Last Sunday (22 July 07) I decided it was time I gave my new baby (07 Heritage Classic) a wash and wax. After getting it nice and shinny I decided to have a ride and with my wife and son meeting me at a restaurant to have dinner. When we left the restaurant around 9:00pm we noticed that it had been raining. We had not noticed this while in the restaurant because they had dark tented windows and it was dark outside. We could see lightning in the distance and hear the rumble so I decided it was time to head for the house.
The drive home was not bad at first, no rain just a very light drizzle. As I got off the freeway (59N) and onto the main street (Braeswood) leading into our area of town (Meyerland) I stopped and fueled up the bike. I left the gas station with little concern other than the fact that I had just washed the bike only hours earlier.
Then the fun started. I had just left a traffic light following an SUV when we rounded a turn approaching Fondern when the SUV slowed and entered some high water. By the time I realized how high the water was it was too late. The SUV headed for high ground and the wake stalled my motor. I turned off the ignition switch and started pushing my bike until I had reached the safety of a parking lot about 50 yards up.
It was then that I noticed a car with the same fate and others attempting to traverse the same waters that had already claimed two vehicles. After walking back to the point where the cars could turn around and waving at them to turn around, I returned to my bike and found that it would restart. I drove it home and parked it in the garage.
Today I took my bike into have the 1000 mile service performed (it has 982 miles). While driving it to the dealership I noticed white smoke coming out of the bike when I accelerated. When I reached the dealership I recounted the above story to them and went out to push the bike in. We found milky oil leaking from the stage 1 air cleaner. I am now awaiting the outcome from the service tech. I put about 8 miles on it post flood.
Question: has anyone seen, heard of, or had this happen? If so what was the outcome?
My wife told me that it would be OK, and that she is in with the doctor. I just would rather be there with her than be sitting by the phone.

 

Sounds like you have water in the oil.

Have them change all 3 fluids.

You'll be fine..

Next time - don't drive through that much water...

 

Thanks Nick,

I'm hoping that is all it is. I'm having them do the 1000 mile service which shold include Engine oil and filter, Primary chaincase lubricant, and Transmission lubricant. As ofr next time...There won't be one...[sm=goodidea.gif]

 

someday all this rain in houston has tostop. milky = water in oil, just change all oils and you should be fine

 

Curious, how deep was the water?
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About 12"-14", but the wakes from the SUV made it about 18". I just got the bike back from the dealership. They just did the 1000 mile maintenance. The HD technician told me that the chocolate milk being blown out my air cleaner was due to water getting into my oil. He added that I was lucky that water did not enter my electronics or I would have had a big bill coming.


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Electronics? Your lucky that the water didnt hydrolock the engine! You could have quickly had two pistons and or connecting rod cracked on through the jugs!

Id rather have to futz around with electrical than having to hear that I need a new engine. Hydrolocking is bad news anyway you cut it. since its monsoon season here in Tucson, I get pucker factor every time I see standing water. But its definitely alot worse when its raining... and here when it rains, it rains HARD.

 

Yea, what everyone else has said chocolate milk looking oil is a sure sign of water in the engine oil.... But if you only drove it 8 milesto the dealership to have the fluids changed then itshould be fine...

 

Coco colored oil is a common symptom of water in the oil.
If you had had any exposure to 4X4offroadingyou probably would have reconized it instantly for what it was.
Itsa verycommontofindwater mixed in the oil inaxles that have been throughwater deep enough to submerge them and anyone who's been at it very long knows tocheck for it after any trips where theres's even a smallchance that water might get in.