85 - 250 es ran running into the creek

[tri again]

Rider got off trike, idle in neutral and the vibration allowed it to roll into the creekbed..

It rolled into the water, tried to float, upside down and stalled.
I pulled the plug, blew the water out, drained the airbox and let it sit over night.
Oil looked like a vanilla milkshake so I changed the oil.

Kicked it over with a fresh plug and it felt like it did not have normal compression.
A little resistance but no real compression stroke.

Any chance it blew a hole in the piston? If the oil in the crankcase was double the volume because of the water, what would make it not compress normally?

It was idling super low as they all do when it rolled into the water and then comfortably died.
In other words, it was not racing and swamped.

Please feel free to lie to me until after christmas.

Thanks

[Legns]

Santa will bring you a new one it will be ok :D

[Keepah Rolln]

[QUOTE=tri again;1393693]Rider got off trike, idle in neutral and the vibration allowed it to roll into the creekbed..

It rolled into the water, tried to float, upside down and stalled.
I pulled the plug, blew the water out, drained the airbox and let it sit over night.
Oil looked like a vanilla milkshake so I changed the oil.

Kicked it over with a fresh plug and it felt like it did not have normal compression.
A little resistance but no real compression stroke.

Any chance it blew a hole in the piston? If the oil in the crankcase was double the volume because of the water, what would make it not compress normally?

It was idling super low as they all do when it rolled into the water and then comfortably died.
In other words, it was not racing and swamped.

Please feel free to lie to me until after christmas.

Thanks

You must also drain the gas.. There is still probably oil, water in places where it shouldn't be from going upside down..Check the oil again to make sure no water and its at the right level. Change again if looks milky also take the filter out and replace. Do you have a battery? Take the plug out again after you put fresh gas in crank it over a few more times to see if anymore water comes out..Never happened to me but it should be alright..

[Rajunrick]

If the compression doesn't feel right, you will need to do a compression check. From numerous past experiences, hot piston rings + cool/cold water = broken rings. Keepha Rolln is right about flushing the gas and oil. Once you've deep 6'ed one, everything has to be flushed and cleaned. Hope this helps.

[tri again]

If the compression doesn't feel right, you will need to do a compression check. From numerous past experiences, hot piston rings + cool/cold water = broken rings. Keepha Rolln is right about flushing the gas and oil. Once you've deep 6'ed one, everything has to be flushed and cleaned. Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone.

Yeah, engine was pretty cold to the touch, probably running 3 or 4 minutes at idle speed.
but the cylinder was full of water so pulled the plug and blew it out.
Changed the oil, gas etc etc.
I see the air tube from airbox to carb was off so it may have sucked a 'chunk' of water
as opposed to being buffered by the airbox and choking itself slowly.

Will pull the tank and do compression check today. Too tight to get gauge in there as is.

Everything in the search key said to drain all fluids, exhaust etc and the fire back up.
Some have been swamped many times and survived.

On a positive note, the drain plug for the brake drum showed no water in the brake drum.

Will report back if I figure anything out.

Darn shame too. Great trike, always the 'go to' machine to get work done.

Wonder if the engine needs to come out to change rings/piston?

[tri again]

Thanks everyone.

Yeah, engine was pretty cold to the touch, probably running 3 or 4 minutes at idle speed.
but the cylinder was full of water so pulled the plug and blew it out.
Changed the oil, gas etc etc.
I see the air tube from airbox to carb was off so it may have sucked a 'chunk' of water
as opposed to being buffered by the airbox and choking itself slowly.

Will pull the tank and do compression check today. Too tight to get gauge in there as is.

Everything in the search key said to drain all fluids, exhaust etc and the fire back up.
Some have been swamped many times and survived.

On a positive note, the drain plug for the brake drum showed no water in the brake drum.

Will report back if I figure anything out.

Darn shame too. Great trike, always the 'go to' machine to get work done.

Wonder if the engine needs to come out to change rings/piston?

Juuust came off the field.
Fingers numb,
Can't feel my feet.
wa waa waaa.

Pushed down on the kickstarter with a gloved hand and it hit
a brick wall, so to speak.

Forgot to compensate for the fact that it was 18 degrees F and whatever moisture
was in the crankcase was Frozen/

Hairdryer (don't tell the wife) for 1/2 hr, changed the white vanella milkshake oil for the 3rd time
(after it melted between the hairdryer and screamin' winter sun,
I now have 180 lbs of compression.

Not gonna try to start it until tomorrow.

Just happy to be able to sleep knowing we have compression, even if it doesn't start.

If the water looks too deep? get boat.

'turn around, don't drown'.

Prayers and best wishes too all ya'all near Memphis and neighboring communities.

[tri again]

Update on swimming 250es.
Got spark, great compression but after 3 oil and filter changes.
many soaking sprays into the sparkler hole, it still spits what looks like water drops / spit.

We did drain the carb and blew air thru the fuel intake. (tank off for days)

Figured that draining the carb of gas would get rid of the water.

Apparently not, so carb comes off tomorrow.
Water can hide in all kinds of places.

ok, the funny part?
as I chased it into the creek, my muck boots, (knee high rubber boots) filled with water and
became 20-30 pounds each as I tried to keep the trike from rolling over due to flotation,
pulling backwards on the racks and getting swirled downstream from the current...and getting
nowhere fast

Not so funny?
Please learn from this mistake.
Waaay too much retro maintenance to have it be fun in any way.
Hopefully this story has some entertainment value but certainly not worth the trouble...
unless my trike comes back to life.

[6speedthumper]

Hopefully this story has some entertainment value but certainly not worth the trouble...
unless my trike comes back to life.


It's a Honda, it WILL live again.

[350for350]

I guess that if it still has 180psi of compression, the hose between the airbox and carb must not have been off very long. Make sure you check/change the oil in the differential. Some water might have been trapped in the vent hose when you turned it back right side up.

[Hopper055]

I drowned my 185s last winter in waist high water. After who knows how many oil changes, cleaned carb and flushed gas tank it still wouldn't run. I had what I thought was good spark. I had to take it to a mechanic all he did was run really fine sand paper between the gap for the cdi and it fired right up. The water getting in let some rust form. This has helped me get two dead atcs running. Make sure you regap it after you try this. I hope this helps you.

Edit: Never mind for some reason I read 200es. I don't have nearly the experience with this type of motor. Sorry that I couldn't be of any help.