Author Topic: underwater bandit story (Read 3682 times)

dust mite · « **on:** December 05, 2005, 09:23:10 PM »

I've been on and off the bbs for the past few years but keep forgetting my login stuff. Anyway, my 1993 b4 felt the wrath of Katrina. The day before she hit I was doing the usual battin' down the hatches and was expecting to spend an tedious weekend on the road in traffic getting in and out of New Orleans. I have double doors into my apartment, so I was going to roll her up the stairs and park in the house. At the foot of the stairs (not too steep), I got lazy and figured she'd be just as safe in my mother's garage.
My apartment is about 4 feet off the ground. The water got up to about a foot inside the house. So in hindsight, I shoulda huffed her up the steps. My mother's neighborhood got higher flooding and the bike was completely submerged for maybe a week. When I did make it back into town, there were other priorities and there was a lot of funky stuff blocking the bike in, in addition to the layer of slimey gunk on the bike. So she sat where she was.
I haven't been back since then, but the crap has been tossed out of the house. The bike is still in the garage.
I was set to part it / junk it as time allowed, but now, I'm wondering if I might be able to get it back together. My concern is the engine. I'm assuming water got into the block and just sat there and started the rust. Not to mention all the other little bits and bearings in the tranny, head, etc. that have probably started to corrode.
I already have plans for another bike, but I'm wondering if getting the Bandit back on the road is $$$ feasable.

Wooddog · « **Reply #1 on:** December 05, 2005, 10:50:04 PM »

My old supervisor pulled a jeep out of a lake, that had been underwater for 2 or 3 weeks. It had been stolen, he worked and worked on it, not sure what all he did but finallly he poured some flammable solution into the spark plug holes and pulled it down the rode behind another truck for miles until it started. After that it ran fine for a couple of weeks until one day it just quit, he looked for a bad electrical connection for days and took it to several repair shops until one mechanic got it going again but a few weeks later it died again. The mechanic said that most of the electrical connections were corroded and that he would probable never get it lined out. But thats been 5 or 6 years ago and the jeep has not died since then. But he has always been afraid that the jeep will leave him stranded so he just uses it around town as a third vehicle.

Maniac · « **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2005, 09:41:09 AM »

You are right in assuming there is probally water inside the engine. However, until you know what shape things are in I wouldn't write it off just yet.

Clean her up, check all your electricals (that is where most of your problems will be, for the above mentioned reasons. However you can get a new wiring harness from a junkyard thats in good shape. Hell, I have one if you want it), and then pull the plugs and drop the oil pan. Get some air-tool oil and pour it into the spark plug holes, then liberally spray everything on the underside of the engine with a fine mist of WD40 and let it sit for a day or two. Once the WD40 has evaporated, mist it with transmission/assembly lube. The Digital Ignitier should be fine, it's a sealed unit and as long as you let it dry out before applying power, electronics are usually OK (unless they corrode).

The big thing thats important is displacing any moisture in the engine as quickly as possible. You may also want to consider going over the frame with a fine tooth comb and making sure the tubes are all free and clear. Some of them have drain holes in them, some don't. If you are inclined, strip down to the frame and have the frame dipped in acid and repainted.

Your seats, though, are probally gonna be shot.

PitterB4 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2005, 10:00:35 AM »

Yeah - you can probably get a wiring harness from Cdyer for $5 + shipping.

Maniac · « **Reply #4 on:** December 06, 2005, 10:12:01 AM »

Quote from: "PitterB4"

Yeah - you can probably get a wiring harness from Cdyer for $5 + shipping.

That too!

Pitter, I -am- going to get those cams to you.

I'm hoping to go down and pick some parts up this weekend, just waiting to hear back if the guy is going to be there or not. I'm not going to drive 50 miles to find out he's taken off to Miami again...

dust mite · « **Reply #5 on:** December 06, 2005, 11:59:14 AM »

Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna take down each component as far as I can and go from there. It's really an ironic fate for this particular bike since water in the tank and in electrical connectors has been it's nemesis since I got it in '99.

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #6 on:** December 06, 2005, 01:43:30 PM »

I suspect you'd be better off parting it out. Any time under water is a long time underwater. I doubt she'd ever be right again.

Bet you could find a non-LA bike on eBay or CycleTrader and be better off.