Motorbike flooded after heavy rain: Is wiping the spark plug enough?

Many motorbikes in the underground parking lot of a mini apartment building in Hanoi have been submerged in water after heavy rain last night (Photo: Phan Sinh).

Depending on the level of flooding, motorbikes may need spark plug cleaning, oil change, electrical system check, or even engine flushing...

Scooter

After bringing the scooter to a dry place, you should only try starting the engine 1-2 times; if it doesn’t start, do not force it as it may cause more damage. Conversely, if the engine starts, you should shift the gear to 0 and rev the throttle to push out the trapped water in the exhaust pipe. It’s best to tilt the front of the scooter slightly while doing this.

You can then use a screwdriver to remove the spark plug, clean it thoroughly, and then reinstall it before attempting to start the scooter again.

If the scooter still doesn’t start even after cleaning the spark plug, water may have entered the carburetor. In this case, you need to shut off the fuel to drain the remaining fuel in the carburetor, then reopen the fuel.

If the scooter still doesn’t start after performing the above steps, it’s advisable to call a mechanic or take the scooter to a repair shop. Scooters submerged in water deeply need to have the engine compartment cleaned and the oil changed. Additionally, it’s necessary to clean and dry the electrical connections in the system to prevent corrosion, oxidation, and short-circuiting.

After a few days of using the scooter, check the oil; if it has changed color, it needs to be changed again.

Scooter with automatic transmission

Scooters with automatic transmission have the vent tube of the gearbox located relatively low, making it easy for water to enter, causing the engine oil to become acidic and change from yellow to milky white.

When handling a submerged scooter with automatic transmission, the first step is to remove the spark plug to clean and reinstall it. Next, you need to drain all the oil in the engine compartment, replace the lubricating oil before starting the scooter again. Then, dry the electrical connections to prevent the risk of short-circuiting.

Electric scooter

For an electric scooter submerged in water, the first step is to remove the battery from the scooter to avoid the risk of short-circuiting. After that, clean off the mud from the body and undercarriage. Be careful not to wet electrical components such as the motor, battery, controller,...

After rinsing with water, use a dry cloth to wipe the entire body of the scooter. For hard-to-reach areas, you can use a hairdryer to dry them (at medium temperature, avoiding excessive heat).

If the battery is not submerged, you can reinstall it and start the scooter. However, if the battery has been submerged, do not start the scooter and take it to the nearest repair shop, showroom, or electric scooter dealer for assistance.