Submerged Tremezzo - developments

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Daddy Dom
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Joined: 16 Nov 2006 19:48
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Submerged Tremezzo - developments

Post by Daddy Dom »

Oh dear. I have just learnt that my 1983 K1 has suffered "slight submergence" while being refurbished after a light accident.

I'm told the water went "just higher than the mufflers" but I know no more at this point.

I'm making a claim and may be offered it as a buy-back. Can anyone offer any advice on the likelihood of a rebirth, based on their experience of a flooded bike?

At which point may it actually, honestly be a lost cause?

TIA,
Dom in Auckland
Last edited by Daddy Dom on 20 May 2023 02:27, edited 1 time in total.
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3potjohn
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by 3potjohn »

I saw the awful weather you have been having on the news. If it only got up to the silencers you may be lucky, but sounds like halfway up the bottom of the motor. Working up from the floor, I would look at wheel bearings, drain the oil and check for water. If the water did not make it to the crankcase and cylinders that will be good,Definitely check that the cylinders are not full of water. The rotor and stator need a look at for detritus etc. Check if it got up to the clutch/ pushrod. Check,strip clean starter motor, and stator/rotor. Corrosion can develop so needs a good dry out quickly. Check fuel pathway.
Grease the swing arm and centre stand.
Well that is what comes to mind. I suspect water will have got past the main bearings though.
I rode through water that came up to the floatbowls on my R75/7 last month which was bad enough.
John
Steve Brown
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Location: Leicestershire

Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by Steve Brown »

Agree with John's comments above but wouldn't expect water to get past the seals on the crank or gearbox etc unless the bike is partly stripped or the seals are really bad. (the clutch pushrod on the right has an O ring seal but is often well worn and forgotten about) The water level would have to get to cylinder head/valves level to pour in, unless again the bike is partly stripped for work.
Obviously you'll be draining it anyway so the state of the oil will tell you all.
Hope the damage isn't too bad and you can get the rest of your world back in order soon!
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
norbert
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by norbert »

If the motor was under water one question is for how long time. I think the greatest risk that water has come inside might be the respiration tube behind the rear cilinder and the carbs. If the carbs are floated and you have an open valve ...
Draining the oil will make things much clearer.
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Daddy Dom
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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by Daddy Dom »

Thanks for the good wishes, everyone.
The bike was completely intact, apart from having some of the newly resprayed parts removed - tank, front mudguard. The engine was oil-tight and working well.

There's no way I can get there to dry it, it's in a flooded workshop along with all the other customer bikes.

I will advise.
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3potjohn
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by 3potjohn »

Well let’s hope the weather abates soon but it is not a good situation. Some people have died I gather. We are expecting a North-South split here this week with 80 mph wind in Scotland and sunny biking weather in the south.
Take care, John
MickeyMoto
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by MickeyMoto »

We could do with some rain to clean the roads of all the salt before my bike leaves the garage.
mbmm350s
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Location: Reading UK
Location: Berkshire UK

Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by mbmm350s »

Dominic,

Sad to hear of the submergence, I know how you looked after that bike so I know its well greased and oiled
and we hope that damage will be limited.

I think Morinis are remarkably robust, and even injesting water, so long as you don't run it everything could be ok.
When you can get the bike back home, clean it and dry it out you will be able to assess better.
As mentioned draining the oil is the first step. I think remove the clutch side cover you can see inside for any rust.
That will also allow you to prime the crank oil ways.
Removing all the engine covers and rocker covers will assist it drying out.
I have some product that is a water dispersant that you use after washing the bike it works well.

As John says I would remove the alternator rotor as there could be debris, inside the rotor and e start area.

From the frame side only the front brake would worry me everything else can be cleaned or even bearings/chain replaced.

I am having an engine refurbished that was rusty inside
but it ran very well considering just with a odd rumbling from the main bearings.
Many said it sounded OK but we knew there was something different.
And of course you will know if yours is different, if something has changed.

Good luck
Mark
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Daddy Dom
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by Daddy Dom »

I've been to see the bike, it looks laughably untouched. However.

The mechanic said the water went exactly 30cm up the walls in the workshop so I can be sure there's water sitting in the mufflers at this point. I was also advised to change the wheel bearings, to be safe, which is a shame as they're double-lipped and only a year old.
Other than that, I can't even see a waterline on the crankcases.

Watch this space.
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mbmm350s
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Location: Berkshire UK

Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by mbmm350s »

Sounds more positive.

Water inside mufflers not a problem, drain them out, they are probably well coated with carbon, it's acidic water vapour from combustion and short journeys that causes rot.

I would still check the alternator side for debris ingress
and drain the oil.
Mark
park3164
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Joined: 03 Jun 2014 13:34
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by park3164 »

Hi Dom,
Sorry to here the K1 suffered in the flood. My garage flooded a couple of years ago during the night and the tide line left on the K2 was up to just below the the RHS crankcase vents when I fished the bike out from 10cm water a few hours later in the morning. I slept through people knocking on all the apartment doors at 3am when the water was rising, doh :(
I rang my mechanic as soon as he opened and he said to run it and get it hot to dry things out, but it sounds like yours was submerged longer. I also WD40'd the frame and various WD40 amenable parts which got wet. Water had gotten into the silencers through the balance pipe join which was a little loose. Brakes were ok for a little while then a front one oozed some crud and a caliper seal had suffered. The oil pressure switch at the crankcase I think needed a new o ring or some such as a tiny leak started around it
The result was cleaning up front calipers and replacing caliper seals, replacing all wheel bearings (fortunately the bike had recently been serviced and wheel bearings greased heavily). Then braizing up the LHS silencer very soon after as it blew out a big hole where a little prior rust had progressed to eat right through the original La Franconi. Under the RHS engine cover looked ok at the time, but now at the next cambelt change the flywheel didnt come off easily so suspect a little water may have gotten in and a tad rust had grabbed the flywheel.
Otherwise the bike has been quite ok since. Hang in there Dom and may your bike also recover from this.
Fiona (K2, Sydney)
MickeyMoto
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by MickeyMoto »

Not much chance of having poisonous critters swimming in the flood in UnZud! :)
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Daddy Dom
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by Daddy Dom »

Hi all,
thanks for your good wishes, I've been diverted by a landmark birthday and not much action re my Morini.

The update is that the workshop where it was being rebuilt post-floods that were pre-cyclone is now being rebuilt.
Until the workshop is rebuilt, I can't ascertain what's the next step with my bike.
So, a waiting game.

Cheers,
Dom
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3potjohn
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by 3potjohn »

You have had a run of grim weather. Hope it improves before winter.
John
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Daddy Dom
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Re: Submerged Tremezzo

Post by Daddy Dom »

Things. Are. Moving. Very. Slowly.
I've been offered the bike back at a salvage cost ... but will I go there?

Watch this space...
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