P500 Breather under water, what now?

cthack

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Well, my lease is flooded, we have had copious amounts of rain lately. Driving down a flooded road that a skidder evidently drove down sometime before me. Water was all up in my lap like right now. Machine started coughing, died. I got out found the winch under the muddy water and winched the thing out. Sat scratching my head and thinking about what to do. I checked the oil to see if water was in it, no, clean and at normal level. Intake appears to have been just barely under for just a moment. Was going to dissamble breather assembly, unloaded my rack with all the lease maintenance accoutrements and then thought, I will try and start it. Turned it over and it acted like it wanted to start, like it had bad gas, (it did, water in the gas). Kept turning it over, it coughed a few times and started up. I went ahead and drove it for about 4 more hours while working around the lease, and it ran very rough for about the first two hours and then smoothed on out like nothing happened. My question is, what now, do I need to do anything to it? I am going to take the air filter out tomorrow and clean it and the housing. What else should I do. Never thought I wanted a snorkel until today. Also, I believe if I had a little taller, and more aggressive tires other than the stocks, I would probably have pulled right through the hole. After it died and we got out to winch it to dry land, it climbed on top of over a foot of mud. Nasty place.
 
Hondasxs

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Hi..
For everyone reading. I cant stress how important it is to extend your fuel tank breather hose. This has been the #1 cause of almost all Pioneer's cutting off when seat deep or better.

This will explain.
Fuel tank breather hose - IMPORTANT if you ride water!

SO PLEASE. EXTEND YOUR FUEL TANK HOSES IF NOTHING ELSE!

-----------------------------
@cthack, Sorry to here this. Most likley the fuel is the only issue if the air box and drain tube is dry.
You could see a little in the front and rear diff but it want be like the fuel tank sucking it in!

Thanks.
 
Eltobgi

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I would recommend checking fuel tank for dirt! If any, I would remove tank clean thoroughly, and reinstall. Fill, add Seafoam or some other product. Then Snorkle it, extend all breather lines upward, pick up bigger tires, and immediately go back to where it happened and redeem yourself!;) Good luck!
 
Montecresto

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Hi..
For everyone reading. I cant stress how important it is to extend your fuel tank breather hose. This has been the #1 cause of almost all Pioneer's cutting off when seat deep or better.

This will explain.
Fuel tank breather hose - IMPORTANT if you ride water!

SO PLEASE. EXTEND YOUR FUEL TANK HOSES IF NOTHING ELSE!

-----------------------------
@cthack, Sorry to here this. Most likley the fuel is the only issue if the air box and drain tube is dry.
You could see a little in the front and rear diff but it want be like the fuel tank sucking it in!

Thanks.
That's good information, thanks for posting it!
 
Montecresto

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Well, my lease is flooded, we have had copious amounts of rain lately. Driving down a flooded road that a skidder evidently drove down sometime before me. Water was all up in my lap like right now. Machine started coughing, died. I got out found the winch under the muddy water and winched the thing out. Sat scratching my head and thinking about what to do. I checked the oil to see if water was in it, no, clean and at normal level. Intake appears to have been just barely under for just a moment. Was going to dissamble breather assembly, unloaded my rack with all the lease maintenance accoutrements and then thought, I will try and start it. Turned it over and it acted like it wanted to start, like it had bad gas, (it did, water in the gas). Kept turning it over, it coughed a few times and started up. I went ahead and drove it for about 4 more hours while working around the lease, and it ran very rough for about the first two hours and then smoothed on out like nothing happened. My question is, what now, do I need to do anything to it? I am going to take the air filter out tomorrow and clean it and the housing. What else should I do. Never thought I wanted a snorkel until today. Also, I believe if I had a little taller, and more aggressive tires other than the stocks, I would probably have pulled right through the hole. After it died and we got out to winch it to dry land, it climbed on top of over a foot of mud. Nasty place.
I sure hope your rides ok buddy!
 
cthack

cthack

Active Member
Aug 17, 2015
101
198
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Texarkana, Arkansas
Hi..
For everyone reading. I cant stress how important it is to extend your fuel tank breather hose. This has been the #1 cause of almost all Pioneer's cutting off when seat deep or better.

This will explain.
Fuel tank breather hose - IMPORTANT if you ride water!

SO PLEASE. EXTEND YOUR FUEL TANK HOSES IF NOTHING ELSE!

-----------------------------
@cthack, Sorry to here this. Most likley the fuel is the only issue if the air box and drain tube is dry.
You could see a little in the front and rear diff but it want be like the fuel tank sucking it in!

Thanks.
Sure enough, water in the air box.
Thanks Hondasxs for the advise.

I cleaned it all out, cleaned and oiled filter, installed sea foam in tank, snorkeled the fuel tank vent and went ahead and snorkeled the breather. Took a little time, but was very inexpensive. I bought 6' of fuel line, used all but 8" of it. One piece of ABS 2" pipe, one, 90, one turn back fitting and one 1 1/2"x 2" flexible coupling. Fairly easy mod. I ran the fuel tank vent up with the air snorkel, you can just see the end of it at the intake for the snorkel. Hopefully this will eliminate the frustration that I went through this weekend.

IMG 0839


IMG 0831
I
IMG 0846
 
cthack

cthack

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Aug 17, 2015
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198
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Texarkana, Arkansas
Sure enough, water in the air box.
Thanks Hondasxs for the advise.

I cleaned it all out, cleaned and oiled filter, installed sea foam in tank, snorkeled the fuel tank vent and went ahead and snorkeled the breather. Took a little time, but was very inexpensive. I bought 6' of fuel line, used all but 8" of it. One piece of ABS 2" pipe, one, 90, one turn back fitting and one 1 1/2"x 2" flexible coupling. Fairly easy mod. I ran the fuel tank vent up with the air snorkel, you can just see the end of it at the intake for the snorkel. Hopefully this will eliminate the frustration that I went through this weekend.

View attachment 21277

View attachment 21273 I View attachment 21276
IMG 0845
I wanted to point out that I also had to melt the pipe just a bit with a torch in order to make room for the rack. A heat gun would have been ideal, but I didn't want to dig through all my junk to find it. It deflected the pipe slightly, shouldn't impede the air flow needed for the machine sense I used 2" pipe as a riser and the OEM breather assembly is just 1 1/2".
 
Montecresto

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View attachment 21279 I wanted to point out that I also had to melt the pipe just a bit with a torch in order to make room for the rack. A heat gun would have been ideal, but I didn't want to dig through all my junk to find it. It deflected the pipe slightly, shouldn't impede the air flow needed for the machine sense I used 2" pipe as a riser and the OEM breather assembly is just 1 1/2".
Good news ct, looks good too!
 
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trigger

trigger

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View attachment 21279 I wanted to point out that I also had to melt the pipe just a bit with a torch in order to make room for the rack. A heat gun would have been ideal, but I didn't want to dig through all my junk to find it. It deflected the pipe slightly, shouldn't impede the air flow needed for the machine sense I used 2" pipe as a riser and the OEM breather assembly is just 1 1/2".

Is it a lot louder now?
 
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cthack

cthack

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Is it a lot louder now?
Exhaust or intake? I didn't notice any increase in either. The first thing I thought about when placing the intake right next to my head. I guess with a small single cylinder it doesn't pull much air. The two inch pipe is really overkill. When you think about it, most v-8 engines have air intake necked down to 2 or 3".0905or 01 z2Bbanks ram air intake2Bstock intake system
 
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Gator

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Be sure to change the oil. And watch/inspect it for traces of water.
Your differentials are probably OK but, I would check them also.
 
trigger

trigger

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Exhaust or intake? I didn't notice any increase in either. The first thing I thought about when placing the intake right next to my head. I guess with a small single cylinder it doesn't pull much air. The two inch pipe is really overkill. When you think about it, most v-8 engines have air intake necked down to 2 or 3".View attachment 21321
Yeah intake...read somewhere that someone thought it was louder with a snorkel.
That's why I baled on doing that mod early in the build.
 
cthack

cthack

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Yeah intake...read somewhere that someone thought it was louder with a snorkel.
That's why I baled on doing that mod early in the build.
I never thought it was necessary to snorkel. Until I swamped it! I don't intend to ever get the machine that deep again. I didn't intend to do it this time. I don't like water all up in my gentleman's region when out on a long ride. It is downright uncomfortable. I really don't like the machine sputtering out an hours walk away from camp. Also, I ride by myself a lot and just as soon not be stranded. I hope this mod keeps me going even when I misjudge the water depth.
 
Gator

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I never thought it was necessary to snorkel. Until I swamped it! I don't intend to ever get the machine that deep again. I didn't intend to do it this time. I don't like water all up in my gentleman's region when out on a long ride. It is downright uncomfortable. I really don't like the machine sputtering out an hours walk away from camp. Also, I ride by myself a lot and just as soon not be stranded. I hope this mod keeps me going even when I misjudge the water depth.


Excellent post. This echoes my views on snorkeling perfectly. I'm 50 years old and I've done it twice. That's why I want it snorkeled.
 
CumminsPusher

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I'm with Gator! My echoes as well. Hopefully things are good now


Sent from iPhone
 
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Tflynn

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How many posts like this do I have to read until I just snorkel it already?!? I don't know what I'm waiting for but now I'm doing it! Thanks @cthack for pushing me over the edge, this story hit home for me.
 
Montecresto

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I never thought it was necessary to snorkel. Until I swamped it! I don't intend to ever get the machine that deep again. I didn't intend to do it this time. I don't like water all up in my gentleman's region when out on a long ride. It is downright uncomfortable. I really don't like the machine sputtering out an hours walk away from camp. Also, I ride by myself a lot and just as soon not be stranded. I hope this mod keeps me going even when I misjudge the water depth.
Did this happen in a routine creek crossing, or is your lease down there in the bottoms and there was some serious flooding that you waded off into?
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

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How many posts like this do I have to read until I just snorkel it already?!? I don't know what I'm waiting for but now I'm doing it! Thanks @cthack for pushing me over the edge, this story hit home for me.
CA's still in a drought, you're ok T!
 
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