NoOne65 Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 So tropical storm lee flooded my place and my bike is under water...my question is if I immediately drain the oil and replace it and filter will I be ok you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 So tropical storm lee flooded my place and my bike is under water...my question is if I immediately drain the oil and replace it and filter will I be ok you think? OMG.......that truly sucks. No. If its covered, the water will have gone into the combustion chambers through the intake system. You'll need to strip it down and pull the spark plugs out so that you can turn it over and force the water out of the cylinders. After that change the oil. From that point its a crap shoot. Your tank should be tight and the gas not contaminated, so you could theoretically hook it back up with a new air filter and give it a shot. Any bearing under water are suspect as well. Homeowner's insurance buying you a new bike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 So tropical storm lee flooded my place and my bike is under water...my question is if I immediately drain the oil and replace it and filter will I be ok you think? OMG.......that truly sucks. No. If its covered, the water will have gone into the combustion chambers through the intake system. You'll need to strip it down and pull the spark plugs out so that you can turn it over and force the water out of the cylinders. After that change the oil. From that point its a crap shoot. Your tank should be tight and the gas not contaminated, so you could theoretically hook it back up with a new air filter and give it a shot. Any bearing under water are suspect as well. Homeowner's insurance buying you a new bike? Homeowner's doesn't cover flooding. Did you have flood insurance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkxx Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 Did the water cover the whole bike or just part way up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redxxrdr Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 So tropical storm lee flooded my place and my bike is under water...my question is if I immediately drain the oil and replace it and filter will I be ok you think? OMG.......that truly sucks. No. If its covered, the water will have gone into the combustion chambers through the intake system. You'll need to strip it down and pull the spark plugs out so that you can turn it over and force the water out of the cylinders. After that change the oil. From that point its a crap shoot. Your tank should be tight and the gas not contaminated, so you could theoretically hook it back up with a new air filter and give it a shot. Any bearing under water are suspect as well. Homeowner's insurance buying you a new bike? Time is important here. Do what Joe says. Pull the plugs, put in fresh oil and turn the engine through. I would do it by putting the bike on the centerstand in gear and turning the wheel. WD40 sprayed into the cylinders will help displace water in the cylinders. You may be lucky, if the valves were closed, and only got water into one or two cylinders. Your starter and cpu are wet, the connectors can corrode. WD40 sprayed on the connectors can help fight corrosion there as well. Once you can get it started, you will need to look into replacing the wheel bearings and the re-grease the steering head bearings. There have been cases of Trail 70's submerged for years and rebuilt. Get it drained and cleaned as fast as possible. At least it was fresh water. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoOne65 Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 So tropical storm lee flooded my place and my bike is under water...my question is if I immediately drain the oil and replace it and filter will I be ok you think? Any bearing under water are suspect as well. Homeowner's insurance buying you a new bike? no insurance.. no job I would have moved it but without the key I couldnt get it out of harms way Did the water cover the whole bike or just part way up? from the pics i have seen water came to about 2 inches above the oil plug but not far enough to get into the cyclinders me thinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redxxrdr Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 So tropical storm lee flooded my place and my bike is under water...my question is if I immediately drain the oil and replace it and filter will I be ok you think? Any bearing under water are suspect as well. Homeowner's insurance buying you a new bike? no insurance.. no job I would have moved it but without the key I couldnt get it out of harms way Did the water cover the whole bike or just part way up? from the pics i have seen water came to about 2 inches above the oil plug but not far enough to get into the cyclinders me thinks Should be in fair shape if only 2 inches above the oil plug. I would still pull the plugs and turn her through as soon as possible. Plus a oil change in case some water got in. At the level you describe, your starter and wheel bearings may have been damaged. But everything else should have been saved. I didn't notice what year the bike is. The dreaded service plug in the harness was low on the bike until 2000 I think. If it is a 2000 or earlier, that would be another area that I would clean up ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 from the pics i have seen water came to about 2 inches above the oil plug but not far enough to get into the cyclinders me thinks If you mean the oil drain plug, that's not even over the axles. Fuck it. Get it started and go. If you mean the oil fill or check plugs, then pull the dipstick and look for any indication of water in the oil. If not, just plan on checking and changing the oil soon after getting it started. Then you can consider the wheel and swingarm bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat830 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Flood insurance can only be purchased from FEMA/NFIP. Last time I checked they didn't have any competition so premiums are sky high, lots of people can't afford it. Sorry about your flood damage and hope the best for your XX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoOne65 Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 Thanks for all the advice everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 you know, the bearing deal...... most of us have dozens of hours in the saddle in absolutely torrential downpours. I am lazy and optimistic. Fuck checking them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBRXX Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 before doing anything, it's already wet, so i would give it a serious flush of every nook with a hose. +1 to what joe said, but if the tank was submerged, i would prob drain the gas too, just to be safe. maybe once you start it, take it for a good long ride to air it out. Homeowners insurance, or the national flood ins., will never cover your vehicles. Only those used to service the home, like riding mower. Check with your bike insurance. vehicles are covered under comprehensive (fire/theft/etc) if you have it. then sell it before problems arise with electrics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoOne65 Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Well water level was about 2-3 inches above the oil filler. A check shows no water in the oil at all. I will give another day or two to dry out. now I worry about the starter being submerged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Well water level was about 2-3 inches above the oil filler. A check shows no water in the oil at all. I will give another day or two to dry out. now I worry about the starter being submerged Frankly, other than electrical connectors, the bike is (for all practical purposes) watertight up to the breather hole for the crankcase (above stator cover more or less). If water got in via the oil filter, you would be leaking oil. If the water didn't get higher than that, your concerns will mostly center on external issues (rust/corrosion) from submersion in water, but the motor and crankcase should be okay. MAYBE some water could get in through the gasket for the clutch push-rod, but even then you're talking almost nil water pressure on the seal, and an oil change will solve that problem easily. Overall, it sounds like you got out a lot luckier than you initially made it sound. MARKETING IDEA! GINORMOUS ZIP-LOCK BAG for motorcycles! When potential flood is coming, lay out bag, open bag, push bike onto "floor" of bag. Pull bag up around bike. Seal shut. Use household vacuum cleaner nozzle to suck out excess air through bleed port on bag. Let it rain. When the water recedes, unzip bag and remove bike. Dumb or brilliant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everydayrider99 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Well water level was about 2-3 inches above the oil filler. A check shows no water in the oil at all. I will give another day or two to dry out. now I worry about the starter being submerged Frankly, other than electrical connectors, the bike is (for all practical purposes) watertight up to the breather hole for the crankcase (above stator cover more or less). If water got in via the oil filter, you would be leaking oil. If the water didn't get higher than that, your concerns will mostly center on external issues (rust/corrosion) from submersion in water, but the motor and crankcase should be okay. MAYBE some water could get in through the gasket for the clutch push-rod, but even then you're talking almost nil water pressure on the seal, and an oil change will solve that problem easily. Overall, it sounds like you got out a lot luckier than you initially made it sound. MARKETING IDEA! GINORMOUS ZIP-LOCK BAG for motorcycles! When potential flood is coming, lay out bag, open bag, push bike onto "floor" of bag. Pull bag up around bike. Seal shut. Use household vacuum cleaner nozzle to suck out excess air through bleed port on bag. Let it rain. When the water recedes, unzip bag and remove bike. Dumb or brilliant? Brilliantly dumb. HAHA. JK But I guess you would have to construct one hell of a sturdy expensive bag, and be able to sell to nearly every bike owner who lives in a flood plain to see a profit. Well water level was about 2-3 inches above the oil filler. A check shows no water in the oil at all. I will give another day or two to dry out. now I worry about the starter being submerged Frankly, other than electrical connectors, the bike is (for all practical purposes) watertight up to the breather hole for the crankcase (above stator cover more or less). If water got in via the oil filter, you would be leaking oil. If the water didn't get higher than that, your concerns will mostly center on external issues (rust/corrosion) from submersion in water, but the motor and crankcase should be okay. MAYBE some water could get in through the gasket for the clutch push-rod, but even then you're talking almost nil water pressure on the seal, and an oil change will solve that problem easily. Overall, it sounds like you got out a lot luckier than you initially made it sound. MARKETING IDEA! GINORMOUS ZIP-LOCK BAG for motorcycles! When potential flood is coming, lay out bag, open bag, push bike onto "floor" of bag. Pull bag up around bike. Seal shut. Use household vacuum cleaner nozzle to suck out excess air through bleed port on bag. Let it rain. When the water recedes, unzip bag and remove bike. Dumb or brilliant? Brilliantly dumb. HAHA. JK But I guess you would have to construct one hell of a sturdy expensive bag, and be able to sell to nearly every bike owner who lives in a flood plain to see a profit. Better idea... if you live in a flood plain, and you know a large storm is coming, and you have time to wrap a giant zip lock around your bike, then just take the time to move it higher ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Well water level was about 2-3 inches above the oil filler. A check shows no water in the oil at all. I will give another day or two to dry out. now I worry about the starter being submerged Frankly, other than electrical connectors, the bike is (for all practical purposes) watertight up to the breather hole for the crankcase (above stator cover more or less). If water got in via the oil filter, you would be leaking oil. If the water didn't get higher than that, your concerns will mostly center on external issues (rust/corrosion) from submersion in water, but the motor and crankcase should be okay. MAYBE some water could get in through the gasket for the clutch push-rod, but even then you're talking almost nil water pressure on the seal, and an oil change will solve that problem easily. Overall, it sounds like you got out a lot luckier than you initially made it sound. MARKETING IDEA! GINORMOUS ZIP-LOCK BAG for motorcycles! When potential flood is coming, lay out bag, open bag, push bike onto "floor" of bag. Pull bag up around bike. Seal shut. Use household vacuum cleaner nozzle to suck out excess air through bleed port on bag. Let it rain. When the water recedes, unzip bag and remove bike. Dumb or brilliant? Brilliantly dumb. HAHA. JK But I guess you would have to construct one hell of a sturdy expensive bag, and be able to sell to nearly every bike owner who lives in a flood plain to see a profit. Well water level was about 2-3 inches above the oil filler. A check shows no water in the oil at all. I will give another day or two to dry out. now I worry about the starter being submerged Frankly, other than electrical connectors, the bike is (for all practical purposes) watertight up to the breather hole for the crankcase (above stator cover more or less). If water got in via the oil filter, you would be leaking oil. If the water didn't get higher than that, your concerns will mostly center on external issues (rust/corrosion) from submersion in water, but the motor and crankcase should be okay. MAYBE some water could get in through the gasket for the clutch push-rod, but even then you're talking almost nil water pressure on the seal, and an oil change will solve that problem easily. Overall, it sounds like you got out a lot luckier than you initially made it sound. MARKETING IDEA! GINORMOUS ZIP-LOCK BAG for motorcycles! When potential flood is coming, lay out bag, open bag, push bike onto "floor" of bag. Pull bag up around bike. Seal shut. Use household vacuum cleaner nozzle to suck out excess air through bleed port on bag. Let it rain. When the water recedes, unzip bag and remove bike. Dumb or brilliant? Brilliantly dumb. HAHA. JK But I guess you would have to construct one hell of a sturdy expensive bag, and be able to sell to nearly every bike owner who lives in a flood plain to see a profit. Better idea... if you live in a flood plain, and you know a large storm is coming, and you have time to wrap a giant zip lock around your bike, then just take the time to move it higher ground. In some places, there is no higher ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 So tropical storm lee flooded my place and my bike is under water...my question is if I immediately drain the oil and replace it and filter will I be ok you think? OMG.......that truly sucks. No. If its covered, the water will have gone into the combustion chambers through the intake system. You'll need to strip it down and pull the spark plugs out so that you can turn it over and force the water out of the cylinders. After that change the oil. From that point its a crap shoot. Your tank should be tight and the gas not contaminated, so you could theoretically hook it back up with a new air filter and give it a shot. Any bearing under water are suspect as well. Homeowner's insurance buying you a new bike? I'll let you know how my advice works out, as unlike most advice, I'll be using it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flitemdic Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Hey Joe- just point of hopefulness. My bike spent 3 days totally submerged in fresh water in 1999 during a flood. The PO had it professionally done, but said they essentially did a lot of the above- and 72000 miles later, we're still up and running. Good luck with this, small worry amongst all your other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoOne65 Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 Gotta LOVE honda quality!! Charge batt hot wire the ignition, spin the starter and twist the throttle...VROOM!!! 100k+ on this bike and numerous crashes and she still has it! Now that that excitement has died down a little flood did kill the fan...lucky I have a spare and new keyset coming...I will be riding in no time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redxxrdr Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Gotta LOVE honda quality!! Charge batt hot wire the ignition, spin the starter and twist the throttle...VROOM!!! 100k+ on this bike and numerous crashes and she still has it! Now that that excitement has died down a little flood did kill the fan...lucky I have a spare and new keyset coming...I will be riding in no time!! :icon_dance: :icon_dance: Great NEWS. Let's hope that Joe is as lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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