So my kids (girl/boy 7/9) wanted to wash my bike for some pocket money - great I thought, what harm can they do (and I can't be bothered!)?
So, the weekend before last I let them do it, I was pleased someone else wanted to wash it. When they finished, I spent an hour "finishing" it, and left it drying in the sun.
A couple of hours later I tried to start it, and nothing, just turned over and over. Strange, they must have got the electrics soaked. I'll leave it in the sun for a couple more hours.
Finally, it started, ran a bit rough at first and then cleared itself. There was the odd plume of smoke underneath the bike (not water vapour) from an occasional drip of what seemed to be oil. Its never leaked before. So, I thought I'll put the bike in the garage and check the oil level tomorrow.
Can anyone guess what I found the next day?
I pulled the dipstick and found the stick covered in creamy gooey mess - just like when the head gasket has gone! Now I'm panicking, with no spare bike to get to work the next day. So, it seems odd. I check the water level - its fine! Now I'm puzzled. I started the bike and let it idle. No signs of head gasket problems.
Luckily, I had a spare can of fresh oil. I decide to drain the oil and replace with fresh, and keep my fingers crossed. All has been well since.
All I can think of is that my son has shoved the garden hose down the air intakes and filled the engine with water!!! I feel very lucky now that I seemed to have gotten away with it!! Phew!
Kids, who'd have them?!!!! You have been warned....
Rich
So, the weekend before last I let them do it, I was pleased someone else wanted to wash it. When they finished, I spent an hour "finishing" it, and left it drying in the sun.
A couple of hours later I tried to start it, and nothing, just turned over and over. Strange, they must have got the electrics soaked. I'll leave it in the sun for a couple more hours.
Finally, it started, ran a bit rough at first and then cleared itself. There was the odd plume of smoke underneath the bike (not water vapour) from an occasional drip of what seemed to be oil. Its never leaked before. So, I thought I'll put the bike in the garage and check the oil level tomorrow.
Can anyone guess what I found the next day?
I pulled the dipstick and found the stick covered in creamy gooey mess - just like when the head gasket has gone! Now I'm panicking, with no spare bike to get to work the next day. So, it seems odd. I check the water level - its fine! Now I'm puzzled. I started the bike and let it idle. No signs of head gasket problems.
Luckily, I had a spare can of fresh oil. I decide to drain the oil and replace with fresh, and keep my fingers crossed. All has been well since.
All I can think of is that my son has shoved the garden hose down the air intakes and filled the engine with water!!! I feel very lucky now that I seemed to have gotten away with it!! Phew!
Kids, who'd have them?!!!! You have been warned....
Rich
