On our ride to Windrock yesterday, I couldn't pass up the biggest mud hole of the day. After 15-20 minutes on winching, I was out, but my machine won't start. It died after I lost my forward momentum and almost turned over sideways. I tried it a couple of times, it will not start, just turns cranks.
I'm assuming I need to change the spark plug and oil. Anything else needed? I don't think it actually took in any water to the breather box. The box was full of water, but I think it ran in after it died. I took off the filter, (K&N by the way) and it looked pretty dry, and the breather tube from the breather box to the motor did not look wet. So it's not actually ran since it happened, so I think I'm fairly safe. Any ideas, what I need to to, change, etc? All help is really appreciated.

 

Check your oil first -- make sure NO water got in there. If it did, change it. Double check the filter to make sure it really is dry all the way around. Pull the plug & crank the engine over to blow out any moisture (just watch the plug hole & stop when you stop seeing water mist). Clean or replace the spark plug & you should be all set.

If it still doesn't start, make sure you have spark (you should check that before you install the plug). If not, you'll need to dry out the coil & all the wiring to it. I've seen a few sportsmans arc at the coil where the plug wire comes out. Dry that area out (if needed) and throw some dielectric grease in there.

 

im a little confused how the filter could be dry if you said the air box was full of water. even if the machine died(maybe because the exhaust was under water) and the water came in the box after it still could be in the cyclinder.

 

I have the pre-filter over the K&N. The airbox was a little less than half full with water. It was srtting on a very small incline, so most of the water was tilted toward the back of the box. I took the filter off, and on the inside of it, it was dry, nothing stinding in the bottom of it when I turned it up to look in it and not like it had soaked in water alot. With the filter off, I looked in the intake tube, and it was dry, also not like it had alot of water going through it. Also, with the filter off the water was below the tube going to the motor, so that's why I don't think it got much in it. I will change the oil and plug tomorrow, just wondering if I needed to do anything else along with it.

 

Years back, I put my yellow Sportsman 500 (yellow submarine) into the drink and accidentally kneed the shutoff button when I picked my legs up. Water got in via the exhaust, intake was totally dry. I got pulled out by a buddy, and pulled the plug, put it over a lighter to dry it off, cranked the engine, and massive water came from the exhaust. Reinstalled the plug when all water stopped from the exhaust and plug hole. Had no water in the oil luckily, so the only thing separating me from the trails was a belt cover that was full of water which had to be removed and drained (the drains were on the next years' model). I was back on the trail within an hour.

 

Pulled the plug after washing aorund it goo. Then I took an air compressor and blew out the hole. Had alot of mud around it. Cranked over the engine a few times and no water blew out. Installed the new plug, motor turned over on the 2nd try. Idled slow for a few minutes, the came back up to speed. I'm still going to change the oil, just in case, but everything is running fine now. Thanks for all the help.

 

I had a 2000 sp 500 carb... that i completely submerged....
Drained all fluids and replaced.... to find out the engine would turn over but wouldn't start...
Ended up being the kill switch had shorted out and would not function anymore...
Dealer asked me to disconnect the black coil wire and try starting it that way....
Started right up.....
Replaced the kill switch assembly on the handlebars and all was good....
Hope this helps!

Jon

 

if you had water in the oil you would know it real easy it will turn milky on ya. chances are you lucked out and didnt get any in the engine.

 

Well, finally got to change the oil today. It DID have water and a little bit of dirt it in, so I'll run it some today, and change it again, just to be safe. Actually got to reading the manual today, and both Napa and the local dealer sold me the wrong plugs. I bought one at Napa to put in Monday. They solf me the BKR5E, not the 6E. Yesterday, I went to the local Can-Am dealer, the Polaris dealer is well over a hour away, they sent me home with a BKR7E for my spare that I bought. Guess I'll be going back to both of them.

 

Drain your pull starter case or it will freeze your motor solid in the winter.

Drain your float bowl on the carb too.

Since you have the spark plug boot off put some dielectric grease in there. This will keep you running under water