[LotusCampbell]

I have a 2002 Honda recon Es 250cc and she has treated me beautifully. Very solid machine but I recently got a little more ballsy around some water than I should have and sunk her once or twice... Ik stupid mistake. So now she smokes more than cheech and Chong. I’m aware I need to do the piston rings but anything els I need to do whiail I have the top end opened up and off? I’ve never done a project on an engine this deep. Any tips, pointer or things I should look out for would be amazing. What all should I replace on it?


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[shadetree]

well, first : you need the service manual. second: you need to rip that whole motor apart, and clean the insides out. if you don't do this ?, you will be right back on here in a few days telling us you rebuilt the top end, but its smoking again/still ?. my point is, you wont fix it by just rebuilding the top end !!. with all that said, motor needs to be removed, split, cleaned out, new gaskets, new oil seals, new cam chain ( this is a must have while your splitting a motor on an atv ), you will need to have the cylinder bored over, new piston kit. while your doing all this , check the connecting rod for any play at both bottom and top where the wrist pin fits. if there is any play on the rod in either of these places ?, all your doing is wasting time and money on a top end rebuild !!!. the ole saying holds true '' if your gonna play '' ?..your gonna pay '' !. and now that water stunt is gonna cost ya a good penny to fix your recon the correct way . not trying to be a smart '' you know what '' here ?, I am giving you hard facts that I have learned in my 25+ years of rebuilding atv motors !.

 

[mrbb]

I agree, if you sank it and want to fix it RIGHT
the game is, tear down, inspect and clean clean clean
and replace what needs replacing!

 

[LotusCampbell]

so I didn’t completly sink it but some water did get in the machine. I was able to turn it over and ride out of there. Don’t know if this helps anything... would it be possible for me to just replace the rings and valve seals? How much do you think the machine is worth as is right now?


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[shadetree]

so I didn’t completly sink it but some water did get in the machine. I was able to turn it over and ride out of there. Don’t know if this helps anything... would it be possible for me to just replace the rings and valve seals? How much do you think the machine is worth as is right now?


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noooooooooooo you can not replace just the rings and valves seals, and think this is going to fix it ?, DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH WATER GOT IN THE MOTOR ?, IT GOT WATER IN IT PERIOD !. as it sits ?, its worthless, maybe 200 bucks to me tops ?. everyone pays diff in their world, me ?, I won't pay much at all for a non-running atv, spec one that was sunk !..lol.

 

[LotusCampbell]

shit.... okay thanks y’all


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[shadetree]

shit.... okay thanks y’all


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I know thats not the answer you wanted to hear ?, but its the honest answer !. if your gonna take that risk of using a machine for something it was not made for ?, and sink it like you did ?, well..now its gonna cost ya in repairs ?, or cost ya in selling it dirt cheap to the next person to fix it.

 

[Jeepwm69]

so I didn’t completly sink it but some water did get in the machine. I was able to turn it over and ride out of there. Don’t know if this helps anything... would it be possible for me to just replace the rings and valve seals? How much do you think the machine is worth as is right now?


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You can do it that way, and there's about a 90% chance it will not fix it. If you rode it out of there with water in your oil, there's a good chance you smoked the crank (been there, done that).

Smoking after being sunk? If you're honest with the buyer, it's worth, at most, about 1/2 of the sum of the parts if you were to part it out. Around here a sunk and smoking Recon would probably bring $300-400 tops.

The RIGHT way to fix it is what Shade and Mrbb said. Pull the motor, disassemble, clean it out thoroughly, have the cylinder machined with a new piston and new set of rings. That is the ONLY 100% way of fixing it right.

I sank my 09 Foreman about 10 years ago, rode it back to the truck. I had the cylinder bored and put a new piston and rings on it, and it didn't smoke for about 100 miles, then started back again. The water that got in my engine had grit in it that didn't come out when I drained the engine and flushed it, so once I got the new top end on and ran it a bit that grit worked it's way up into that new top end, ruined it, and also trashed the top of the rod, so it ruined the crank too.

If you don't want to fix it correctly you should just part it out.

 

[LotusCampbell]

Okay, thanks everyone. You guys have been very helpful. I think I’m gona try to sell it for as much as possible or trade it for a dirt bike. As much as I want to tear the engine apart and clean it all I don’t have enough money for the parts. You guys are awesome!!!


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[shadetree]

Okay, thanks everyone. You guys have been very helpful. I think I’m gona try to sell it for as much as possible or trade it for a dirt bike. As much as I want to tear the engine apart and clean it all I don’t have enough money for the parts. You guys are awesome!!!


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again...'' if your gonna play ?...your gonna pay '' !..lol. I can't stress this enough, atv owners never stop to think about what might happen ?, against what will happen if they sink an atv ?. it cost a lot of money and time to fix them..THE CORRECT WAY MIND YOU !..than what owners seem to forget ?!..lol. if your pockets are deep ?...HAVE AT IT !..LOL.