Engine recommendations

[edrass]

Hi all,

I have a gen 1 busa (2004) that was submerged in water. I live in south Florida. Thank you Hurricane Ian!

I am seeking advice on what to do with the engine. Should I scrap, rebuild or replace? I've cleaned it out, flushed out the water and old oil, pulled the covers and drained the pan and removed the filter. If a rebuild is suggested, who can do the work, and at what cost?? Is it worth rebuilding the engine on a stock bike that would only sell for 3 to 4 k in running condition?

Anyone looking for Gen 1 parts can message me. This was a perfectly maintained 17k miles bike stored (unfortunately) in a below sea level parking garage. All the body work and hard parts are in great shape. The electronics are questionable. The bike is titled so the frame could be used for a street legal rebuild.
I may part it out if the cost to repair is too great. Text me if you're looking for gen 1 parts. You can pick up or I can ship.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hayabusa Wannabe]

Welcome to the forum @edrass. I am sorry for what you have gone through with Ian.

 

[202mphbusa]

not sure it will need complete rebuild
motor turn over by hand?

I would 100% dump new oil and filter into it and pull the coil wires and crank the SH&^T out of it to coat everything inside with oil

Flush the fuel system
Put the ECU in some rice for a week while you do above
new battery and fuel see if she fires
if so BINGO BUT bring up to temp shut it down drain the oil again and refil
Run longer next time
Idea is to get all the water out by evaporating it

 

[Bumblebee]

Welcome,

That sucks to hear....

We've recently went through something similar with a 4 stroke (Suzuki) boat motor which was inverted in sea water when the boat capsized. We were advised to take all the electrical connectors apart and spray with contact cleaner, fill the engine with diesel fuel and flush several times without starting then with fresh oil to start-while running spray with engine storage spray to coat the cylinders.

As the engine doesn't have coolant, I'd suggest draining and flushing the coolant several times.

Wash the bike very well-I'd even take all the fairings off and wash underneath and then disconnect all the plugs to clean them.

 

[edrass]

Welcome to the forum @edrass. I am sorry for what you have gone through with Ian.

Thanks, good advice!

 

[edrass]

not sure it will need complete rebuild
motor turn over by hand?

I would 100% dump new oil and filter into it and pull the coil wires and crank the SH&^T out of it to coat everything inside with oil

Flush the fuel system
Put the ECU in some rice for a week while you do above
new battery and fuel see if she fires
if so BINGO BUT bring up to temp shut it down drain the oil again and refil
Run longer next time
Idea is to get all the water out by evaporating it

Thanks, good advice!

not sure it will need complete rebuild
motor turn over by hand?

I would 100% dump new oil and filter into it and pull the coil wires and crank the SH&^T out of it to coat everything inside with oil

Flush the fuel system
Put the ECU in some rice for a week while you do above
new battery and fuel see if she fires
if so BINGO BUT bring up to temp shut it down drain the oil again and refil
Run longer next time
Idea is to get all the water out by evaporating it

Thanks, good advice!

 

[202mphbusa]

Welcome,

That sucks to hear....

We've recently went through something similar with a 4 stroke (Suzuki) boat motor which was inverted in sea water when the boat capsized. We were advised to take all the electrical connectors apart and spray with contact cleaner, fill the engine with diesel fuel and flush several times without starting then with fresh oil to start-while running spray with engine storage spray to coat the cylinders.

As the engine doesn't have coolant, I'd suggest draining and flushing the coolant several times.

Wash the bike very well-I'd even take all the fairings off and wash underneath and then disconnect all the plugs to clean them.

FILL ENGINE WITH DIESEL FUEL brilliant Thank you

 

[Berlin Germany]

@edrass

saw half year ago the inside of a german fj 1200 motor which (meant ironic) had tried too to be a diver like your busa.

that showed me that in that case, bike did a complete dive, a complete putting into pieces of the engine (& trans) is unavoidable.

one can hardly imagine where the mud / dirt finds its way everywhere - it is the sheer horror.

you can even find it between the gear pinion and the shaft - ergo even completely disassemble the gear shafts and clean each individual part meticulously.

ditto at connecting rods and crankshaft bearings
cup tappet and surroundings
and not to forget the piston ring seats

and when ur ready with that pull really ALL bearings of the frame / fork / swing arm / wheels and clean also them meticulously from mud / dirt too - or best way - renew all them entirely.

all this will take an estimated 60-70 hours - but then you can be 99.5% sure that no further damage (caused by the invaded mud/dirt) will occur.

good luck and tons of patience

 

[Bumblebee]

@edrass

saw half year ago the inside of a german fj 1200 motor which (meant ironic) had tried too to be a diver like your busa.

that showed me that in that case, bike did a complete dive, a complete putting into pieces of the engine (& trans) is unavoidable.

one can hardly imagine where the mud / dirt finds its way everywhere - it is the sheer horror.

you can even find it between the gear pinion and the shaft - ergo even completely disassemble the gear shafts and clean each individual part meticulously.

ditto at connecting rods and crankshaft bearings
cup tappet and surroundings
and not to forget the piston ring seats

and when ur ready with that pull really ALL bearings of the frame / fork / swing arm / wheels and clean also them meticulously from mud / dirt too - or best way - renew all them entirely.

all this will take an estimated 60-70 hours - but then you can be 99.5% sure that no further damage (caused by the invaded mud/dirt) will occur.

good luck and tons of patience

Sounds like an engine scrap and replacement to me.

 

[TucoSalimonca]

Welcome,

That sucks to hear....

We've recently went through something similar with a 4 stroke (Suzuki) boat motor which was inverted in sea water when the boat capsized. We were advised to take all the electrical connectors apart and spray with contact cleaner, fill the engine with diesel fuel and flush several times without starting then with fresh oil to start-while running spray with engine storage spray to coat the cylinders.

As the engine doesn't have coolant, I'd suggest draining and flushing the coolant several times.

Wash the bike very well-I'd even take all the fairings off and wash underneath and then disconnect all the plugs to clean them.

GREAT idea with the diesel fuel... the bike is only worth 4K or so... worth a shot! Ill bet it works... and the motor lives too.

 

[Berlin Germany]

Sounds like an engine scrap and replacement to me.

bee?

not only the engine is damaged by mud
but also the entire frame / bearings etc. and all connected parts.
not to speak about eg. the odo - if flooded , it , i guess , is only scrap and nevermore usable
and so on.

@202mphbusa
and
@edrass

sorry if i get harsh in my words

but anyone who has never seen such damage in real life should be sparing with advice.

what do you think what happens with the really small oil channels?
they get clogged and then no more oil can get through. and then? .....

or what happens to the camshaft bearing points when fine sand comes out of the mud?
the aluminum in the head and camshaft holder will get significant running marks and then ......

no, there is no way around the complete disassembly down to the last spacer.

okay - then you can wash the parts in diesel, but simply filling the still closed engine with diesel (or oil) and rinsing it with it,
is, in my opinion, the quickest way to really finally destroy the engine / make it scrap.

yes - a flooded and for days diven bike is a total loss and only a serious & honorable craftsman can, with tons of patience, call it back to life.

last word - the gear pinions are made of so called black steel - with water inside gearbox they will start rusting after only a few days
and then lots of time more will flow down the river.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

bee?

not only the engine is damaged by mud
but also the entire frame / bearings etc. and all connected parts.
not to speak about eg. the odo - if flooded , it , i guess , is only scrap and nevermore usable
and so on.

@202mphbusa
and
@edrass

sorry if i get harsh in my words

but anyone who has never seen such damage in real life should be sparing with advice.

what do you think what happens with the really small oil channels?
they get clogged and then no more oil can get through. and then? .....

or what happens to the camshaft bearing points when fine sand comes out of the mud?
the aluminum in the head and camshaft holder will get significant running marks and then ......

no, there is no way around the complete disassembly down to the last spacer.

okay - then you can wash the parts in diesel, but simply filling the still closed engine with diesel (or oil) and rinsing it with it,
is, in my opinion, the quickest way to really finally destroy the engine / make it scrap.

yes - a flooded and for days diven bike is a total loss and only a serious & honorable craftsman can, with tons of patience, call it back to life.

last word - the gear pinions are made of so called black steel - with water inside gearbox they will start rusting after only a few days
and then lots of time more will flow down the river.

Frank, you are correct in your summing up, and these are issues that are not thought of by many people.
Fine silt and sand particles will find its way into every nook and cranny inside a motorcycle engine and as you said, if you drain and flush new diesel and after that, new oil, there will still remain some grit etc.
If it was my bike I think I’d strip it and clean, sell what I could and buy another bike. Just for peace of mind.

 

[Bumblebee]

bee?

not only the engine is damaged by mud
but also the entire frame / bearings etc. and all connected parts.
not to speak about eg. the odo - if flooded , it , i guess , is only scrap and nevermore usable
and so on.

@202mphbusa
and
@edrass

sorry if i get harsh in my words

but anyone who has never seen such damage in real life should be sparing with advice.

what do you think what happens with the really small oil channels?
they get clogged and then no more oil can get through. and then? .....

or what happens to the camshaft bearing points when fine sand comes out of the mud?
the aluminum in the head and camshaft holder will get significant running marks and then ......

no, there is no way around the complete disassembly down to the last spacer.

okay - then you can wash the parts in diesel, but simply filling the still closed engine with diesel (or oil) and rinsing it with it,
is, in my opinion, the quickest way to really finally destroy the engine / make it scrap.

yes - a flooded and for days diven bike is a total loss and only a serious & honorable craftsman can, with tons of patience, call it back to life.

last word - the gear pinions are made of so called black steel - with water inside gearbox they will start rusting after only a few days
and then lots of time more will flow down the river.

Flushing for diesel was for an immersed outboard-not much sand there.

However, this bike seems like a total write off and unless someone were to spend quite a bit of time, money and effort it will probably never be saved.

That being said, I've seen immersed cars live again without a total engine tear down.

 

[TucoSalimonca]

Flushing for diesel was for an immersed outboard-not much sand there.

However, this bike seems like a total write off and unless someone were to spend quite a bit of time, money and effort it will probably never be saved.

That being said, I've seen immersed cars live again without a total engine tear down.

a used hayabusa motor can be had for 1500 bucks. i would try the diesel fuel. the whole bike is only worth 4/5 grand....................................

 

[13B-RX3]

I've never done what your contemplating, but I would imagine flushing the engine with something hygroscopic first would be better than diesel. Maybe E85 to absorb the water, then diesel to protect the parts until it can be drained, filled with oil, then run. Just food for thought.

 

[TucoSalimonca]

I've never done what your contemplating, but I would imagine flushing the engine with something hygroscopic first would be better than diesel. Maybe E85 to absorb the water, then diesel to protect the parts until it can be drained, filled with oil, then run. Just food for thought.

getting complicated....... this bike is probaby junk. BUT its worth a shot to try the diesel as a flushing agent... THEN get it to start and run it hard. either it goes or it blows...... trash inside the motor/trash in the bearings is the main concern. as far as getting all the water out.... i mean, bouncing the bike off redline in multiple gears will dry it up pretty good... and it either goes or blows. itll be no secret, trapped trash inside the motor/bearings will do damage pretty quickly if it remains lodged there... its worth a shot though. maybe he gets lucky and the motor wont destroy itself. If the motor lives for 50 or 100 miles ... its worth changing the oil again right away/ just keep flushing systems and run it good and hard.

 

[202mphbusa]

I have never dealt with a flood victim
I have sank half a dozen dirt bikes both two and four strokes
And 3 snowmobiles. Water always got in. But I never found anything but water. Once again. Not a flood