Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb

jfagner · 10-30-2009, 09:10 AM

Howdy all, you have a very helpful and informative site. Thank you.
Now, I have a problem. When we had a some flooding, my Workhorse 1200 was a bit underwater, I moved it and it ran out of gas shortly thereafter. After filling the gas tank and trying to get the engine primed again it ran for about 100 yards and died. I thought the battery drained out because it took so long to get gas back into the system. I jumped it with another 12 volt battery to no avail. While checking various checkpoints I took off the air filter and it was soaking wet, I took off the hose to the carb and saw white foam, crap, I said! I towed the cart to high ground and now think that I have seized the motor up with water in the carb. Crap, I said. I have adjusted the valves before and just had my cart in great working order and was enjoying it, but, now I got nothing. Solenoid clicks but that is all I get now. It has been suggested that I put a penetrating oil in the spark plug holes and see if I can break the pistons free and then maybe get the system dried out and working again. Any suggestions for me before I have to completely take apart the motor? Mortified, depressed and looking for a direction! Crap, I say! Thanks for any responses in advance.

scottyb · 10-30-2009, 09:15 AM

Put just a squirt of oil in each cylinder... Can you turn the motor over by hand ... by turning the clutch if so and remove the carb and drain and clean the carb and tank and change the oil ...

jfagner · 10-30-2009, 09:37 AM

No, it is not free moving at this point. I did put a wrench to the bolt on the clutch/shaft but didn't put too much torch to it, besides that probably just lets you take off the clutch. Considering my luck at this point, I didn't want to sheer it off! I will do as you say and let the oil penetrate for a while and see if I can free up the shaft. Do you recommend any particular type of penetrating product? If I can get it broken free I will do your other suggestions and clean up and dry out the system, hopefully. Thanks.

scottyb · 10-30-2009, 09:41 AM

Is it stuck then? ...has it rusted stuck or has something broken? You should be able to turn the cltch by hand no tools required back and forth ... if you can't turn it by hand then you have a problem. How long has it been in water or since it was last run?

jfagner · 10-30-2009, 09:55 AM

Yes, stuck.
flood last thursday, problem happened on friday when trying to move it to higher ground. When it ran is was like it wasn't getting any gas and had no power, I thought that the fuel system was just slow getting itself flowing again. There was allot of cranking and trying to get the spark plugs to kick in. I thought it was a fuel problem because it ran out of gas and didn't think to check the air intake until things had stopped. Having adjusted the valves before, I know that it should turn freely, that is not happening now, no movement at all. Don't think that rust has overtaken it at this point but know that time is a major factor right now for rust to take hold.

scottyb · 10-30-2009, 10:01 AM

Sounds like something broke? ...pull the plugs and put some oil in it... If it won't turn freely then I think you are maybe looking at a broken ring but lets wait for some real experts to put their 2 cents in

jfagner · 10-30-2009, 10:07 AM

Thanks for the response, I will squirt some oil and let it set for a while and see if it will free up. I'll check back later to see what others might say. Thanks again for the very quick response!

chardonite · 10-30-2009, 10:14 AM

My guess is water got in the oil and seized the engine up. The fact that it seized while running is very ominous. I would say look for a new or rebuilt engine.I would still try the oil in the cylinders. I would also check the oil, if it is milky looking it means water got in the oil and you found the problem. A water oil mix lubricates very poorly and causes engines to seize very quickly. Good luck, Chardonite

jfagner · 10-30-2009, 12:18 PM

Ominous seems to be the theme. There is no milkyness to the oil, in fact it looks better than the oil in my own car! I have put some penetrating oil in the cylinders and will let it sit until tomorrow when I can get to it. Question? Can I use the bolt at the end of the shaft to try to break it free or does that just allow the removal of the clutch from the shaft? I may need a bit more torque on the shaft to try to break it from it's current state. Thank you for your response.

chardonite · 10-30-2009, 12:30 PM

I would use the bolt.. Good luck, Chardonite.

10-30-2009, 09:10 AM	#1
jfagner Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Valley Mills, TX Posts: 5	Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb Howdy all, you have a very helpful and informative site. Thank you. Now, I have a problem. When we had a some flooding, my Workhorse 1200 was a bit underwater, I moved it and it ran out of gas shortly thereafter. After filling the gas tank and trying to get the engine primed again it ran for about 100 yards and died. I thought the battery drained out because it took so long to get gas back into the system. I jumped it with another 12 volt battery to no avail. While checking various checkpoints I took off the air filter and it was soaking wet, I took off the hose to the carb and saw white foam, crap, I said! I towed the cart to high ground and now think that I have seized the motor up with water in the carb. Crap, I said. I have adjusted the valves before and just had my cart in great working order and was enjoying it, but, now I got nothing. Solenoid clicks but that is all I get now. It has been suggested that I put a penetrating oil in the spark plug holes and see if I can break the pistons free and then maybe get the system dried out and working again. Any suggestions for me before I have to completely take apart the motor? Mortified, depressed and looking for a direction! Crap, I say! Thanks for any responses in advance.

10-30-2009, 09:15 AM	#2
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,408	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb Put just a squirt of oil in each cylinder... Can you turn the motor over by hand ... by turning the clutch if so and remove the carb and drain and clean the carb and tank and change the oil ...

10-30-2009, 09:37 AM	#3
jfagner Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Valley Mills, TX Posts: 5	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb No, it is not free moving at this point. I did put a wrench to the bolt on the clutch/shaft but didn't put too much torch to it, besides that probably just lets you take off the clutch. Considering my luck at this point, I didn't want to sheer it off! I will do as you say and let the oil penetrate for a while and see if I can free up the shaft. Do you recommend any particular type of penetrating product? If I can get it broken free I will do your other suggestions and clean up and dry out the system, hopefully. Thanks.

10-30-2009, 09:41 AM	#4
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,408	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb Is it stuck then? ...has it rusted stuck or has something broken? You should be able to turn the cltch by hand no tools required back and forth ... if you can't turn it by hand then you have a problem. How long has it been in water or since it was last run?

10-30-2009, 09:55 AM	#5
jfagner Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Valley Mills, TX Posts: 5	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb Yes, stuck. flood last thursday, problem happened on friday when trying to move it to higher ground. When it ran is was like it wasn't getting any gas and had no power, I thought that the fuel system was just slow getting itself flowing again. There was allot of cranking and trying to get the spark plugs to kick in. I thought it was a fuel problem because it ran out of gas and didn't think to check the air intake until things had stopped. Having adjusted the valves before, I know that it should turn freely, that is not happening now, no movement at all. Don't think that rust has overtaken it at this point but know that time is a major factor right now for rust to take hold.

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10-30-2009, 10:01 AM	#6
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,408	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb Sounds like something broke? ...pull the plugs and put some oil in it... If it won't turn freely then I think you are maybe looking at a broken ring but lets wait for some real experts to put their 2 cents in

10-30-2009, 10:07 AM	#7
jfagner Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Valley Mills, TX Posts: 5	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb Thanks for the response, I will squirt some oil and let it set for a while and see if it will free up. I'll check back later to see what others might say. Thanks again for the very quick response!

10-30-2009, 10:14 AM	#8
chardonite Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chardon Ohio Posts: 257	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb My guess is water got in the oil and seized the engine up. The fact that it seized while running is very ominous. I would say look for a new or rebuilt engine.I would still try the oil in the cylinders. I would also check the oil, if it is milky looking it means water got in the oil and you found the problem. A water oil mix lubricates very poorly and causes engines to seize very quickly. Good luck, Chardonite

10-30-2009, 12:18 PM	#9
jfagner Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Valley Mills, TX Posts: 5	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb Ominous seems to be the theme. There is no milkyness to the oil, in fact it looks better than the oil in my own car! I have put some penetrating oil in the cylinders and will let it sit until tomorrow when I can get to it. Question? Can I use the bolt at the end of the shaft to try to break it free or does that just allow the removal of the clutch from the shaft? I may need a bit more torque on the shaft to try to break it from it's current state. Thank you for your response.

10-30-2009, 12:30 PM	#10
chardonite Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chardon Ohio Posts: 257	Re: Water soaked air filter - thus leading to carb I would use the bolt.. Good luck, Chardonite.

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