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Red Jeep Wrangler Rubicon flexing its suspension on a muddy dirt trail

Jeep Wrangler · Yamaha ATV

Know what is wrong before you pay for it

Jeep and ATV fixes, upgrades and buying advice that hold up in the garage.

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Latest in the manual

Rider on a red sport ATV on a forest motocross track

OG-0324 ATV reviews

Yamaha YFZ450R Review: Top Speed, Specs, Price and Common Issues

Yamaha does not publish a top speed for the YFZ450R; owners commonly report around 70 mph (about 113 km/h) with stock gearing, varying with sprockets, rider weight and terrain. The 2027 YFZ450R is a 449cc fuel-injected, five-titanium-valve race quad weighing 405 lb wet, priced at $10,999, or $11,499 for the SE. It is built for track acceleration and cornering rather than top speed.

Contents

Chapters

Organised the way a problem arrives: a light on the dash, a chime that will not stop, a job you are pricing up.

  1. 01

    Warning lights

    What the light means, whether it is safe to drive, and what the fix usually costs.

  2. 02

    Chimes and switches

    Silence the door chime, the seat belt alarm and the lights that stay on.

    All 7 pages
  3. 03

    Engine swaps

    V8 and diesel conversions: parts, labour, and what the total really comes to.

  4. 04

    Ownership

    Maintenance, towing, winter prep and the small upgrades worth doing.

    All 11 pages
  5. 05

    ATV reviews

    Yamaha quads compared on engine, speed, price and the problems owners report.

    All 6 pages

Spec sheet

Yamaha quads, side by side

All ATV reviews
Rider on a red sport ATV on a forest motocross track

Yamaha YFZ450R

Engine
449cc liquid-cooled DOHC single, 5 titanium valves
Fuel system
42mm Yamaha Fuel Injection
Transmission
5-speed, assist-and-slipper clutch
Suspension travel
9.8 in front, 11.0 in rear
Rider on a yellow and black sport ATV kicking up dust on a dirt track

Yamaha Raptor 700

Engine
686cc liquid-cooled SOHC single, 44mm fuel injection
Transmission
5-speed with reverse, chain drive
Suspension travel
9.1 in front, 10.1 in rear
Wet weight
422 lb
Utility ATV fitted with snow tracks on a frozen field

Yamaha Kodiak 700

Engine
686cc liquid-cooled SOHC single, 44mm fuel injection
Transmission
Ultramatic V-belt, H/L/N/R/P
Drive
EPS trims: 2WD, 4WD, locked 4WD; base: 2WD, 4WD
Suspension travel
7.1 in front, 9.1 in rear
Rider on a utility ATV raising dust on a forest track

Yamaha Grizzly 700

Engine
686cc liquid-cooled SOHC single, 44mm fuel injection
Transmission
Ultramatic V-belt, H/L/N/R/P
Drive
On-Command 2WD, 4WD, locked 4WD
Suspension travel
7.6 in front, 9.1 in rear
Rider on a white sport quad on a dirt track

Yamaha Raptor 350

Model years
2004 to 2013 (discontinued)
Engine
348cc air-cooled single, 36mm Mikuni carburetor
Transmission
6-speed with reverse, chain drive
Suspension travel
About 7.9 in front, 8.3 in rear

Figures from each review. Top speeds are typical stock figures and vary with rider, gearing and surface.

Before the quote

Pricing the big jobs

Red two-door Jeep Wrangler parked on snow
OG-0178

Engine swaps

Jeep Wrangler V8 Conversion Cost: Parts, Labor, Hidden Costs and Real Totals

As of 2026, a Jeep Wrangler V8 conversion typically costs $15,000 to $30,000 as a home build with a used engine, $25,000 to $40,000 with a new crate engine and a swap kit, and $35,000 to $65,000 or more as a turnkey job from a specialist shop. The engine is often under a third of the bill. Wiring, cooling, axles, labor and emissions compliance make up the rest.

Close-up of a modern engine bay with intake and wiring
OG-0174

Engine swaps

Jeep Wrangler Diesel Conversion Cost: Real Totals, Legality and the Factory EcoDiesel

As of 2026, a Jeep Wrangler diesel conversion typically costs $15,000 to $30,000 as a home build and $35,000 to $60,000 or more from a specialist shop. Fuel savings will not repay it: in late 2026, diesel cost far more per gallon than regular gas. Emissions law is the bigger obstacle. The legal shortcut is a factory 3.0L EcoDiesel Wrangler, sold for the 2020 to 2023 model years.

best v8 engine for jeep wrangler
OG-0089

Engine swaps

Best V8 Engine Swap for a Jeep Wrangler: Hemi vs LS vs LT vs Coyote

For most Jeep Wrangler owners the best V8 swap is a Chrysler Hemi: the 5.7 for value, the 6.4 (392) for power. It is the same family as the Jeep, so the electronics integrate more easily and the most proven kits exist. GM's LS and LT engines offer the biggest aftermarket and cheap used donors, Ford's Coyote revs hardest, and for a JL the factory Wrangler 392 is often the smarter buy.