Is it okay if a motorcycle doesn't stall when going through water?

[AlainaAnn]

Water depth should not submerge the intake pipe. If it exceeds the intake pipe, water will enter the cylinder through the intake tract. In mild cases, the engine stalling will affect its lifespan, while in severe cases, it can lead to cylinder damage and engine failure. Below is the relevant introduction: After the engine ingests water, it will inevitably stall. Since the water entering the cylinder lacks lubricating properties, blindly restarting the engine after stalling may cause severe damage due to cylinder scuffing, leading to engine failure. Check the condition of all vehicle fluid systems: to prevent foaming, cloudiness, or other signs of oil degradation and loss of lubrication after water ingress. Additionally, water may carry sand particles, causing excessive engine wear. In such cases, prompt cleaning and replacement are necessary.

[McJuliette]

Last time I rode my motorcycle through a puddle, although it didn’t stall, it scared me into a cold sweat. If the water is shallow, you might get lucky and be fine, but if the water rises above the exhaust pipe opening, the backpressure can force water back into the cylinders, eventually causing engine seizure. The worst is when the air filter gets soaked and chokes the engine—since yours didn’t stall, it means the intake wasn’t submerged. However, once you get home, you must open the air filter box to check if the filter is damp. Also, remember to clean the drive chain with a high-pressure washer and re-lubricate it, or the grit will accelerate wear. Oh, and brake discs lose stopping power after splashing through water, so be careful not to skid when cornering. Chassis bolts are prone to rust after soaking, so it’s best to spray them with WD-40.

[AliviaLee]

Our team has encountered this during rainy races. Maintaining a steady RPM while wading through water is actually fine. However, if the water level exceeds the lower edge of the engine, the crankcase ventilation tube might suck in water, leading to troublesome oil emulsification. A water temperature sensor submerged in cold water may falsely trigger trouble codes—don’t panic if the dashboard warning light comes on. Water ingress into wheel hub bearings is a slow-burning issue; it’ll start squeaking after a few weeks. My routine is to immediately warm up the car for half an hour after wading, letting the exhaust heat dry out the internals. Also, check the waterproof rubber seals on the spark plug caps—leaks there can cause engine misfires and shaking. Remove any stones stuck in tire treads; wet-weather grip is absolutely critical.

[StAbel]

Motorcycle enthusiasts should know some tricks. Water accumulation in the exhaust pipe can suffocate the muffler cotton, causing popping sounds like firecrackers when riding. I've seen fellow riders' exhaust pipes spraying water columns when starting the next day. The crankshaft position sensor wiring harness connector is located at the bottom of the engine, making it prone to short circuits when submerged. Even scarier is when the radiator fins get clogged with mud, causing the water temperature to skyrocket unnoticed. It's recommended to clean the radiator fins with a soft-bristle toothbrush after rain and buy a thermal imager from Taobao to measure cylinder temperature. Modified bikes with high-mounted air intakes should also be wary of water seepage at the air filter box seams—my KTM fell victim to this once.