What to do with a drowned bike!

[GregMember]

Austblue, mate I could be wrong and I hope I am but the ability of the internals of an engine to start rusting when water is in there even though the internals have spent their life in oil incredibly fast. I had a KTM two stroke that took a tiny bit of water in one day at Nowra, I rode it back to the car (400 odd meters) and took home and left it for a couple of days before I attended to it. In that short time it had started to leave rust spots in the bearings on the gears and cylinder (big rust ring around the bore from the ring rusting to it) and then failed a main bearing within 1hrs running when I rode it next. Remember I had it running and it was only a small amount of water and the gearbox oil wasnt that milky really. I make sure now if I have a drowned bike or someone else’s we get it going, change the oil as soon as humanly possible and ride it and get it hot to help get rid of the last of the water

I am just telling you the above as I am worried about the amount of water and the amount of time it spent in the engine :dry:

I see water damaged engines in my job all the time and it always amazes me how quickly it causes rust which is pitting of the metal :ohmy:

TB

[TrentMember]

Fair enough, thanks for the advice. I figured as much which is why I drained it again last night rather than leave the oil in there. I knew it was good to get the oil out soon but I didn’t think it had to be that soon or I would’ve dumped it the saturday night.

Do you think it’d still be as bad considering he didn’t ride it after it drowned so it didnt circulate? I guess I’ll have to give it a run tonight with some fresh oil in it and see how it goes or should I tear it down and inspect for rust in the bore? If the main bearing fails that will cause more damage won’t it? IOW should I just ride it and hope for the best or should I pull it apart and allow for the worst?

[Bruce CurtisMember]

I’ll second what Tb said, bearing metal seems to rust in no time flat.

old oil out ASAP, new thin oil in, start run get hot, drop oil and do again.

BC

[GregMember]

Austblue wrote:

Quote:

Fair enough, thanks for the advice. I figured as much which is why I drained it again last night rather than leave the oil in there. I knew it was good to get the oil out soon but I didn’t think it had to be that soon or I would’ve dumped it the saturday night.

Do you think it’d still be as bad considering he didn’t ride it after it drowned so it didnt circulate? I guess I’ll have to give it a run tonight with some fresh oil in it and see how it goes or should I tear it down and inspect for rust in the bore? If the main bearing fails that will cause more damage won’t it? IOW should I just ride it and hope for the best or should I pull it apart and allow for the worst?

You know as I wrote the above I knew those questions would follow and I really dont have any firm answers for you because I havent seen what is going on there its not my bike.

You have 3 choices get it going and see what happens, it maybe fine and all good, or as you know pull it down and find its fine or has rust pitting.

It only takes a pin head size rust mark in a ball bearing track to start, then when it breaks up it does it very fast

You could run it and keep checking the oil filters and shorten the changes for a while looking for metal. Run a magnet through the filter after removing it.

One other thing is oils are a lot better now than when that all happened to me years ago

Its your choice I am only sharing an experience, but if it was me and its not I would go the run and filter option maybe, maybe :huh:

TB

[Eric SmithMember]

This is a tough one TB. I don’t know what to advise you Austblue, because as TB said it could end in tears or everything could be fine. I have to say that 90% of blokes I know would not pull the bike down, just change the oil, increase the oil change frequency for the next few changes and check for metal in the waste oil. In so saying, it could be that 90% of blokes I know are wrong!

[Anonymous]

Surface oxidation builds up in a matter of hours. Actual rust that damages the metal and causes pitting takes longer. I would change the oil out and run the bike for a while and get it nice and warm. Then do changes abit more frequently for the next few.

I have never had to clean/sort out a water logged engine, but if it was mine I would do what you have done Trent then go ride it.

The more iron a metal has in it the more it will rust. Brake discs have a good amount of iron in them and that’s why they can have surface oxidation in less than an hour when left in the right (or wrong as the case maybe) conditions.

[TrentMember]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I’m going to chat with a ktm mechanic today and take that as the final word. TBH I’m not solidly against pulling it down because it’d be a good opportunity for me to learn how to anyway but as I said my current workshop isn’t ideal so it maybe best to wait unless it’s necessary. It’d be a shame if problems did appear because his bike was solid and strong and as much as I love mine I think his was a better bike.

[Anonymous]

Trent, I have plenty of garage space (free double garage) if you want to come and do it at my place. I am only an hour up the road from you and can help out if needs be. You can leave the bike as long as you want and it can be locked to my bike for security.

Just an offer if it helps, it’s no worries

[GregMember]

Moto wrote:

Quote:

Trent, I have plenty of garage space (free double garage) if you want to come and do it at my place. I am only an hour up the road from you and can help out if needs be. You can leave the bike as long as you want and it can be locked to my bike for security.

Just an offer if it helps, it’s no worries

What so Sam can eat it? :laugh: I like doing my projects at home, I cant get motivated to travel and work myself I can be lazy like that

TB

[Anonymous]

It was just an offer.

[GregMember]

Moto wrote:

Quote:

It was just an offer.

I know I wasnt having a go at that, just laughing about Sam :laugh: , its always better working with another person Austblue and he has the setup up there for sure

[Bruce CurtisMember]

Moto wrote:

Quote:

Trent, I have plenty of garage space (free double garage) if you want to come and do it at my place. I am only an hour up the road from you and can help out if needs be. You can leave the bike as long as you want and it can be locked to my bike for security.

Just an offer if it helps, it’s no worries

I’ve got a KTM doing time ATM chained to the blue wonderbike, I’m getting a bit worried that it might pass some icky Austrian mechanical disease to her though, like “pogostick” rear or “I’m don’t wanna go round this corner today” steering. :dry:

BC

[TrentMember]

I appreciate that alot thanks mate. I’ll see what the mechanic says and if I need to pull it down I’ll let you know. I think if I had to I’d ask the FIL to take his car out of the garage and do it there on saturday though it’d be nice to work on it with someone else there to chat with and ask questions. I still miss my dog too so any mut will get my attention .

I work in the shed because I don’t like putting people out if I don’t have to and I don’t want to push it since I’ve taken over his lawn locker with my bike and I don’t have to ask a favour every time I want to work on it. Hopefully after this week we’ll be back into our own place anyway!

[Anonymous]

No worries mate. Sam doesn’t live in the garage anymore

[TrentMember]

Can anyone recommend a cheaper oil to flush the bike out with and maybe where to get it from?

Cheers.

[Author]

Posts