To big of a puddle ??? (lots of water)

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beeds3000
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To big of a puddle ??? (lots of water)

Post by beeds3000 »

me and my buddy went to St. Joe today and he went threw a puddle thinking it was not to deap but he ending up sinking and laying his bike all the way up to the seat in water took awhile to push it out, it wouldn't start but then after changing the spark plug it fired up after a few kicks.
Is there anything besides changing the tranny fluid that we should do to this bike to keep it from being hurt ??? basically can they handle being submerged in deap deap water and then just riding them again ??????
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crazyaboutriding
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Post by crazyaboutriding »

well you may want to have him open the carburator and drain it of all liquid, some water could have gotten in there. there are probably some other things to do, but my mind's running blank rite now.

i wish you luck, and happy riding!!! :grin:
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skipro3
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Post by skipro3 »

If he hasn't lubed everything in a waterproof grease, now would be a good time. All berings in the rear and steering. Drain the tranny, fill with cheap oil, run to warm, drain and fill with your regular oil. Wash and re-oil your air filter. Drain your tank and flush/fill like the trainny.
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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

I've sucessfully used ATF for this flushing purpose. Even in a mercruiser outdrive filled with milky gear oil. Water will go into solution w/ ATF, but not oil. Do what ski said, but use ATF as the flushing trans fluid. If the bike is running fine, then I wouldn't suspect water int he carb, but you could always run a 1/4 tank or so of fuel that has a touch alky in it(drygas). Alky cut gas ain't the greatest thing in the world for a 2-cycle performace wise, but it won't hurt it. You just don't wnat ot run gas that has been sitting around for a while. We have no choice but to run alky cut gas in IL, unless you buy race gas. I've seen places advertise 'non-enthanol' gas, but when we hit it with the fuel sniffer(for karting) it goes off like crazy showing alky in the gas. In fact, MO is probably the same, that that's why the bike is running fine....There was already 10% alky in the gas (suspected). I know kart racers in MO have the same problem, but I think some of them have found sunoco 94 that tests fine on the sniffer.
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motorhed220
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Post by motorhed220 »

dude, this may sounds extreme...but if u were ridin for a while and then you dump it under water...(and assume this is Cold water) then i would have a quick peek at the rings and head....reason being that when you have a hot cylinder head and then dump it on water....it shrinks VERY quickly and and screw with your rings and such....i know this cuz it happened to a buddy with an RM 125...

However if u drove it away, and u havent said nothing about a seixure u might be alright, but i never hurts to check...
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Post by IdahoCharley »

Over the years we have dumped many bikes totally under water without apparent adverse effects. The most important thing IMO is to get it running quickly again which it appeared you did. We normally have a totally drowned bike running within 15-20 minutes maximum. Let it warm back up to relube lower end and dry the filter; then ride it like you normally would for at least 20 minutes or so to ensure you have driven off trapped moisture.

IMO immediately after drowning a bike focus on getting the water out of the engine (don't want to hydrolock the piston), flush gas through the carb, dry the filter to the best of your ability, drain the stator case if necessary, and refire the bike. When home do like suggested change oil in transmission if milky, clean and reoil filter, drain fuel tank if any doubts about water entering tank, and then reflush the carb.

I know of numerous bikes which have been towed back to the truck then trucked home to sit for a week prior to refiring the engine which have had problems.

IMO a liquid cooled bike has less issues associated with a creek drowning than an air cooled bike : at least those issues associated with warpage of the cylinder or head. The exterior surfaces of the head and cylinder of a liquid cooled bike run cooler; the trapped heated cooling liquid between the outer cylinder/head suraces and the inner hotter surfaces of the engine is a good thermal buffer allowing for slower cooling of the engine components.
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