Bought a bike that was under water. Help.

[TooRad4u]

Hi, I'm obviously new here and new to this bike. I just bought a '08 GZ250 with .4 miles on it for my wife and daughter to learn to ride on. Only problem is that it was in a flood and had water up over the headlight. I got a good deal on it and I'm pretty mechanical so I took a chance on it. Can you guys give me any advice as to where to start on it?
I took the headlight off and drained the water out.
I pulled the gas tank and drained the water.
I pulled the oil filter and drain plug and drained the water.
I pulled the spark plug and squirted some oil and pb blaster in the chamber.
The speedo has some mud in it - haven't figured out how to get that apart to clean it yet.
I started pulling all the electrical conectors and spraying contact cleaner in them.
What else?
Any good how to's on cleaning the carb? I took it off and looked into it and didn't "see" any damage.
Oh, the air box was full of water also. - drained that.

[jonathan180iq]

You really need to tear down the whole thing to the frame and give it all a once over. Based on what you say you are doing, I think you are on the right track, but you certainly need to remove everything and clean it before even trying to start this bike.

Removing the carb is pretty straight forward. You will also need to disassemble it and let it soak in carb cleaner over night.
Watery mud can get into places you wouldn't even think about.

I would also remove the exhaust and hang it upside down in the sun for a few days. Pull the face of the rear brake off and clean that out as well.


.... Like I said, tear everything to the basics and get it cleaner and let it air out.

Once the bike is finally running, you'll want to change the oil 2-3 times in quick succession to make sure you have removed all of the mud and junk that may have worked it's way into the engine.

It sounds like you have a big project ahead of you. But if you can get this done yourself, these are kinds of bikes that you fall in love with and keep for life ;)

Good luck! Keep us posted.

[mrlmd1]

You are going to have to take apart and clean every electrical connector on the bike, and you should then coat them with dielectric grease when you put them back together, and remove and clean all the bulbs and sockets. Electrical problems could be the worst to sort out, especially if the bike was in any kind of salty water. I would go after the electrical system ASAP, before the engine or mechanicals, to try and eliminate corrosion and other problems. The starter may need a good wash or you may have to take it apart to clean it. Good luck.

[TooRad4u]

Thanks, It was muddy river water - no salt, I'm on my way to get a new battery and filters right now.
I think that I'm gonna pull the starter and make sure it is dry before I try to start it. - good call on that one.
There looks to be a drain plug on the bottom of the engine that is very hard to get to. I removed the one that is in the center of a cover(with 3 or 4 bolts) on the bottom of the engine, but this one is right above the exhaust pipe and hard to get at. Do I need to remove this plug?
I was able to rotate the motor over a couple times by putting it in 5th gear and pushing it. That is a good sign that the motor is not seized and rusted fast.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Jim

[blaine]

There looks to be a drain plug on the bottom of the engine that is very hard to get to. I removed the one that is in the center of a cover(with 3 or 4 bolts) on the bottom of the engine, but this one is right above the exhaust pipe and hard to get at. Do I need to remove this plug?

No,no need to remove that plug.It is a spring & plunger that keeps you from shifting more than gear at a time.
:) :cool:

[TooRad4u]

Thanks for the reply - Good, that bolt seemed like it was going to be tough.
Got the oil and oil filters and battery, had to back order the air filter till friday.

[Water Warrior 2]

The brake shoes and pads will have a coating of mung on them and not be effective. A light sandblasting will clean and renew their surface. Emery cloth will remove rust etc from the brake drum and front disc. Also consider replacing the wheel bearings.
Sounds like a time consuming project but patience and common sense will do wonders for the bike.

[mrlmd1]

You got water out of the oil and filter? How did water get in there?
If you put an ounce or two of oil in the cylinder through the plug hole and then turned the engine over by rolling the bike in gear that should be good enough to coat the cylinder and prevent rust. Replace the spark plug. Put oil and a new filter back on, fill it up to the proper level. You don't have to start taking the whole engine apart, it is probably fine. Before you try and start it, you may want to try and wash out the cylinder ( with gas or oil) to make sure there's no grit in there if it did have water in it. The carb needs to be cleaned and a new air filter is an obvious though.
I had a 8HP Nissan twin cylinder outboard which got thoroughly drowned and covered with muddy saltwater during Hurricane Dennis in 2005. I pulled the plugs, pulled the starter cord and got a load of water out of the cylinders, filled it with oil, replaced the plugs, washed the rest of it all with fresh water. got a cup of sand out of the carb, cleaned it, and left it neglected for at least 6 months. I then went back to it, pulled the plugs, cranked it to remove the oil from the cylinders, put in new plugs and gas, and the SOB started up on the second pull of the cord and has run well ever since. I had a British Seagull outboard dunked twice, and each time, just pulled the cord and it started right up again. I think you will have much more of a problem with the rest of the bike than you will with the engine unless you don't "pickle it" by filling it with oil 'till you get around to that part of your bike.

[TooRad4u]

Thanks for the replies, I worked on the bike last night for a bout 2 hours,
pulled every fuse and electrical connector apart and sprayed in contact cleaner.
Installed the battery.
dried out the headlight and speedo and put them back on.
Filled it with oil and a filter.
Took the starter all apart and dried it out.
Cranked it over with the plug out on the starter for a couple 5 second bursts.
Put the gas tank on, added alittle gas.
put the spark plug back in and cranked it over, it didn't start? Forgot that this bike has a choke! Choked it and it started right up! Ran it for no longer than a minute, then drained the oil again.
Let it sit over night to drain completley.
Put some seafoam type stuff in the gas.
Gonna do oil/filter run for 5-10 minutes then oil/filter again and I think I'll be good to go! Of course, it is rainning today and tomorrow. - Jim

[Gz Rider]

...

[mrlmd1]

Sounds good - take it out for a 1/2 hour or so ride rather than let it sit running at idle in the driveway for 5-10 min. The bike doesn't cool well and doesn't produce any significant battery charge just sitting. I would bet that if all your electrical connections, like lights, brake lights, directional signals, cutoff switches in the kickstand and clutch and RUN/OFF are working, you will have no problems with this bike. Check the battery voltage at high idle (2500rpm at least) to see if the charging system is working (should put out at least 13.8-14.8 V).
Lube the throttle, brake, clutch cables too.
By the way - you work FAST.

[TooRad4u]

Thanks again - I don't like screwing around. My moto is Git-R-Done. Plus I just happened to have a "free night", well if you call getting home at 5:00, taking my son to soccer practice, getting home at 8:00 working on the bike till 10:00, a "free" night. - Jim

Oh, I forgot, I have another "free" night tonight. I have to look at the wiring diagrams and plug in the turn signals correctly also - didn't try those out yet, they were never mounted on the bike, before yesterday.

[Water Warrior 2]

Gad-Zooks !! I'd still be making a list of what to do. You do work fast.

[TooRad4u]

Wired up the turn signals and put oil and filter in it last night. Drove it around the block in the rain a couple times. It was running alittle rough at first but started running really nice after it was warmed up a bit. Changed the oil again, rode it around the block a couple more times again and it rides nice. I need to pick up an air filter for it on Friday and put it in and I'm done. Thanks for the help. My wife's first lesson will be this weekend!
Jim

[blaine]

I need to pick up an air filter for it on Friday and put it in and I'm done. Thanks for the help. My wife's first lesson will be this weekend!
Jim
Good to hear that you got her up and running.A good alternative for the stock air filter is the Hiflo-Filtro HAF-3503.It is a little less than half the price of the O.E.M. The oil filter is HF-136. Good luck.
:) :cool:

[TooRad4u]

Already ordered the OEM - should be here tomorrow - thanks for the info though - I'll get that one next time. - Jim

[mrlmd1]

Just for routine maintenance and to avoid dirty carb problems, put an ounce/gal of fuel of Berryman's B12 Chemtool or Seafoam in the tank every 3 or 4 fillups,

[alantf]

Just for routine maintenance and to avoid dirty carb problems, put an ounce/gal of fuel of Berryman's B12 Chemtool or Seafoam in the tank every 3 or 4 fillups,

Or, for our Italian member, Auchan do a fine "Fuel additive" that works just as well. :2tup:

[TooRad4u]

My wife got her first lesson on Saturday. We rode it to an elementary school parking lot and she did very well. The bike runs great - we played around on it for a couple hours and had no problems at all. Thanks for all the help guys.
Jim

[rkgz250]

I am in the same situation. Bought gz250 flooded.

I have a mechanic help me clean this out for me. He is running into issues with turn signal installation.

The turn singal has 2 pin connector and on harness he told me its 3 pin ...

Can you please share with me as how you installed turn signals on your bike....

Thanks.

[alantf]

The turn singal has 2 pin connector and on harness he told me its 3 pin ...



Seems to me that this is the European connector. All the wiring harnesses are universal. The European bikes have no running lights, so in the turn signal housing there is a single filament bulb that requires only two wires. The third wire in the harness is not needed. On bikes with running lights, three wires are needed for the double filament bulb (a +ve for the running light, a +ve for the turn signal, And a common -ve) Check the bulb, and see if it's a single or double filament. Or if you've not got the bulb, check in the back of the bulb holder. The metal of the bulb holder is usually the -ve, so if there's only one metal plate in the back of the holder, it's a single filament. Two plates means it's a twin filament.

Has the bike got a big plastic, 3D, Marauder logo on the tank? If so it's European. American bikes have a flat Suzuki "S".

[blaine]

Has the bike got a big plastic, 3D, Marauder logo on the tank? If so it's European.
......or Canadian. :tongue: :biggrin:

[alantf]

But Canadian bikes don't have the extra parking light in the headlight, but they do have the double filament bulb in the front turn signals. If there is a single filament in there, it's almost certainly European, but how it got to America is anybody's guess. :)

[rkgz250]

Thanks for replies. Its an american bike.

The harness has three female plugs and the turn signal has 2pin female adaptor (Iam not sure what to call it).

I was wondering how would I connect the turn singal to the plugs. Do I cut wire and solder a male plug to the turnsignal wire so it goes into femlale plug on harness? Or they have some adapter to convert 2 pin on turn singals to 2 male plugs ....

Thanks.

[alantf]

But - is the bulb that's in there double or single filament? :??:

[alantf]

But - is the bulb that's in there double or single filament? :??:

[Water Warrior 2]

Check all of the signals. The front should be 3 wire and rear should be 2 wire.. Are you possibly trying to put a rear signal on the front ??

[alantf]

Good call. I'd not thought of that. :)

[TooRad4u]

Yeah, my rear turn signals were 2 wires and my fronts were 3 wires. The extra wire keeps the light on with the headlight for the front.

On another note: Does anyone have a trick to pulling the speedo apart to get behind the glass? I still have some mud residue in there that I would like to clean.
Jim

[jonathan180iq]

http://images.cmsnl.com/img/partslists/speedometer-gz250-1999-x_bigsue0367fig21_9864.gif

To get behind the glass, you have to do to a little surgery. If you don't want to risk it, you might just be better off getting a new one and rolling the odometer over to match.

[TooRad4u]

That's what I thought, I'm gonna need to do alittle surgery. That metal ring has to come off somehow?
Jim

[jonathan180iq]

Looks like it. I don't know what's back there, but there must be some kind of seal that would have to separate and then the ring should come free somehow. They put it together, so it must come apart.

[rkgz250]

Thanks guys. I think I got TU-250x turn signals rather than gz250, so the difference in number of wires.

Now only remaining thing is getting that dirt out of odometer. I guess, I will have to just live with it. No big deal.

I am not sure if it will fail inspection or not because of that though!

[Water Warrior 2]

If all else fail a pedal bike speedo is cheap and much more accurate than most motorcycle speedos.

[alantf]

I think I got TU-250x turn signals rather than gz250, so the difference in number of wires.



I wouldn't have thought that it would make any difference. You still need two wires for a single filament bulb, & three wires for a double filament, whatever the vehicle. :??:

[jonathan180iq]

If all else fail a pedal bike speedo is cheap and much more accurate than most motorcycle speedos.

:plus1: