I have a 99 Xplorer 400 2 stroke. Its always ran great! I was crossing a deep creek and have done it a 100 times before but this time the water was higher and I let the engine choke off! Im afraid it sucked water back up the exhaust pipe. Anyway, it will not start. It has compression....the spark plug gets fire and Ive cranked on it for ever....at first it wouldnt fire up at all . So I took the plug out and saw water on it. Clean it off and put it back in. .... now it it fires up for 2 seconds and quits. Then I have to take the plug out and clean it again....to make it fire up again for a second. Im hoping it will blow any water out. Ive taken the carb off and drained it. Used starting fluid on it. Still wont run.

Either water came up my exhaust when it choked off.
or
Water came in my breather.

Anyone have any advice or know how to fix this?????

 

TRY TAKING THE SPARK PLUG OUT, STAND THE MACHINE ON THE REAR BUMPER ,
USE YOUR WINCH OR TIE A ROPE TO THE MACHINE AND TIE IT TO A TREE OR RAFTERS IN YOUR GARAGE. JUST MAKE SURE IT IS SAFTLY SECURED !
NEXT , CRANCK THE MACHINE OVER SEVERAL TIMES. DON`T CRANK CONTINOUSLY OR YOU WILL BURN OUT THE STARTER. CRANK IN INTERVALS. SEE IF WATER COMES OUT THE SPARKPLUG HOLE.
THEN CHECK YOUR AIRBOX TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY WATER IN THERE.
AFTER ALL THE WATER HAS COME OUT , PUT ( NEW ) SPARKPLUGS IN.
SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK AND OR CHANGE YOUR FLUIDS
AND GREESE EVERYTHING UP REAL GOOD.
WATER IS FUN , BUT CAN BE A KILLER !

 

Thanks for the help. What Ive done so far is remove the bottom plug and drained about a 1/4 pint of water out of the crank case! Then I removed the plug and squirted a little 2 stroke oil on the cylinder...cranked it over a few times. Now Im letting it sit for an hour. Then I'll replace the plug and see if she starts up. I guess it will run...atleast I hope it does. If anyone has any other advice please let me know.

thanks

 

ok now it still wont start. So I stood the atv up on its rear rack, the carb is removed and Im pull cranking it and muddy water is spitting out of the intake......I guess the water is trapped on the head and in the intake....anyone no how to get the water off the head and out of the intake? I keep cranking it slowly and squirting 2 stroke oil in the spark plug hole hopefully it wont seeze or scar too bad or mess the rings up. Anyone no how to get the water off the head and out of the intake? Please help.

thanks

 

I have had the same problem a few times after i have sank my 400 xplorer , mine would start with the choke and run for a while and quit ,It would restart with the choke and i would play with the choke and the throttle to keep it running as long as possible, after a while of doing this it will keep running , but on mine it took quite a while before it got all of the water out of the bottom end it would be running fine and just quit but would start right back up took probably 2 or 3 days of riding before all the water was out.You say yours wont start at all could be your plug went bad because of the water,try a new sparkplug and use choke to start it and once it starts play with choke on and off and throttle to keep it running.IT worked for me anyway (several times).Good luck.