Planning to go on a semi-organized trip where river crossings are involved and was just wondering - if my precious was to fall over in the river and get completely submerged what should I do?

Being somewhat mechanically challenged here are the scenarios I thought of

- Water is sucked in under the seat. This should just wound up on top of the piston and get spit out, right? Meaning if I just keep it running it should lube back up by itself and be ok?
- Bike stops and water gets in through the exhaust. I could imagine this being the worst as the piston might not be at the bottom, meaning water would go straight into the engine thereby reducing lubrication and eventually maybe even rust?

If it were to happen perhaps the smartest thing to do would be an oil change once I get back?

I realize this must sound like the ramblings of a child to you guys, so please enlighten me

If water gets in the engine from any direction, kill it. Immediately.

Drain the exhaust and the air box. Clean the air filter, remove the spark plug and let the engine expel the water by cranking it over a couple of times.
Check the oil, if any water got in it will turn into a mayonnaise-like substance and needs to be changed.

Rust is not your problem.

The main one is water does not compress. If it makes the combustion chamber then you will be luck if it lives.

The weakest component will go and without trying it not sure what will happen. But I have seen Spark plugs blown out, Head gaskets blown out, crankshafts bent.

As said above switch it off before it swallows any water. then make sure you empty the water out and remove the spark plug you may be able to turn it over with the key to get any out but I would start by laying the bike on its side (Once you have pulled it out the river) to drain as mush out as possible.

But best of all dont drop it.....

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Colin
09 XTZ in Blue and its nearly Stanard.
My Mods - Peatbog rear rack

Kill it quick, get it out take plug out drain air box spin it over refit every thing cross fingers give it a prod on the starter.**** or bust.

Firstly, If you truly drown the bike (or car), don't be fooled into thinking there's any quick way to restart it!

What’s been said so far is pretty much spot on but I've found the key thing is to get it all done in the right order.

I’ve drowned two bikes, an AJS and a DRZ (and far too many Land Rovers); this is pretty much what I’ve done each time and it seems to have worked with no long term damage…

1. Work logically through the path the water took through the engine, starting at the filter and ending at the exhaust and take your time. Take the filter out (a well-oiled filter will shed water quite quickly) shake and leave out to dry the best you can, drain the airbox or mop it out, remove breathers and drain them including and oil traps/separators.

2. Ease crankcase oil drain plug open to let water ooze out till oil is apparent (the water will sink to the bottom) don’t try to turn the motor over before doing this as all you will do is mix oil and water into a worse emulsion.

3. Take the plug out, clean and dry it and with an open throttle, turn motor over to force the water out of top end. If it won’t turn on the starter a short tow or even a push in gear should does the trick.

4. Tip the bike up on the back wheel (if you can with help) and fully drain exhaust, turn engine over if possible. (Watch for headers that are like 'S' bends that may trap water - it may flow back into cylinder.)

*You can do 4 before 3 and then again after.

5. Don’t try to start bike before doing 1 – 4.

6. Fit the plug (or a fresh one if you have a spare) and attempt a start - be persistent.

7. Flush and change oil at first available opportunity.

8. If you sucked in lots of sand and silt, sell the bike at the first available opportunity!

Tip: Don’t enter deep water if you engine’s hot and the fan is running as the fan blades will deform in the water and carve a nice circular hole in your radiator! Seen this happen several times.

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I have drowned a few bikes... can take from 5 mins to a couple
of hours to get them going...
remove spark plug... lift front up to drain pipes... clean out air box..
crank motor over till no more water comes out plug hole...
check its sparking.... put plug back in & try to start..
this is when a kick start comes into it own.... solely electric
start bikes you can only try for as long as theres power..
the prob with the injected bikes... you can see if its sparking
but yer don't know if the injection is working 'water somewhere"
So carry a can of WD40/CRC etc...

If you have a DNA air filter side on the air box remove it...
even if you stop in a deep river for a length of time..water will enter the air box though the DNA side filter..

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Harley Davidson..
The easyest way to turn gasoline into noise with out the side efect of horse power...

Thanks for the tips fellas. I take away from this that I should not drop the bike in the first place, and if I do I'm pretty much screwed

Pretty much.

As long as you turn the engine off, rather than it stopping because of the water, then it's pretty easy to get the water out of the inlet/cylinder/exhaust, as long as you have a plug wrench.

However, the oil will be ruined, because if the airbox is full of water, it will drain into the crankcases through the breather. That is what will stop you carrying on any significant distance.

I keep meaning to modify mine so the connection between the airbox and the crankcases runs via a long hose which goes right up to the top of the bike and back. That way, as long as you get the bike upright quickly, you minimise the amount of water which can enter the cases.

Not got round to it yet

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I spent a lot of money on travel and racing motorcycles - the rest I just squandered.

XT660Z - Commuter, Adventurer...Racer?

www.dashmoto.net

Other bikes >> MT-03 / CG125BR-J / ER-6F
Departed >> ZXR400L3 / EC300 / DR-Z400E / DR800S / GPZ500S / GS400

I've drowned an XR600 twice, really badly. , but so does making dumb calls. Though in my defence, I guess there really weren't many options...

I discovered that apart from agreeing with the wise words above, a big danger with hot engines drowned in cold water (the usual scenario, obviously) can be warping of the combustion chamber, as distinct from the gasket surface. The very hot exhaust valve area, especially, can be vulnerable. Result? The valve guides' longitudinal axes aren't centred in the ports any more, which meant cutting the seats off-centre to avoid replacing the whole head, and new valves.

Drowning can be very bad news, though the bike did many thousands of km without any drama after the repairs. Pure luck, methinks. I suppose water-cooled engines are less likely to suffer, but...

All good advise about getting the bike going. You will find thou if the bike is to be dropped it will cut out due to the lean angle switch.