How Screwed Is My Bike (Fzr 400)?

[submaniac]

Well, my bike is usually stored on the first floor of my house in Thonburi. I am not in Thailand, and word is, the first floor of the house is underwater. Which means my bike is up to about 1 to 2 meters of water. My uncle wrapped plastic around the exhaust to prevent damage, but I kind of don't think that that will do too much. Do you think it should be fixable, or should I just buy an FZR600 engine and electrical system to upgrade it? I really don't know what it's gonna look like when I get back.

[Kwasaki]

The consolation I suppose is a drowned bike is easier to sort than a drowned car.

Depends how much you love the bike, a complete strip down will be the way to go.

Cleaning and drying everything out will do the trick.

The electrical areas will need particular attention.

I wouldn't just try to let it dry out and try and start it.

Hope it turns out OK anyhow, K

[thaicbr]

if he wrapped the exhaust in cling film then probably the water has not got into the engine... as kwasaki says. when you get back give it a good clean and change the oil and filter,spark plugs etc.

At least the fact your in the US you can buy the filter and plugs before you come back.

Sorry about your house and bike.

[mussen]

No problems, I've drowned bikes in rivers and you can always get them going again.

The only real problems may be a paper air filter if it uses one, and if the battery is still connected then something like a CDI may have shorted out. The engine will be fine.

When you get back, take it all apart, lay everything to dry out, drain the water/oil out of the engine. Just make sure you don't turn it over with any trace of water in it. Once you do get it started, give it half a dozen oil changes to clean it right out.

If you want to be really thorough, completely dismantle the engine.

[bbradsby]

Sorry to hear the bad news! if its a four cylinder like it sounds, at least one of the intake valves will be open, giving a free path for water into the engine. take your time and go through it completely. Also, if it sits for weeks or months like this, corrosion will set in everywhere and your job gets harder.

Heres hoping you and yours come though this well.

[ScubaBuddha]

One thing is for sure. You have now made sure you will never sell it through Thaivisa.

[submaniac]

One thing is for sure. You have now made sure you will never sell it through Thaivisa.

I dunno...some of the posts I have seen on Thaivisa makes me question the intelligence of some people...oh, did I say that out loud? I mean, yes, that is unfortunate isn't it?

I don't really want to scrap the bike, even if it has to be rebuilt. I am still tempted with the idea of swapping out the 400cc engine with a 600cc engine and ECU from an FZR-600 or YZF-600R (which will both fit).

Labor in LOS so I don't mind having someone tear the bike completely apart. I'm just upset because the thing was in pretty dam_n good shape to begin with. Flooding? Never thought that would be a problem since I wasn't really near water.

[thrilled]

!st drain the oil,see if there is water in it.If not you might be in good shape.As the other posts say go slow.Check electricial system good.Good luck

[Richard-BKK]

Recovering a FZR400 from the water is more easier than some of the latest motorcycles, less electronics to worry about. Also it's very positive that the bike was not running when it went under... Let the bike dry for a week, change all oil and check the float chambers of your carburetors for water...and clean them... depending on how long and the type of battery you maybe need to replace it. Again nothing really serious, and seriously nothing that will reduction in the value of your motorcycle...

[seedy]

If the oil shows the presence of water, do you have someone who can drain it right away ???

If so, a quick way to keep the engine internals good is to fill up completely with diesel fuel.

This will keep air away, not allowing any corrosion anywhere.

When home, drain diesel out, crank over with plugs out to remove any traces, fill with fresh oil, and fire it up.

My CanAm went thru a flood in 1979 - it was in the basement and the keel of a passing canoe scratched the roof of my car, to give you an idea of water depth, and this procedure saved the bike engine and trans.

[tubber]

if he wrapped the exhaust in cling film then probably the water has not got into the engine... as kwasaki says. when you get back give it a good clean and change the oil and filter,spark plugs etc.

At least the fact your in the US you can buy the filter and plugs before you come back.

Sorry about your house and bike.

Water will still get in the inlet side and through the crankcase breather in to the sump. Was the battery disconnected?

[submaniac]

Yes. The battery was disconnected before I left. Wasn't preparing for a flood but just trying to protect the battery life. Should the CDI be OK? Wiring OK?

[seedy]

CDI probably sealed - i.e. assembled and filled with epoxy for vibration and water resistance. All wiring connectors will need to be sprayed with a contact cleaner/water dispersant. Use dielectric grease on re-assembly, along with bulb sockets.

Coils are sealed also.

[KRS1]

water will have entered the carbs via the breather and overflow tubes.

thats if it has carbs.

[Sojourner]

Yes. The battery was disconnected before I left. Wasn't preparing for a flood but just trying to protect the battery life. Should the CDI be OK? Wiring OK?

Empty fuel tank, drain oil & float bowls, change filters, inspect spark plugs and squirt a few shots of engine oil through the spark plug holes. Now the important thing. Buy a few cans of WD40 and electrical contact cleaner. Go over every electrical connection and component with WD40 first then electrical contact cleaner on the plug connectors. If your alternator is accessable, spray WD40 inside until it starts pouring out. Bring some tubes of dielectric grease back with you and coat all the electrical contact surfaces before you plug them back together. Spray contact cleaner in the key holes then follow with dry graphite after the spray dries. I doubt the wheel bearings have gotten contaminated so that should be good. Clean the chain with WD40 then coat with chain lube or 90W gear oil. Edited October 31, 2011 by Sojourner

[Gary A]

A friend of mine ran his little Honda Scoopy into a pond. It was totally under water. The dealer drained and changed the fuel, changed the oil in both the engine and the small transmission gear box, dried the filters and it runs like it did before it went submarine. Less than 500 baht cost.

[tubber]

Yes. The battery was disconnected before I left. Wasn't preparing for a flood but just trying to protect the battery life. Should the CDI be OK? Wiring OK?

Empty fuel tank, drain oil & float bowls, change filters, inspect spark plugs and squirt a few shots of engine oil through the spark plug holes. Now the important thing. Buy a few cans of WD40 and electrical contact cleaner. Go over every electrical connection and component with WD40 first then electrical contact cleaner on the plug connectors. If your alternator is accessable, spray WD40 inside until it starts pouring out. Bring some tubes of dielectric grease back with you and coat all the electrical contact surfaces before you plug them back together. Spray contact cleaner in the key holes then follow with dry graphite after the spray dries. I doubt the wheel bearings have gotten contaminated so that should be good. Clean the chain with WD40 then coat with chain lube or 90W gear oil.

That's pretty much what I would do. When the plugs are out turn over the engine by hand, later when you are ready to start it pour a teaspoon or so down the plug holes and turn it over a few times on the starter motor. CDI should be OK just make sure everything is dry and go over all the wiring and connectors.

[bonobo]

I tired to jump a creek with a Honda XL-350 once. Made it across the creek only to find out I jumped on an island which was too narrow on which to stop before plunging into the creek and getting the bike stuck there submerged except for the two mirror. I had to go get help to drag the bike free of the mud and water, which took about 4 hours to get it out from the time it went in. We got the bike back to my friend's house, tore it down, cleaned it up, and put if back together. It worked fine after that.

[Johpa]

Had my ol' orange 78 Honda XL125 go submarine during the floods of 1987 up in CNX. Labor is still cheap in Thailand so take it to a shop to "yok khruang", take the engine apart, and dry everything out, take a good gander, and then maybe put it back together again. You should be able to get it going unless you got some serious corrosion in places. You may have to replace things like the seat and possibly the gas tank. But my old Border Police ride was a much simpler affair, kick start and all, then these more modern bikes so maybe yours is toast. You might just want to sell it cheap and let someone else try to fix it. It is all just part of living in Thailand.

[bbradsby]

hm, maybe just dip it in WD40 for a few days. as the flood slow-train-wrecks into BKK, I started looking at what-if's, such as your situation as well as the one in the last paragraph below:

came across this great vid - ya, its a hilux truck, but if it can survive then your relatively simpler bike should be salvageable. Time would seem to be a factor for you tho.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xnWKz7Cthkk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well off-topic, But More Seriously, if you are contemplating getting into floodwater in a structure, do check for presence of electricity first. Please comment on this is youre an expert, but according to a bkkpost blog, [ http://www.bulsuk.com/2011/10/bangkok-floods-2011-electrified-water.html#axzz1cu4Rx8yH ] If no tools are available and you must get in, lightly touch the BACK of your hand to the surface. Electricity will contract your muscles away from the water. If you do the opposite and touch it palm down, your arm muscles will jerk your hand down into the water and you'll be done.

edit: added link

Edited November 6, 2011 by bbradsby