Water Crossings Causes Big Red to DIE

[Power_Ram100]

I was out riding my 83 Big Red on some 4x4 trails. The trail quickly turned into a mud slinging water forging. Water was up to the shifter. After I would go through a section with water up to my shifter the engine would shut off. I would wait 30-45 sec and pull the choke out and she would start right up. In some of the deeper sections it would die 75% of the way through the water. I kept steady throttle but it would still sputter and die. I think water is getting into the electronics. Does anyone know where water might disrupt the electronics causing the engine to die? Or is something else causing Big Red to die at water crossings.

[MTS]

sounds like eletrical problems to me, i had this with my atc90 a wile back what it ended up bein was the spark plug boot was cracked and getting wet and diein, but for your BR i would check to make sure you have a good seal aound the pull start and eletric start housins, also make sure all of the eletrical connections are not getting wet,spray em with wd-40 then tape them all up to keep water out i find works pretty good :), also check the wires that come out of the stator on the left behind the chain guard cover on the motor and the the eletricals under the bottem right corver of the motor, i belive they are behind a little metal plate with screws on the big red if im not mistake, :p

[atcmatt]

I would say it has something to do with electricals definately. Most likely your stator. The reason i say it is that and not the coil or plug lead is because you havent been up to water that deep have you? That bigred should go through that water easy. I know my old 84 went up to the top of the head and she still chugged through.

Matt

[Maine_Triker]

Had the exact same problem with the 200E, all it was was that the plug got wet. Funny part is that we had to tow the 200E out of the water with the big bear :(

[TimSr]

The most common failure is simply the spark plug boot which costs about $3. The simple check is to start your engine, let it warm up, and then take the garden hose and shoot some water right on the plug while its running. If it dies, you found it. If not, shoot around until you find the spot that kills it. Its usually not the depth of the water, but that the front wheel typically throws it right on the top of the motor. The fact that it starts back up after waiting a short time indicates that its probably a splash problem. Usually if you have water leaking into a cover somewhere, it stays dead for a long time. I dont know your trike specifically, but the Honda 4 strokes Ive seen have the stator bathed in crank oil, and if you are getting water in there, you really have some serious problems.

[83185s]

next time u go through that water choke it a little bit..works on my 185s

[Dan Tenn]

I have had the exact same problem on 3 different trikes: atc 125, atc 185, and alt 125. All required the same fix after abusing them for a while. Burnt ignition stators from having a leaky stator/ pullstart housing. When you went through water, it would come pouring out of the stator housing. Wait 5 minutes, and all was when until the next water. I recommend silicone seal around the stator cover.

[TrikeKid]

i think it may be the crank case breather or one of the other vent tubes. i know a guy whose dad whose KTM always dies in the water. find the little piece of tubing coming out of the crank case (useually on top behind the cylender) and put it in a cup of water if it dies tie it up out of the way.

[83185s]

well that hose should be going into the airbox shouldnt it? its suppose to go into the bottom of the box..it has a plug lookin thing kinda like trailprotrailpro fuel lines on the airbox and that tube should run up and into the airbox so it gets clean air and not water..friends 200e big red did the same thing and got water in the oil..not a good combo