Hey that creek didnt look that deep!

so I got the 4wheeler in a little deeper water than I should have. The engine stalled out, and after dragging it back to shore, opened the air box it is full of water. checked the oil and its full of water also.

I was able to get it running with out any tools what so ever after about 30 mins sitting and then 30 mins idleing at full choke.

So my questions are......

What are the proper procedures on restarting a flooded atv?

How soon after water gets in the oil, does the oil need to be changed? My buddy says you can ride out the rest of the day, just change before next trip. Is that right?

I just changed the oil in my atv, and 15 dollar oil filter, restarted it and let it idle for about 3 mins, checked the oil again, and there is water in it again. So now how do i flush the oil/water completely from my atv? Is there a way to save this brand new 15 buck oil filter, and still get the water out of the system?

Thanks for all the help john

btw: if it helps suzuki 400 eiger 4x4 2007

 

Oh, man that makes me hurt. You should absolutely NOT run the thing AT ALL! Water will quickly do terrible and permanent damage to your engine! Pull the drain plug and drain ALL fluids. Fill with oil, drain repeat. Then fill with oil run for a few minutes and drain into a clean pan and watch carefully for water. I would repeat this cycle probably 6 times before I was comfortable to ride. Then I'd be changing after every ride the next 3 or 4 times. If I were you the oil filter would be the last thing I would be worrying about. Buy some cheapo's off ebay or amazon. Use them to get the water out of the engine. I know this probably isn't what you want to hear but, water in the engine is a bad thing. Running the engine with the water is very bad. Running with the extra liquid in there alone could lead to an engine rebuild in the near future.

 

1st of you are real lucky the engine did not just go bang, end of story. Water cannot be compressed, if you get enough of it above the piston while the engine is running you will bend the connecting and the engine will need a very expensive rebuild to ever run again.

Those people who think playing submarine in water is so much fun should have 2 or 3 k in their bank account to throw into a new engine at any time.

If you got water in the oil, then the oil level is going to be too high, which can cause seals to leak or blow out. There is a reason for the engine to ave the correct fluid and fluid level inside.
Also water can rust the engines internal parts, or gall and score them from a lack of lubrication causing wear that can lead to the engine dieing a early death, worn out long before its time. The death could be instant, or in 100, 500 1000 miles, but it will be early.

If water was a good substitute for oil don't you think someone would have discovered that in the the last 100 years? We could have told Exxon and the middle east they are getting a huge pay cut.

Your friend can do what ever he likes, just don't let him do your maintenance.
Expect 3 to 5 oil changes before the milky looking oil goes away.

If all it costs you is $200 for oil and filters, consider yourself lucky.

Procedure?
Check oil level, if elevated above full mark or oil level when sunk, drain and change filter. Drain il cooler if equipped.
Stand atv on rear bumper, drain exhaust and air box.
Put it back on 4 wheels.
Drain carb, and check fuel tank. Drain if not certain it is clean. If your atv is fuel injected, haul it to a dealer.
Dry out or replace air filter.
Remove spark plug, turn motor over to expel water from cylinder.
Cranking the engine 10 seconds or so while draining may expel more contaminated oil
Fill with new oil and filter
Check for spark.
Examine new oil, if it is real milky looking, you may want to drain again before attempting to start, turning engine on the starter may have mixed the remaining water inside with enough with new oil to warrant draining again.
Assuming you had spark, start and run the engine for a minute or two and dump the oil and change the filter.
Repeat oil changes until there is no trace of milkyness / water in the oil. Gradually increasing run time and warming engine more with each change.
Ken

 

I agree with the last two posters. Do not run it until you get the water out.

We submerged my brother's Eiger and it took probably 4 or more oil changes to get any signs of water out. Plus, had some junk get in the carb.

 

I agree 100% with The above-mentioned post never ever run with water in oil if it takes ten times its still cheaper than a new engine. Do this not only with oil but all The fluids and clean/replace air filter and spark plug and do everything you can to get every last drop of water out. If you follow The guys instructions above you should be fine. And remember even if a friend says something, if it don't sound right to you don't do it. We all have that little gut feeling for some reason. We just have to learn to listen to it. He coulda cost you some big time $$$. Keep us posted as you go along and good luck.

 

Never try to crank over a flooded engine. When I got gas in my oil I changed it around 3 times before putting the good stuff in to run it. Water is not a lubricant for a engine. These Quads will last a long time when taken care of. Honestly I expect to probably having to rebuild my engine soon because I drove it a short while with oil in the gas an didn't know it, but the thing runs fine an doesn't smoke so who knows, it coulda just got a goooood cleaning haha.

 

Well I drounded out almost all my quads it is hard on them! Mostly the top end. But the best and the cheapest way to clean the bottom end is use diesel. Drain the oil fill it with diesel to the line idle it for a minute. Drain it. Then reapeat till its clean.. But if you around it out again and if you have the tools. Don't start the quad check the oil if it has water in the botom end if it does pull the plug water will come out first the oil is on the top. So drain it untill you see oil comming out then put the plug in and it should be clean.

 

When we drown a ATV which happened more the a few times you absolutely do not start the ATV back up with milky oil.
We either tow the ATV back to the trucks and once we sent a person back to town to get a oil change kit and did the oil change right on the side of the trail.
Buy some cheap no name brand convention oil for the first few flushes.

That's not the only thing ,once the air box is drowned that means water also got in the front and rear diffs through their air vent hoses. You will need fresh gear oil as well.

$15 for a oil filter is nuts what kind of filter do Eigers use? My Grizzly and Sportsman use the same filter and they cost $5 at Walmart or Canadian tire.

 

The original post is over 3 years old, too late now. Silly he was worried about an oil filter instead of his much more expensive complete engine rebuild. As I have said before and have learned from past experience, STAY OUT OF DEEP WATER. I did something similar to a Honda Recon years ago. It took several oil changes(Recons don't have oil filters)to get that chocolate milk look of the oil to go away and still ended up resulting in engine damage. I guess a snorkel is a way to protect your engine but I don't think they're 100% effective and you end up going through more stuff because you believe the snorkel will protect your engine. Unless its one of the factory snorkels on the Can am xmr models and arctic cat mud pro's, its probably not going to be a permanent solution.