force but I am guessing not too much difference, in any event I share my similar experience with you in the hope that it is of some assistance to you?

The gear selection issue is common across most CFMOTO ATV's & UTV's, firstly check the length of the gear selection rod between the stick and the gearbox, i.e you can shorten it or lengthen it through adjustment. Next check the interlock cable that connects from the stick to the foot pedal, i.e. that it is not in the locked position when the brake pedal is pressed, the cable can be adjusted at the pedal. However, remember that the interlock cable is only utilized from Neutral to Rev to Park, the cable interlock is not used for High or Low. Check the button interlock on the stick is adjusted correctly. Then remove the complete stick assembly and grease the gate the stick moves through will high melting point grease. Finally, after you have adjusted everything as stated above an greased the gear shift gate with all the plastic covers removed shift gears and make sure that the shift linkage is not clunking/hitting the gear stick mount bracket.  The linkage tends to hit and clunk against the aluminium housing that supports the shift stick and is bolted to the engine. If it clunks against the housing mark it with a sharpie, remove the stick shift housing and file away the aluminium until it stops clunking/hitting it.

Finally if after doing all of the above and it still sticks in gear or is difficult to get out of gear especially in low gear, please be reminded that all 4X4 and 2X4 off roaders will suffer from transmission wind up. To unwind the transmission lift one of the driven wheels off the ground and observe it unwind. The heat generated during a drive will also contribute to transmission gear lock so let it cool down.

Enjoy your ride and take care "Grand Master Splash and his furious ride"         

In my experience NGK Iridium spark plugs will transform the engine, its tick-over speed, and will especially reduce back fires on throttle off. I do not race my X8 but do use the highest octane petrol available in UK. I only use High octane petrol because this is the only E5 rated petrol now available in UK.  The marriage of high octane petrol and NGK Iridium spark plugs works very well for me. The NGK Iridium spark plugs give a cleaner more powerful spark  ensuring that the combustion in the chamber is more complete and extracts max energy from the fuel, less waste fuel means more energy extracted and more power.  These engines have fairly High compression ratio hence why the above marriage works well.  However, I never leave petrol in the tank for any length of time as it deteriorates, I always use fresh petrol, if its been left in the tank for more than two months it goes in the lawn mower. Which also runs on high octane fuel and NGK Iridium plugs. 

The gear selection issue is common across most CFMOTO ATV's & UTV's, firstly check the length of the gear selection rod between the stick and the gearbox, i.e you can shorten it or lengthen it through adjustment. Next check the interlock cable that connects from the stick to the foot pedal, i.e. that it is not in the locked position when the brake pedal is pressed, the cable can be adjusted at the pedal. However remember that the interlock cable is only utilized from Neutral to Rev to Park, the cable interlock is not used for High or Low. Check the button interlock on the stick is adjusted correctly. Then remove the complete stick assembly and grease the gate the stick moves through will high melting point grease. Finally after you have adjusted everything as stated above an greased the gear shift gate with all the plastic covers removed shift gears and make sure that the shift linkage is not clunking/hitting the gear stick mount bracket.  The linkage tends to hit and clunk against the aluminium housing that supports the shift stick and is bolted to the engine. If it clunks against the housing mark it with a sharpie, remove the stick shift housing and file away the aluminium until it stops clunking/hitting it.

Finally if after doing all of the above and it still sticks in gear or is difficult to get out of gear especially in low gear please be reminded that all 4X4 and 2X4 off roaders will suffer from transmission wind up. To unwind the the transmission lift one of the driven wheels off the ground and observe it unwind. The heat generated during a drive will also contribute to transmission gear lock so let it cool down.

Enjoy your ride and take care "Grand Master Splash and his furious ride"         

Here is the you tube clip FYI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuZqG7pTabw

Hi Ebrimmer,

There is not a problem with your rear transmission.
Your countries dealer and importer will have little or zero knowledge of this as their dealer support technical training network is potentially non-existent if it is the same as is here in the UK. Here in the UK they do not have the time or inclination to begin to understand or want to understand.  Their only aim being to sell quad bike bikes and quad bike parts, the majority of dealers here in UK are Garden Machinery providers for this type of quad bike, there are few that specialise in off road and on road quad bikes and the in depth technicalities and requirements. There are some professional & knowledgably quad bike dealers, but they deal exclusively with racing quad bikes only.

Fitted to the rear axle of your model X8 I suspect is an Eaton Detroit Locker NoSpin Diff unit. Check your hand book and spec to be certain you this fittted. Be sure to use a quality petroleum/mineral based oil, it works best in the Detroit Locker units. Something like a recommend synthetic oil, friction additive/modifier is not required, i.e. Comma EP 80W-90 GL-4 Mineral Gear Oil. I use Fuchs Gear Oil Silkolene Boa 80W-90 Mineral oil designed specifically for these axles. I change that oil in both axles every year irrespective of mileage and use as it will prolong axle life. You will get premature failure of the axles and diff units if you use the wrong lubrication. If you are putting your machine through hard off-road use change the oil every year or more often. Some dealers may refer to this a "Jaw" diff, only because that is what their parts systems tell them. The term "Jaw Diff" is not a Brand name it is a lose technical term derived from the fact that the planetary gears on each end of the half shafts have dog clutches on them. These dog clutches are a set of matching dog teeth on each end of the diff gears and half shaft gears. A dog clutch system has been used on incredibly old a basic manual gearbox for decades, the two sets of dog clutch gears on each side of the diff are loosely referred to as a "Jaws". Confusing yes, can the dealers and importers explain this no, I hope it helps and makes sense to you?

In short what happens is this: -
•   Driving straight ahead on a tarmac road at high speed or low speed off road the diff is locked, i.e. the wheels will not turn at different speeds, they are locked as one solid drive same speed to both wheels.

•   When you turn a corner especially on tarmac the diff unlocks & permits the rear wheels to turn at different speeds like a normal diff. Especially the inside wheel of the corner as it has more traction/resistance and difficulty in turning. The increased torque on the inside wheel cause the spring to unlock the locked diff. Because you are on tarmac and turning slow you get a clunking type of noise from the rear diff area. This is normal, there are some hefty springs disengaging the planetary wheel of the diff unit to allow the wheel to turn at different speeds. The tyres are providing excellent grip and will not slip hence the diff gear mechanism clunks and clicks as the mechanism engages and disengages. The Clunk/click noise from the rear diff unit is more pronounced on tarmac road than loose ground surface. As you corner at slow speed on tarmac you may also notice/feel a kind of jerking or clunking from the rear wheels, its as if you have poor throttle control. However, it is the dog clutch gears engaging and disengaging as you corner, try as you might to control throttle it will always happen with this design diff. Decades ago the majority of manual gearboxes on cars and trucks had dog clutch gearboxes i.e. no synchromesh units on every gear. To prevent the gears from stripping their teeth every time a gear was selected one and to double clutch and rev the engine between gear. This process matched the speeds of the layshaft and main shaft in the gearbox prevent the gears from crunching when you changed gear. It is not possible to adopt a driving technique with the CFMOTO 800 X8 to prevent the clunk/click from the rear axle as the whole process is automated. Be aware of it keep the axles topped up with oil and change the oil more regular than recommended by CFMOTO.

•   The noise will be less pronounced on lose ground off road when cornering at low speed, the noise is not so noticeable on tarmac at high speed cornering but this as you know is not advised on quad bikes due to your high centre of gravity.

I attach the Eaton manual for you, there is also a test/check sequence in the manual,  you will also find some videos on You tube if you want a more in-depth appreciation of how this works, please link to bespoke Eaton video on you tube below FYI. After watching the video hopefully all the pennies will drop it is fairly straight forward.

Take care & enjoy your ride Grandmaster Splash & his Furious Drive

Sorry I forgot to attaché the PDF

Hi Mocky,

Please find attached PDF doc detailing location of engine kill switch, and location of all start circuit relays FYI.

Only relevant if your bike is of the same configuration, information attached is for a C Force 820LE X8 Euro 4 machine.

With dash out and no feed to starter it sounds like typical engine kill switch issues though, my grandchildren often hit my kill switch when the play on my bike, it has caught me out in the past. 

Best of luck, keep me posted on your progress.

Take care Grandmaster Splash & his Furious Ride

Make sure you have not hit the kill switch on the left handle bar switch cluster, symbol of an engine with a cross on it

Grandmaster splash & his furious ride

Ok the Carb,

I wanted to separate this one from the brakes, too important the brakes as it impacts upon your safety along with other road users, hence the carb in a separate post.

Like the brakes the carb is once more basics and very simple to resolve.

Your assessment to date is good, but remember if the float sticks closed zero fuel flow will result, if it sticks open you are likely to get the problem you have. However, it is designed to default closed.

So more than likely to have a hole in the float or the float level is set wrong i.e. to high in your case, prone to a fire of course so please fix this ASAP before you next ride your bike

Do not waste your time and money trying this that and the other, firstly ensure you have an overhaul manual on the carb with all its settings and specifications, remove the carb completely, get a carb overhaul/service kit and do a complete overhaul. Its easy stuff and like everything else in life do it once and it will be fine from that point.

If you concerned about time off the road and your time to take to overhaul, get a spare second hand carb, overhaul that and fit it, then overhauls the carb on your bike and refit, do the same to the other carb and now you have spare.

Take care.................Grandmaster Splash & his Furious Ride

H again Ger,

Good to hear from you, I.T. another of my favourite subjects, I build and design my own meaga PC's currently running a Gigabyte Aurous water cooled with a Z390 intel chip, running i9 processor stock @ 3.60 GHz overclocked to 4.5GHz, too much spec for this email and I am in danger of sending you to sleep!  Spent the weekend fixing a problem with Intel Raid array drivers and a pair of wrongly specified legacy HD's on SATA ports.   

Your brakes should not be a difficult task to resolve, this easy basics in so far as hydraulics are concerned:
1. It became better in the morning after you tied the brake handle overnight because the air that was trapped bled through, we do the same tricks with car brake systems by holding down the brake pedal. However, if I am honest these are last resorts tips/tricks, you clearly have a blockage in your system preventing fluid from reaching the rear brakes.
2. Pleased to learn you have a new master cylinder.
3. The box you mention that distributes hydraulic pressure, send me an image please?
4.Not sure what it may be, could be a simple pressure or load distribution valve ensuring pressure is evenly distributed between the rear and the front. Is it connected to any form of lever that connects to the chassis. It ensures that under heavy braking the highest pressure goes to the front wheels due to weight transfer under braking, if the same pressure went to front and rear brakes under heavy braking the rears would lock up and put you in a spin.
5.  If this is a pressure distribution valve your problems as you suspect may be with this, it could be seized preventing any pressure from getting to the rear wheels. Hence any amount of bleeding with or without a pressure bleeder will have zero impact.   
6. Hydraulic brakes on this level quad bike is basic stuff, its not rocket science and is very easy to resolve.

I am surprised to learn that your Techie bud is struggling with this, is he formally trained and qualified in this field?

Take care ...............Grandmaster Splash & his Furious Ride