Rain Water fouling my 'Berg?

surferguy80 · May 28, 2004

So here in Seattle (rain city USA), my bergs been running just great (02 fe400e), and i left it in the driveway for 3 days without being run, uncovered, and its been raining non stop pretty much the whole 3 days, now the bike wont start...is there any way that all the water could have seaped into my bike somewhere to make it unhappy?

if so...where should i be checking, i have a hole in the bottom of my stator cover and took that off today, it was dry...other than that...could rain have gotten into my gas an fouled it???

i have no idea where to start?!?! :?

schwim · May 28, 2004

ignore the following, because I know little:

I would doubt that it's the gas, because what little got into the tank would separate and float. You usually don't have a problem until you get low and suck it into the carb bowl. Have you checked your air box? Maybe it got in the frame rail and got to the carb that way.

Are we even sure it's a fuel problem? Is the plug wet when you try to crank it?

thanks,
json

twistthethrottle · May 28, 2004

Jas is probably on th right track, Surferguy, I can't remember what year bike you have, but the rain can run down the frame and soak your air filter. When its saturated it will run into your airbox.

Remove the filter and if there is any water, dry it out with a rag. Then remove the drain plug on the bottom of your carby and let fuel run through it for about 30 seconds. Let the filter dry. Refit it and see if it will start.

Also check that water hasn't accumulated in the recess for the spark plug. If it has, dry it out.

PS Jas, fuel floats on water, not the other way around. I wouldn't have mentioned it but somebody else surely would have.

schwim · May 28, 2004

And I've been drinking from the top 8O

Sorry for the misinfo, but damnit, I did warn you at the top of my post

It's been a really long night, and I'm not ciphering too well.

thanks,
json

Taffy · May 29, 2004

your first task MUST be to see if you still have a spark so i suggest cap off, plug out, plug pressed back into cap and laid on head. turn bike over and check for a spark and the COLOUR OF THE SPARK.

how wet is the plug?

no spark = electrical problem and all i can suggest you do is undo every connector and put it back together again having dried with tissue the male side etc. work in a garage having let the bike dry out for a day.

my info sheet does warn you that the electrics are very poor on this year. you can probably forget it being the stator at this point.

if you have a good spark then twist has got the rest taped.

Taffy

surferguy80 · May 29, 2004

perfect! thanks for all the help guys, ill check it out today.

what color spark is right when i check?

the plug was brand new last time i rode the bike, but when i rode it, i was on the freeway for a while and i know the bike got reeeeeally hot :shock:

t-jet-tim · May 29, 2004

I just blow the bike dry with compressed air.
Water is heavier than gas and will get to your
carb.Gas floats on water not visaversa,check your
float bowl.

surferguy80 · May 29, 2004

founs a lil water puddle in my carb boot...then i emptied out the float bowls, works like a charm!

but now ive got some odd leak, hmmmmmmmm 8O

schwim · May 29, 2004

if it's a leak on the carb bowl, doublecheck the o-ring. Someone else here just had this problem, and finally found that it had gotten cockeyed.

thanks,
json

surferguy80 · May 29, 2004

well it looks like my rad overflow is part of it, then the whole front end of the engine is soaked as well as the back of the radiator, and the right side of the engine, it feels like oil, but is more green, like coolant...im guessing theres a lil oil coming out of the valve covers, then theres the rad overflow, and ive got the breather hose loose as well, then maybe another tube from the rad is loose...that would cover about all the areas that are wet on my bike :lol:

surferguy80 · May 29, 2004

schwim said:
if it's a leak on the carb bowl, doublecheck the o-ring. Someone else here just had this problem, and finally found that it had gotten cockeyed.

thanks,
json

is the 0-ring you mention the one that goes between the float bowl and the big bolt ont he bottom side of it? or the rubber ring between the float bowl cover and the rest of the carb? both are in there well, but the one on the bottom side of the cabr is pretty raggedy

t-jet-tim · May 30, 2004

I would just replace them both.Check for water in your motor oil too.
Better safe than sorry.

LuKe · May 30, 2004

After a day & night in the rain while transporting it to a 2 day ride a few weeks back mine wouldn't start on the second day of the ride.

After checking all the usual things I found the bike only started when I held the key (in the key switch) to on (forcefully). I have since got rid of the key switch mechanism & everything is rosy.

t-jet-tim · May 31, 2004

I found two more areas to seal from water.My carb top
has no boot-seal the threads on the cable inlet.The
cable to the enrichener on the side of the carb lets
water in under the boot ,seal it too.Mine siezed up
after washing it and putting it in the garage for a week.

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Rain Water fouling my 'Berg?

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