bphemi

My son has a rancher that we just had the cylinder board and a new piston and rings put in because he had got water in the oil. The whole time I'm thinking it is because he sunk it even though he said he didn't. He is 15 years old. Well after doing that and changing the oil about 6 times to get the water out, and him paying about $600, he took it out this weekend and came back with water in his oil. He swears he didnt go through any water above the tires. Is there any seals or our boots that could be broke that is allowingg water to come in. there is no leakes so I don't think it could be a seal since I would think if water could get in then oil could get out. Just trying to figure out where the water is coming from. Thanks for your time and help in advance.

toodeep

Did the crankcase vent line (tube from the air box to the motor) get unhooked?

bphemi

Not sure. I will take a look at that. Thanks.

bphemi

Ok I checked the crankcase vent line and it looks ok. It is still connected and doesn't seen to have any cracks in it. also looked at the air box and it seams to be in good shape with no holes our cracks. Any other ideas?

FishFactory

Did you check your coolant level? Maybe thats getting into the oil. Also short trips can cause condensation buildup especially with this ethanol gas problem nowadays. Maybe water is coming from the gas, although the machine would run like crap.

rich450es

i doubt its coolent because both the 400 and the 350 ranchers are oil-air cooled (420 didnt come out untill 2007)
i would look at the seal behind the pull starter or the o-ring on the starter may be bad and its letting in water that way

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bphemi

Rich 450 es is correct. It is air cooled, but thanks for the response.

Rich 450 es, are those seals easy to replace? Also if those seals are bad would it be leaking oil out?

toodeep

There are 3 seals that come to mind that are fairly easy to replace, 2 require a little disassembling but the seal itself once your there is easy to replace. The one behind the rope starter, the one on the shifter shaft and the front output shaft seal. A bad seal can still not leak but yet let water in. The inner lips of the seal have a spring that holds them tight to whatever shaft it is sealing. If the spring gets weak the pressure from the water will let it get by but the pressure from the oil (inside the motor) keeps it sealed so oil can't get out.

The shifter shaft seal is just a pretty common seal and the shifter moves a lot when riding, especially in mud and water. The crankshaft seal behind the pull starter of course has a lot of action going on and the pull starter can trap in water/grit that can damage the seal. The front output shaft seal also see a lot of action and is open to the elements when riding through the stuff.

Then there is another possibility. I was 15 once also (okay maybe acted like it more than once but) and wasn't always descriptive on things that went on. I'm not saying anything there but it is another possibility. Is the machine snorkeled? If he rides water a lot and it isn't that is a good insurance, unless of course he takes it deeper.

bphemi

I agree with your last comment more and more. I was hopeing after he paid 600 that he would have more sense than to sink it our even run it through deep water. But beginning to think I might be wrong.

But to give him the benefit I wanted to check everything before I called him it on it. It is a es so would I not have to worry about that seal? Also it is a 2 wheel drive so I am assuming it doesn't have a front output shaft? Also it isn't snorkeled even though he wants to put one on it. I'm kind of scared to because I feel he will try to go deeper. we are flushing the engine out with new oil and draining it so after this is done enough to where I no longer see water in it I will put a new filter and oil in it and take it to the creek to see if water gets in it. if not then I will know its him being 15. Thanks again for all the help and responses.

toodeep

No front output seal on the 2x4 but there is still the shifter shaft seal. The shifter shaft is there in case the ES system ever quits working so you can get back home. That's worth a look since it won't leak much oil if it is bad or popped out of the case.

You might be right the snorkel might make him want to go deeper. If he wants to play in the water though and knows the limitations of the snorkel it can save a lot of money or cost a lot more. One of those you can't win for losing situations.