Help! Help! Help! Drowned 2020 YZ250FX

[skylerj]

I fell in a river crossing today and drowned my bike.  Here are the details.

 

Oil is now a nice milky white and the level raised at least 1".

I can't really turn the engine over as it has hydro lock.

I cleared all the water out of the throttle body, exhaust, and air filter.  

After a few turns with the wheel the milky oil backfills the throttle body.

 

What do I do???

 

I should mention my bike is currently hidden in the woods under some brush and don't have the privilege of working on it in a shop.  All fixes need to be done trailside so please keep that in mind.

 

When I go back to retrieve my bike I need to bring all necessary supplies for all possible scenarios.

[Doc_d]

Pull the spark plug, crank the bike.  Pull the filter and replace it with a dry one.  If you can drain the oil and replace it with fresh oil.

If the bike was running when it when in, hopefully you didn't do any internal damage like bend a con-rod.

Doc

 

 

[dyrtmon]

30 minutes ago, Doc_d said:

Pull the spark plug, crank the bike.  Pull the filter and replace it with a dry one.  If you can drain the oil and replace it with fresh oil.

If the bike was running when it when in, hopefully you didn't do any internal damage like bend a con-rod.

Doc

 

 

AND it will take probably 4 oil changes (with  starting the engine and running it for a real short time) until the oils no longer comes out white) to solve the whiteness. No big deal after you get the bike running.

Signed,

One that's been there

[lucgallant]

+1 what was said above.

All I would add, is to prioritize this very highly and get back there ASAP to get the bike out. The sooner you get that moisture out of the engine case the better.

[GP]

Did it go under running?   Can you tow it out, push it to a road and pick it up?   The only complete success I've had (not a subsequent rebuild)  of a drowned bike was NOT RESTARTING IT.  Flipped it, dumped most of the water, and filled the lower end with fuel.  Pushed it out of the woods, took it home, pulled the top end and cleaned it out properly.   Almost every bike I have seen restarted riverside ended up needing a full rebuild a few hours later.  This was at an enduro with a tough, deep river crossing with a stiff current, and the bikes that did restart, run, and finish were junk at days end.  Silty river water and main bearings don't mix.  If its sitting ion the woods full of water its done.

[trailmeisterjoe]

As others have said, get all water out BEFORE trying to start it. Upside down with plug out, standing up to drain exhaust and intake, wring out air filter, oil changes......I would somehow drag bike to a spot where it can be picked up and taken to a garage where you don't have to do at trail side. Be SURE to keep us posted here how it goes.

Joe

[dyrtmon]

On 7/6/2020 at 7:29 AM, GP said:

Did it go under running?   Can you tow it out, push it to a road and pick it up?   The only complete success I've had (not a subsequent rebuild)  of a drowned bike was NOT RESTARTING IT.  Flipped it, dumped most of the water, and filled the lower end with fuel.  Pushed it out of the woods, took it home, pulled the top end and cleaned it out properly.   Almost every bike I have seen restarted riverside ended up needing a full rebuild a few hours later.  This was at an enduro with a tough, deep river crossing with a stiff current, and the bikes that did restart, run, and finish were junk at days end.  Silty river water and main bearings don't mix.  If its sitting ion the woods full of water its done.

delete

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by dyrtmon

[adamtNZ]

Hey mate!

i just did the exact same a few weeks ago! I documented what I did for a fix on here and posted links to the video on you tube.

its called : “YZ250F So I drown my YZ250F today.....”

I didn’t do engine rebuild and just yesterday did an enduro comp and it ran like a champ!

oh and one more thing, mine was in seawater...

[Timo2824]

My buddy did this once, tried starting it and destroyed the cam bearings. Ended up needing a new head, so I second the don't start it until you've properly cleaned it.

[GP]

More often than not, with 2strokes anyway,  you wind up with a roaring crank bearing some hours later if at first a recovery seems successful.  Just be prepared.