We went riding on Labor Day and we had a rider on AC 400 who was fairly inexperienced and ran the thing off into a canal. Luckily no one was hurt however the bike ended up upside down under water for about 10 minutes before we got it out. Where should we start with the bike? There is no obvious damage to anything on the bike I'm talking about changing fluids, etc.

 

Change the oil and run it for a while then change it again. It may take a while until the oil stops turning that cream color.

If the water was really deep then you may want to change the differential fluid as well.

 

Yeah the water was really deep the bike was completely submersed with just a little of the rack showing (not to mention upside down) so I think we will change all the fluids for sure just wanted to know if there was anything else to consider...I know take the spark plug out and turn it over with it out and obviously the gas has water in it also along with the air filter...any seals that i need to look at? Someone mentioned flushing the oil resorvoir with diesel?? Thanks for all your input.

 

Swilli,

You flush the crank case with diesel but the machine is oil cooled so don't forget the oil cooler. You can pull a drain plug on the bottom edge of the oil cooler OR remover the oil hose from where it comes out of the engine and drain the cooler that way. Either way it may take awhile to get all the water out.

I will add that depending on how cold it gets where you live, I live in Alaska, if you do not get all the water out of the oil and you ride the machine in cold temperatures bad things WILL happen. For me it meant I had to rebuild the entire top end of the motor as the water froze in the cooling fins on the oil cooler and oil was not making it back to the oil pan. So when a steel cam turns on an aluminum head with no lube.....OUCH!

Last machine I helped a friend with that tried to cross a lake and found the deep spot, it took one flush of the crankcase with diesel and two complete oil changes to get the oil cleaned. He also, as a precaution, changed the differential fluid two times. But he lives in Fairbanks and it can get 50-60 below in the winter so he wanted to make sure.

I am guessing that it should cost you around $100 by the time you are done plus your time. Kind of cheap as accidents go though. Glad to hear nobody was hurt, hope they were wearing a helmet.

SJ

 

hey swampy thanks for the valuable input I really appreciate it. No need to worry too much about the cold here....God has blessed SE Texas with lots of heat and very little cold! lol!! Plenty of sunshine for fishing and 4 wheeling. The 4 wheeler is up and running now and it looks like all is well.

 

Even though it's running just check the tranny. Pull the drain plug that's underneath the machine on the right side by the footbrake pedal. You can remove it and run it a little to blow out any water.

This is a must for running in water. I ride with guys and it's inevitable that someone u boats their quad. We get it out of the water. Pull the plug and let it drain so the CVT belt does not get ruined.