Ran it with Water in the Oil... Now What?

[Tyl3r]

Since the hybrid still isn't done, I took my 400EX out this past weekend to Powerline Park in St. Clairsville, Ohio for the Memorial Weekend ride/camp/party. To make a long story short, I lost my dipstick/oil reservoir cap while on the trail. There is a ton of mud at Powerline Park, as well as ponds and water crossings. I put 4 hours on the bike Friday. When I started, I know I had the plug because I checked the oil and put it back like I always do. When I woke up to ride the next day, I was going over the bike and saw the plug was gone, and all the mud on the left side of the bike was black with oil

So, I have no real idea how long I rode the bike without it nor do I know what got into the oil. What would you do? I was thinking about draining the oil, running some cheapo oil through it for maybe 15-20 minutes, then drain it, change the filter, put new oil in it and run it. Think that would be enough? I've heard of people adding kerosene to oil and running that through bikes that have been submerged in water. I didn't know if that would be a good idea as I know that a lot of rubber seals do not take kindly to kerosene.

Dispite my bad luck, I still had a blast riding there while it lasted!

[s10gto]

I would go the cheapo oil route. Do that a couple times and if it comes out clean the second time put in the good stuff.

[Sullyfam]

Both methods work fine and is be less worried about the oil and more concerned about sand/dirt so flush really well.


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[Tyl3r]

Thanks guys. I probably should flush more than once. Maybe once I put the oil in, I'll stand it up on end and set it down a couple time to really mix it up in there.

[KDXGarage]

Rinse a lot.

Good luck with it.

[ICRage42]

The problem is it doesnt take much water in the oil to ruin the bottom end. The honda 300 400 ex are great machines till you have to work on one.

I would not run kerosene through it but do as you said run some new oil and filter but atleast do it twice use a decent oil not your cheapo recycled autozone crap. Doesnt have to be top notch but not the cleaned oil.

The thing you really want to do is put that quad in different positions to get any watery oil out of the case. That little bit lurking in the clutch side or so or some small crevice can still come back to haunt you despite the couple oil changes.

dam bro you were close to me at that park I would of taken the 650 brute force there if they allowed my tires not sure if they would some parks dont.

[Tyl3r]

Flushed her twice yesterday with conventional 4-stroke motorcycle oil and a little sea foam mixed in. Going to ride it around the neighborhood one last time, drain it, change the filter, put in the usual synthetic oil, and call it good. When I drained the oil, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was all black and not foamy green. I am hoping I am lucky enough that oil just leaked out, and nothing got in. I think I just may be OK!

and ICRage - What do you have, Silverback's or something? I noticed a few sets on 4wd quads and SXS's out there...along with a bunch of ridiculous paddle/mud tires on the monster mud trucks. You should have came out! Its pretty much a free for all out there lol you can literally bring whatever you want and beat on it in the woods... and when I say anything, I mean anything

[ICRage42]

good to know yea I have I believe the 27 itp mudlites they are an aggressive tire. I also got the clutch spring kit installed for the larger tires. But yea I took the quad and loaded it with stuff to fix or work on kdx to mines and meadows and they told me I had to run stock tires. Turns out tho I guess that was the previous owner and they dont state that rule on the site anymore so dunno.

Just sucks going there and not being able to ride.

Glad to to hear you didnt get anything down in there. Odd did you just not tighten it enough? The plug I mean.

[Tyl3r]

O i gotcha, yea, that would definitely suck after you hauled the quad all the way out there. I have been wanting to go to M&M for a while now, how is it out there?

What I think it stemmed from was a broken front fender mount. I broke my left side mount about 15 minutes after we got there, and I said screw it, its not that bad. Well, the mount that broke off was rubbing along the side of the oil tank. There are rub marks above and the below the oil plug, I'm thinking the mount was able to break the plug loose and it was able to work itself out. Should have been taking better care of my things! O well, live and ya learn. The riding that I did get to do was an absolute blast. I'm going to drill a hole in the new plug and wire tire it to something to keep it from happening again.