bike flooded, now what?

[Rob S.]

I would give the hot plate on high and oil filler neck open a few days to try. Doesn't sound like it could harm anything.

Otherwise, a pallet of motor oil delivered to your house seems like the way to go. Maybe skip a filter every two or three changes to save a few bucks.

Site window and old oil get clearer, run it a little harder, hotter and faster, and I'll keep my fingers crossed...

Good luck!

 

[mrhedges]

Hey everyone little update:

After this last oil change I topped it off with a little seafoam (about a quarter bottle) and took it around the block. I kept it under 35 and under 4k rpms. Seemed fine so I took it a bit further about 1 mile to get gas and visit a friend who has a motorcycle shop in her garage. While we were catching up she pointed to my bike and said "looks like your leaking something" on closer inspection it was dribbling water from the airbox! Did I just accidentally use my motorcycle to distill water? I'm thinking water cooked off in the engine turned to steam, went through the breather tube and cooled down in the airbox and turned back into water? The sight glass is much clearer and the oil no longer looks like coffee with milk in it. I obviously need to change again because I don't want to leave seafoam in the engine. But it seems we're getting somewhere

Lets discuss the next thing which I'm surprised nobodies mentioned: electronics! The wiring harness is orginal, the previous owner replaced the coils and rectifier everything else is original. Should I be concerned these vintage electronics just took a bath? I let the bike sit out for 3 days in the sun before attempting to start but is there someway to test these things? Everything is working as it should and as it did before but it is a bit worrysome.

 

[Gorminrider]

Do check your valve cover. I bet there's mucky slurry inside the top...but then too, I've only dealt with antifreeze..

The coil and solenoid and solenoid are pretty well sealed in their casings..but of course you can be concerned! I have doubts you can do much for them if they leaked beyond wiping at the casings...Just hope they stayed tight.

If your floodwater wasn't pure water, and corrosive (septic fields?) you'll get an indication pretty quick looking at the light sockets .. due to the mix of electricity+copper,brass steel,zinc, ...the zinc will show as powder-it comes out first. Your copper wire may go black...

You can get in there and clean-wipe em all off for sure.

 

[Big T]

Ride it farther the next time, the water dripping out is what you want to achieve at this point

As for the electrics, pull every connection, DeOxit, then dielectric grease

I'd pull the left cover and clean the stator, then the right side and the ignition

 

[Nessism]

No disrespect to Big T but negative on the dielectric grease. It's not necessary and just makes a mess.

 

[Big T]

Ed, I was thinking of any remaining contaminates from the flood

 

[mrhedges]

Thanks everyone for their help. The bike is running and back on the road with all the water out of the oil. It only took three oil changes and I think seafoam helped alot. Based on everyone's suggestions I'm going to replace the brake fluid and regrease the steering bearings.

 

[Big T]

Swing arm bearings also!