Free Honda Rancher 420 Rebuild

[HelmCrusher]

I was given a Honda Rancher 420, but it was submerged during Harvey. I needed a project to keep me distracted from my recently changed life, so this is perfect. So it was submerged for a max of 2 weeks or a minimum of 4 days. Its has never been ran or cranked over, and it was moved for the first time yesterday since it was flooded/submegered. So I plan on getting it up and running again but I'm super green when it comes to tearing apart and putting together engines and I need yalls experienced advise on what to do.

Let me tell you what I've done/found so far

Charged battery, turned key on, display lights turn on respectively, headlight switches work, headlights/brake lights work. In the air box, water was up to the bottom of the filter and it was soaked, tossed it. Drained the oil, definitely had some water in it but not near as much as I expected maybe 2 cups of water mixed in. Pulled the spark plug, has some carbon and wet gunk on it. I need to get a bore scope and look in the piston but from what I can see it has the same kind of gunk inside.

I plan on cranking the engine over while running engine cleaner with the spark plug pulled. I guess rebuild the top end and clean the air intake

If there are steps I should be doing before tearing the engine apart or other things to look at please let me know.

[Quackerbox]

Being a honda and assuming it hasnt ran since the flood I bet you could give it flush and it will fire right up.

I witnessed one roll off a sand bar into the san Jacinto river. We couldn't get to it or out for a week. Owner drained water and oil, added new oil and hit starter with kill switch off. Drained oil and repeated 4 times. 5th time of oil he started and drove it for years.

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[Txprowler]

I'd drain the diff's also grease all the bearings. After you change the oil and turn the engine over a few times I would change the oil again.

[texaslammer]

I got a older polaris ranger the same scenario. sat for two weeks, i flushed everything multiple times, all hoses filters, oil, I pulled spark plugs I sprayed wd40 inside and let it set for a minute and fired over multiple times untill it blew all the water out. It was never cranked while submerged and was never cranked untill I did all the flush and service and knock on wood has been awesome so far and runs like a champ. I am sure the honda will do you right. Just a little different since water has been sitting inside of it for a long time now. Good luck and keep us posted.

[ATI]

I'm just waiting for someone to come and post "I'll take it"

[bakin7005]

I'm just waiting for someone to come and post "I'll take it"

I'll take it...PM sent.

[Walker]

Its not how long it was submerged that counts. Its how long it sat after it was pulled out that matters. Harvey was over a year ago so I really be surprised if you can resurrect it.

[ATI]

I'll take it...PM sent.

[MontanaTex]

gone?

[bamtex]

I flooded my Honda trx450r in the river once. It was only in there for about 10 mins but was completely submerged. Took it home, drained the oil, put diesel in the crankcase (diesel is a good cleaner and cheaper than oil), turned the motor over 20 times with kill switch off, drained it, did it 1 more time, added diesel again but started it this time for about 30 seconds, drained it, did it again, changed oil filter, diesel one more time running for 30-45 seconnds, then drained it, changed oil filter again and put oil in it. Ran like a champ for years! I did the same process to a Yamaha YFZ450r that had sat outside with the top end off for at least a year. Same result, ran like a champ.
One of the biggest worries would be if the crank bearings are rusted. That would cause the motor to seize up. If it turns over then I bet your fine. You're going to have to go through the carb really well too. Stuff gets gunked up pretty easy after sitting awhile. What ever fluids it has, coolant, brake fluid, gear oil, motor oil...I would go ahead change all of it. I'm no atv mechanic but I have worked on several and rebuilt a few.

[KyleW]

After sitting that long, I will be shocked if it will start after changing oil and such. .
Good luck with the project!

bamtex hit it on the head. Rebuild vs not is likely going to come down to the crank bearings being rusted or not. If you use oil to flush, buy the cheapest stuff you can, because it is going to take a lot of it. Not a bad idea to change the oil filter a few times also.

[HelmCrusher]

My current plan is to get the engine running first, then work on the difs, rear brakes.

But as Walker pointed out, the water that creeped into the motor has sat there for a year and a half.

[HelmCrusher]

Thanks yall, sounds like I need lots more oil and some diesel.

What do yall think oil first or diesel?

[Leemo]

It’s trash if the piston sat it the down position

[Dirtymike]

Good luck