How to Know if Your ATV Is Flooded
by Lora Covrett
Flooding happens when to much liquid gets inside the engine of your ATV. This can be too much gasoline or water. Water can get into the engine and other important internal parts of your ATV if it gets submerged under water. Part of the fun of riding ATVs is riding through mud and small rivers and streams. ATVs are made to handle rough terrain, however, getting completely submerged even for even one minute can definitely flood your machine.
Step 1
Attempt to start your ATV. If your ATV is dry and not been out running through rivers and streams, attempt to start it a couple times with the choke on and giving it some gas. If it turns over, but won't start, it might be flooded. This is when too much gas is in the engine. Wait about 20 minutes and try again to restart it.
Step 2
Inspect your ATV after being submerged in water. If the ATV is submerged and then quits running, the engine is flooded with water. Follow these steps to drain all the water out of the engine components: Take the spark plugs out and turn the engine over to let the water drain out the holes. Drain the front and rear differentials, air box and also drain the oil. Allow all parts to dry thoroughly. Refill the oil at least twice.
Step 3
Verify how your ATV is running after riding through high water even if it didn't shut off when going through it. If it's idling high or sounds choppy or smoke is rolling out the exhaust, there might be some flooding in the engine, differentials or crank case. If it slips when you shift gears, the water could have gotten into your clutch housing. Also be sure to check that all electrical devices are functioning properly.
References
Writer Bio
Lora Covrett has been writing professionally since 2006. She has published a humor book, as well as articles for various online publications. Covrett is an IBM-certified database administrator and solution expert. She completed her Bachelor of Science in computer information systems at Devry University.
