geterdun3

hey all. i have a 05' kodiak 450 ATV I have taken it thru some pretty nasty stuff -mud, dirt, large streams, etc. It has always worked well for me. This past weekend I was going through some deep water/mud puddles and all of a sudden it clonked out. It wouldnt start for about 15 minutes, then i finally got it to start. i got it halfway home, but it then clonked out again. i got it started again, but this time it wouldnt accelerate over about 20 MPH. i remember a year or so again i did sort of the same thing...i fell into a water hole (which someone purposely dug, about a 5 foot hole) and it wouldnt start. took it to the shop and they said they simply drained it and it was fine. does this seem like a problem from water just being in the engine...or something of that nature? im dropping it off today at the shop, but i just wanted to see if anyone had an opinion of their own. i hope its something simple and not a major repair...could water damage possibly be more invovled than i hope it will be? lol. i have seen videos of people going thru some deep stuff and there bikes were fine, and i have taken it thru some deep stuff and it was alright. when i started it it shot alotta water outta the exhaust (looked like a jet ski) but it did start. i just had a tune up so i dont think it would be something of that nature. any thoughts? thanks alot and when i find out what it is ill let u guys know. im just curious as to how simple or involved it might be. if noone can take a guess based on my description i understand, i am just hoping someone has an idea. thanks

Duramax05

[/align]Sounds like you just sucked up some water. I have an 03 sportsman 700 that did that once. Another time I got something electrical wet. Anytime I went near a puddle it would act up. Let it dry, check the air filter/box, pull you plug wire and make sure that is all dry. You should be fine.

wyotimberghost

If you're going to be driving it through deep mud and water you should really install a snorkel kit on your intake.

cjwink

If your bike is auto, you may be getting water in the belt housing also, causing the belt to slip..

gmil6184

some friends and I were out riding in the late winter and broke through some ice that we didn't see. His wheeler flooded and did exactly what your was doing, the first thing we did was stand it up on its rear end and let that water drain out. Then get it in a warm garage to dry out more. might want to consider draining any gas you have in it and fill it up with fresh gas and a bottle of dry gas to get any water out of the system.

Ben / PA

I concur with the gas switch. Always do this after a serious conk out swamping of any wheeler.

geterdun3

hey all. thanks alot for the help. well this time i had to drop it off at the dealer. i know im gonna pay a ridiculus rate - but i wanted to make sure its done right ths time. so now im gonna start reading up on how to change all those things and replace the simple things. i just want to ride this weekend and didnt wanna mess up my bike and i know i wont have enough time to read how to do it by then. so i guess this is a lesson to me - i need to learn how to do all those simple things. im just a rider im not good with electronics and engines and all that and i was afraid to mess it up. but im gonna be careful this weekned riding until i get that snorkel set up. that sounds pretty good.

question: if i get the snorkel kit, can i take my bike thru "any" depth of water? i saw on one snorkel site guys with there bikes up to the handlbars, is that alright? is the only way water will intrude on my bike is if it gets in thru the exhasut pipe? if so thats gonna be cool but i dont wanna ruin my baby (i call him oscar lol) thanks a million for the help and i will def take everyones advise. also im glad mostly everyone said it should be relatively simple (and somewhat cheap) to fix. thanks alot

wyotimberghost

In theory, I think that you should be able to take your quad in as deep as you want so long as the snorkel is above water. I don't get machines any deeper than I have to, though, so I don't have any first hand experience with snorkels. Thats more or an eastern US thing. People out here ride in the mountains instead of the mud. The exhaust isn't what you're worried about- it's the intake. You don't want to suck water up into the engine. The intake is where your air filter is, so if you know where that's at you can judge how deep you should be getting your quad.

geterdun3

well i just thought i would give an update. got my bike back today, 250 bucks, lol. more than i thought. guy said ihad water everywhere - engine, gas tank, belts, spark plug i think, airfilter everywhere. so i guess it costs 250 to drain it out. i need to learn to do this stuff myself. - you are the the mercy of the dealer and all they gota say it "it took 4 hours and alotta wwork" when it really took 2 hours of routine operations. o well i guess thats what money is made for, to be spent lol. jus tthought i'd give u guys an update since yall were so helpful.

skeeter 7MM

Yeah they hose you for a doable project if you have the room, patience and some mechanical ability. If it happens again, first thing you check is the airfilter in the breather box (located under the seat). If the foam filter is wet(notmoist by gas/oil)you know wateris where it shouldn't be. I would remove the wet airfilterand dump the oil/gas if you have provisions to get you back?? Alsoa drain plug that can be pulled for the belt housing, with the wet airfilter out, you idle the engine in neutral with the drain plug pulled and it should force out the water/mud. It may take 10-15mins if its really bad. Then limp her back to home/truck/trailer and be prepared for a change in fluids, cleaning of the belt, clutches, etc.

Try surfing some of the various ATV forums for more info. Be advised that some talk of stuff, modsthat just isn't required or should be done bytheave.tinker. Though they can be a good source for anything to do with ATVing.