I'm an idiot

[007brendan]

So, I took my bike to one of those self car washes and sprayed it down. I went to start it back up and now it's idling all rough and has knock. I noticed the lunchbox air filter was wet, so I did my best to get all the excess water off it, but that didn't seem to help much.

I'm basically just waiting it out right now to see if it will do better after drying off for awhile, there's a movie theater next door, might do that.  If not I'll have to come back tonight or tomorrow and pick it up with my truck.

Any ideas?

[ZukiGS500E]

you might have wanted to wrap it in a grocery bag or something, i probably would have done the same thing out of impulse and not have even though about the filter haha

[redhenracing2]

You just better hope you didn't suck any water into the cylinder, but if it didn't hydrolock immediately you'll probably be fine. I would take out the spark plugs and turn it over a few times to purge out any water that might have been sucked in there.

[JB848]

Wow, yeah I mean I don't think you could suck enough water through the air box if it started but man. If enough water gets through it usually is running already or it won't start because of the mixture. I hope your good though. In most cases like this it will actually bend the connecting rod because it cannot compress the water enough and that's a big issue.

[007brendan]

I just got back from the movie and it started right up with no knocking or jumpiness.  Looks like it just needed a few hours to dry off.  I'll remember not to do that again!!!

[redhenracing2]

it cannot compress the water

Thus, taking out the plugs and purgin it out. I had to do this about every other day with a civic I had with a blown head gasket.

[JB848]

Well of course if you know that that has happened pulling the plugs is the quickiest best fix. After what he was describing it would have been too late.

I was pretty confident if it started this was not the issue but you never know.

[mister]

This is why I sponge bath my bike clean... damp sponge on, dry towel off... in sections.

Michael

[sledge]

It was running rough because the plug caps,HT leads and possibly the coils were pi** wet and tracking to ground. Pressure washers and bikes dont mix. I suggest you remove the starter motor cover and have a look in the chamber, if the drain hole has become blocked with dirt and crap flung off the chain it will now be sitting in its own little paddling pool. Also start reading up on headstock bearings and how to replace them because yours will now be full of water and starting to rust as we speak.

[gregvhen]

You just better hope you didn't suck any water into the cylinder, but if it didn't hydrolock immediately you'll probably be fine. I would take out the spark plugs and turn it over a few times to purge out any water that might have been sucked in there.

no dont do that, your more likely to suck more water in than spit out whats in there. pick it up in the truck, get it home and pull the filter till it drys


EDIT: i know im late, this is just for future reference, depending on the season, going to a movie like you did will be enough time to dry out, but in the late fall/winter, or cloudy cool day in summer, they probably wont dry enough to not cause hydrolock after only a movie.

also, forgot to ask, i was going on the assumption you have the lunchbox hooked up.  but after reading JB's comment i have to ask, is it a kn drop in? or luncher?

[007brendan]

It's a lunchbox.

I'll take a look under the starter motor cover, that things always filled with crud.  I didn't use the pressure washer up close on anything.  To be honest, the washer wasn't even all that powerful.  I'll keep the headstock bearings in mind, but I think they're okay.

[gsJack]

My bet is with sledge on this one, I've been washing my bikes in those magic wand type car washes for years and the only immediate type problem I've had is a wet ignition.  On all my old Hondas it was the plug caps that got filled with water and shorted out and I just had to dry them out inside to get it started.  On my GS it was a loose coil wire that shorted out but I keep it tight and sealed with dielectric grease and replace it every 10-20k miles and don't have any futher problems with it, a new coil and wire would be a better fix.  GS plug caps are a different design than the old Hondas were. 

Check to make sure your coil wires are tight in the coils and can't be turned, they screw into the coils and are sealed and bonded in place so they can't be turned if they are OK.  Always be careful not to direct the stream of pressurized water directly at bearings, chain, and ignition parts if you choose to use those type car washes.

[The Buddha]

Also one thing to think about when going to K&N's.
The intake manifold boots available now dont fit the 89-00 carbs perfectly. They sorta fit, the older style boot fit better. K&N hangs onn the carb, it can take the carb out of the manifold. I have had it happen. PITA.
Cool.
Buddha.

[gsJack]

Don't mess with your carbs and they won't mess with you!    All of my 4 Hondas and 2 GSs have been stock all the way.

[The Buddha]

GSJack: Pre 87 or so was pre epa. So the older ones work fine right out of the box. My nighthawks hated any jetting I did, all the 700 S would even take was a wee bit of air screw. BTW honda set the air screws @ random on the 4 cyl nighthawk's. One was 2, one was 1.5 other 2 were less than 1. They adjusted them to that rack rail bar cos those had a prong that would touch the bar and stop. Stupid.

Other than that, the rest may have been your consistent use, though a 89-00 bike would have had floats wear high, first alleviating the lean problem, then maybe eventually creating a rich, condition in a few years.

01+ bikes usually dont do that. They have floats that are hard to move or even adjust when you ahve em outside and are fiddling with a tweezer.
I'd however venture to guess it can be improved upon, almost always at the cost of gas mileage, and bikes are set up and cover a wide swath ... nearly rich to lean enough to make paris hilton jealous. Most bikes fall in the middle, just a shade lean, dont notice it much ...

Also, you have used it continously since you got it from the mileages you ahve put on them, that also almost never happens. Dont underestimate the steady riders hand.

Cool.
Buddha.