NEED ADVICE RE SUNK ATV

Meeka · Postby **Meeka** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 10:39 am

MUNRO WOULD NOT LISTEN. WE HAD BEEN THROUGH THIS SPOT 3 TIMES. HE DRIVES MY ARCTIC CAT ON THE 4TH PASS AND SAYS "WHY DON'T WE GO THAT WAY, IT LOOKS CLEAR". WITHIN ABOUT 5 SECONDS, WE WERE UNDER. IT DID NOT GO DEAD AND WE CAME OUT.

AS SOME OF YOU ELDERS KNOW, I HAVE A 500 ARCTIC CAT AUTO. IF THE BELT GETS WET, IT SLIPS AND THE ATV WILL JUST BARELY GO. I HAVE MIDIFIED SOMEWHAT THE HOSES SO THEY ARE HIGHER, BUT ONE SIDE WAS MUCH LOWER THAN THE OTHER IN THIS HOLE.

WE GOT TO RELATIVELY FIRM GROUND THOUGH AND DRAINED THE BELT HOUSING AND WERE ON OUR WAY.

AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT, I REMINDED MYSELF TO CHECK THE OIL WHEN WE GOT TO THE ROAD. IT LOOKED CRUDDY AT THE TOP. KINDA YELLOWISH WITH BUBBLES OR SOMETHING. WHEN I PULLED THE STICK, THE OIL DOWN IN THERE LOOKED GOOD. CONCERNED, WE DROVE ON OUT. EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING GOOD AND STILL IS.

I GOT AN OIL TREATMENT AND DID THAT THEN DRAINED THE OIL. IT DID NOT LOOK MILKY, BUT DID NOT LOOK COMPLETELY CLEAN LIKE OUT OF THE BOTTLE ETC. IT WAS NOT EXACTLY CONSISTENT. HAD SOME BUBBLES AND LOOKED A LITTLE YELLOWISH, ESPECIALLY NEAR THE TOP. MY GUESS IS SMALL WATER PARTICLES DISPERSED.

I FILLED BACK UP WITH OIL, TREATED THE OIL, THEN DRAINED IT. IT LOOKED ABOUT THE SAME, BUT MAYBE A LITTLE BETTER. WHEN I REFILLED IT, IT LOOKED GOOD THROUGH THE DIPSTICK HOLE, BUT THERE WAS FORMING SOME LIGHTER RESIDUE, iT LOOKED KINDA LIKE A RIP AT THE TIDE LINE. IN OTHER WORDS IT WAS LIKE A STREAK AT THE TOP.

I DID NOT HAVE AN OIL FILTER SO I HAVE NOT CHANGED IT . . . YET.

I'M NOT A MECHANIC, OBVIOUSLY, BUT HAVE SUNK A TIMBERWOLF A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE AND GONE THROUGH THIS. IF I DRAIN THE OIL AGAIN AND CHANGE THE OIL FILTER, SHOULD I EXPECT TO SEE PURE OIL? THE AIR FILTER LOOKED FINE. IT IS RUNNING PERFECTLY. I HAVE ADDED FUEL TREATMENT AS WELL.

CAN ANYONE GIVE ANY ADVICE ON THE CORRECT PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW AND WHAT ELSE, IF ANYTHING, I SHOULD DO BEFORE TAKING IT TO THE SHOP? THAT WILL PROBABLY PUT ME OUT OF SERVICE AND I HAVE MY DUCK HUNTING VACATION SCHEDULED TO BEGIN WEDNESDAY.

treblA · Postby **treblA** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 11:16 am

Meeka,
The P.O.S. Kawasaki that I once owned would get water in the oil if it rained hard. When you are changing the oil, after you put the new oil in be sure to run the bike enough to circulate the oil good before you drain it. Just draining and then replacing the oil will not get all the water out of it. Just a little lesson I learned the hard way.

Albert

mallardchaser · Postby **mallardchaser** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 11:52 am

I SUND MINE EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD TO CHANGE THE OIL 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WAS CLEAR..
MEEKA: DID YOU GET MY MESSAGE I LEFT YOU YESTERDAY?

WNE Driver · Postby **WNE Driver** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 1:57 pm

Meeka -

It can enter through the vent and more than likely did.

Featherduster also brought up a good point about the condensation. Everytime you shut down any engine in cold weather you will draw some condensation in the crankcase. The next time you start it, the water stays in the oil until the oil temp reaches 212+ degrees. If you are making short trips and not reaching that temp, you will continue to increase the amount of water in the oil each time you shut it down because of the condensation. This is why manufacturers of cars state that short trips are harder on oil and engines.

featherduster · Postby **featherduster** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 2:17 pm

You can extend the vent hose with vacuum tubing from any auto parts store with a little work. The vent is usually located under the seat but you may have to locate it on the engine.(usually a quarter inch rubber line) Get an inline plastic fitting (auto vacuum line type) and hose of the appropiate size. Remove gas tank or fish the line under it and bring it up to the handlebars and tie wrap it to a higher point. Maybe this will help.

LongBarrel · Postby **LongBarrel** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 2:33 pm

May want to add a one-way check valve at the top. My Honda kept getting water in the brakes and I solved it with that...

Meeka · Postby **Meeka** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 4:21 pm

THAT'S SOME PRETTY GOOD INFO GUYS. tHANKS. I'M GONNA LOOK FOR THAT VENT TONIGHT.

I'M WORKING ON SOME MORE MODIFICATIONS TO THE BELT HOUSING EXHAUST. THAT IS WHERE THE WATER CAME IN THIS TIME. IT IS UNDER THE SEAT AND ON THE LEFT. THE INTAKE I HAVE MODIFIED ALREADY AND IT IS MOUNTED UP FRONT NEAR MY RACK. THAT CHANGE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

WNE Driver · Postby **WNE Driver** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 4:35 pm

Meeka-

Keep lettin' Munro drive and you may want to consider a 6' air intake snorkel for the engine and scuba tanks for yerself! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]

RobertM · Postby **RobertM** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 8:21 pm

I have drowned my 450 numerous times unfortunatly. I change the oil until it runs completely clear. It has taken me 12 times to get it clear before, however, I have learned a trick to cut the time in half. Fill the crankcase full of diesel fuel, do not start the engine, but let it sit for a minute and drain out. Water will not mix with oil, but diesel fuel will. After running diesel through the crankcase, a big portion of the water will be removed from the engine. After running the diesel through it, you can expect 6 oil changes and it should be clear. I buy the cheapest oil possible and it doesn't matter the weight until the final oil change. As it starts to run clear about the 4th or 5th oil change, run the engine so some of the other moisture will evaporate. I usually change my filter about twice somewhere along this process. Keep in mind, when it has taken this long to change my oil and this many changes, my bike was completely underwater and had more water in it than oil. This has happened to me about 5 times now because I dont have any sense. Its pretty much standard routine now, i know what it will take to get it clear again. Good Luck

astanford · Postby **astanford** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 8:24 pm

Meeka,
Get you a Honda, that's what all us topwaters
ride.

"I'm gonna get fired. You know why? Because of a damn duck."

jamiebrown33 · Postby **jamiebrown33** » Fri Jan 18, 2002 11:09 pm

Meeka, you forgot to tell them one thing. "Meeka see i told you this was the best way to go, see its not that bad,then bam" seems i spoke a little to soon. sorry meeka next time ill listen to my elder. i have to say that you are right 99.999 percent of the time. Hey if you need you can use my polaris, you know it would have made it haha just kidding. i think ill try dodging the puddles on the gravel road in the morning. sorry about your 4-wheeler.

featherduster · Postby **featherduster** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 12:18 am

Meeka, if you run the bike enough to get it hot the water (if its only a small amount) will evaporate since the boiling point of most oils is around 340 degrees.

Meeka · Postby **Meeka** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 12:22 am

Where does the water go? Should I leave the dipstick out so it can evap. out? that kinda meshes with what Mallardchaser says about running it 30 minutes.

featherduster · Postby **featherduster** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 12:31 am

Don't worry about leaving the dipstick out, the crankcase has a vent tube running up under the seat. Another note on water in oil is that with the humid Southern weather we have, after a warm day the crankcase can sweat, then when temps drop at night the water condenses, then you crank up the next morning and have a little moisture in the oil. Nothing to worry about though, I have been drag racing since long ago and this problem is especially prevalent running alcohol, but its nothing to worry about.

Unkljohn · Postby **Unkljohn** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 12:31 am

Mine was sunk and went dead earlier this year. So of course I had water in my oil. My advice is to drain all the oil and pour deisel fuel through the dipstick hole and let it drain out the bottom. I was told to do this and it seems to have gotten the water out of mine. At least it is still running fine now.
JT

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