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Quick tips to repair a bike damaged by flood

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In India, monsoons are synonymous with floods in many parts. And no matter how sturdy, smart and stylish your bike is, flood water can cause a lot of damage to its parts. Which is why you should get online insurance for bikes so that you can be financially protected against flood related eventualities. Remember that you need a comprehensive policy ideally. Apart from protecting your vehicle with insurance, you can keep these tricks and tips handy to clean up and recover a flooded bike, but only if a professional mechanic is there with you. This blog elaborates three different situations that might arise in case of a flood.

Front and rear axle damaged by water that was as high as half tyre

1. You should start by taking off the brake system including the discs. Dry and clean the brake pads thoroughly. Inspect for any wear markers on the pads or any sign of rusting.
2. Identify the brake cam and brake lining. You need to buy some mechanical grease from a nearby spare parts store and apply it on the cam. Ensure that the brake lining does not get any grease on it or the brakes may start to slip.
3. Get a wire brush from the local hardware store and kerosene oil or metal cleaning solvent. Use it on the drive chain. If you can find chain spray, use it for extra cleaning and protection.
4. Remember that proper lubrication of the chain is important. SAE 80-90 gear oil can be used if you cannot find chain lubricant specifically meant for your bike. Inspect the chain for any signs of rusting and sand it off. Reinstall the chain and ensure it is not loose from any side.
5. A cable and gear or a pulley system that drives the speedometer and odometer are also in the same assembly. Identify, clean and lubricate them as needed.
6. Finally, inspect the tyres for any damage or punctures. Plug any punctures and inflate the tyres to the correct pressure.

Water has entered the exhaust system of the bike, the engine is submerged, but air cleaner remained

1. The situation requires you to proceed carefully, so do not attempt to start the engine.
2. Dismantle the exhaust assembly, inspect the catalytic convertor, and use kerosene to clean various parts.
3. Take off the spark plug and drain any water or mud from the engine.
4. Drain the engine oil from your engine and buy new engine oil while the engine dries.
5. Use compressed air to clean up the engine and air compression chamber. Repeat the process for at least three times.
6. Inspect and clean the spark plug, fuel input line and fuel pump. These may have dirt and mud deposits in them. Clean all of them and ensure that they get good seals and there is no leakage of any kind.
7. Put 50:50 engine oil and kerosene mixture in the crankcase and let your bike run on idle for around 10 minutes. This is going to do a thorough cleaning of the insides of your engine.
8. After around ten minutes, turn off the bike and drain the engine oil and kerosene mixture.
9. Let your bike engine cool down and inspect all parts for any damage or leaks.
10. Refill the engine oil once the engine has dried as per the specifications of the manufacturer.
11. Check the front and rear suspension of your bike for any leakage or damage caused by debris.

 

Bike completely underwater - Anything above brake master cylinder is considered full submergence

1. To begin with, drain the fuel tank completely and inspect it for any rust or damage from debris. Check fuel filler cap seal. Clean the tank with some petrol.
2. Remove the bike battery, clean the terminals properly, recharge and reinstall it.
3. Now, perform all the above-mentioned steps in both sections.
4. Clean the air filter of the bike.
5. Clean the utility box, if installed. It is assumed that you took out bike pacers from the box before it was submerged. If not, you will need to get duplicates of papers like those of online insurance for bike and PUC certificate.
6. Check all electric couplers for any damaged cables or wires. Test all electronics like switches and bulbs.
7. Wash your bike with soap and detergent.

Keep in mind that all these steps must be performed under proper professional supervision. Also, before you start, check with your insurance company about their flood damage cover in case you availed a comprehensive plan while buying online insurance for bike.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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