That one muddy Saturday that wrecked my whole week

I took my 400cc quad out to the trails near Pine Ridge last Saturday and thought I was so smart taking a shortcut through a deep puddle. Turned out the water was way deeper than I thought (like 3 feet easy) and I hydro-locked the engine on the spot. Spent the next 4 days drying out the air filter, changing oil three times, and praying the piston wasn't bent. Has anyone else had a water mishap that turned a fun day into a nightmare of repairs?

2 comments

2 Comments

rosek737d ago

Had a buddy try the same thing on his 450 out at the old gravel pits. Water got into his crankcase, didn't realize it until he started it up and heard a knocking sound. He had to rebuild the whole bottom end, cost him like $800. You might have dodged a bullet on the piston if you stopped cranking it right away. The hydro-lock usually just bends rods more than pistons, but still a pain either way. Check the oil for like a week after you think it's fixed. Sometimes water hangs out in places you can't get to with just a few changes.

nora_barnes7d ago

Yeah, I kinda disagree with you on that one @rosek73.