Bike maintenance after trip to (wet) Salar!?
 

Hi all,

I went out on the salar and camped. That night we got a lot of rain and so next day riding back through salt water was unavoidable - whilst amazing I am very worried for bike. It was covered in salt! I had it 'professionally' cleaned, and will do it another time. Stripped it down and cleaned everything and will pour 10lt of clean water over it later. Do you think oil change is in order too? I jus changed it maybe 700k ago but the salt spray was severe. Any other tips or did any one else get a good soaking - an foreseeable issues?

Much as gracias from Uyuni, Bolivia.
Rtw

Hot water wash, then diesel wash, then diesel with some oil wash. The diesel will damage all rubber parts, so be careful. A very deep cleaning of the air intake system is essential. Also clean the electrical system extremely well.

A few vehicles were immobilized on the salar due to salt corrosion of the electrical system.

It's mostly wheels, spokes and hubbs that will be damaged. You've done the right thing washing it all of best you can. Wipe all the Alu down with Diesel or WD40. Rinse again. Unless you literally went Under Water (Salt water) then I'd not worry too much about your wiring. It's a HONDA ... not a BMW.

Still, a basic cleaning and inspection is in order.
I've never ridden the Salar in Bolivia but have ridden our local dry lakes here. I've been riding out there nearly every year for 10 years.

Cleaning and wash after every trip ... including the Van.

http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...-H9jhp4R-L.jpg
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...-5XFvbKv-L.jpg

I believe I'd clean and re-grease the wheel bearings, swing arm bearings, and steering head bearings. Maybe pull apart all the obvious electrical connectors and squirt them with WD40

Bike maintenance after trip to (wet) Salar!?
 

Good advice thanks all - I went again today to a different garage and they did a bloody good job. They sprayed it with oil first, then power hosed it before washing and then a rinse. Bike never looked newer!! Hopefully all my efforts are enough as tackling the remote south tomorrow.

Mollydog, great pics! I actually did it with a guy on a BMW F700 I think it was. Wouldn't like to try and have one of those beasts rewired out here! The XR250 tornado has so far handled everything, including the summersault across the road. In fact I think it's the perfect lightweight tourer for Bolivia and Peru. It left the BMW for dead in the sand, but wow that bike could pull a tractor! Great stuff!

Cheers!

Bike maintenance after trip to (wet) Salar!?
 

Molly, maybe you could advise on something? I was all set to go today and when started ignition, just had that clicking from the starter. Lights, horn everything else seemed fine. I bump started bike and running it now to see if its low battery, after running it seems like its starting okay- well it clicks a few time before starting - sound like anything you know of? What sort of effect will salt have on the electronics? Kinda worried!

This is typical. Your battery is low, (again!) OR ... it might be on it's way OUT. (hope not!)

If it was charged properly then it SHOULD hold a charge and start your bike no problem. But if it was "cooked" by improper over-charging ... it may be ruined?? Make sure it's your original battery and that no one "switched" it out while in the care of mechanic. (old trick).

It's typical that a "low" or dying battery will run lights, dash and such, but WILL NOT crank over the motor. It takes A LOT more current to crank starter motor over. If your current battery will not hold a charge, then a NEW BATTERY is the only solution. (It should stay charged up for WEEKS after a full charge ... if the battery is "healthy")

If not, I would replace it with a Quality battery. I wrote you some notes on charging in another thread ... Low amp smart charger is best and safest to maintain battery or bring a discharged one back to life.

Make sure no salt water got into your starter motor. If it did, could be corrosion, starter may be binding up. clean it out with WD40 or equivalent.

Good luck!

Mollydog,

Thanks for the reply as always appreciated. There was a small device linked between the starter and the battery, it was sort of round and fat with pos and neg connections on it. Well it was covered in guck and salty green stuff, so I cleaned it out with fresh water and my toothbrush and she starts fine now!! Out of interest, do you know what this thing is called?

Cheers!!

The device is the starter relay, sometimes called the solenoid. The clicking sound you heard was likely the solenoid energizing, but then not making electrical contact to run the starter. I would get a can of WD40 and be prepared for some electrical gremlins to pop up. Most of them can be fixed by separating electrical connectors and spraying them and reassembling.


No offense to Mollydog, but a salt flat is very different than a dry lake bed. I had the good fortune to have dry weather when I rode the Salar de Uyuni several years ago, and my bike still got pretty crusty. Like you, I got my bike power washed in Uyuni, and no lasting damage.

You get one 'click' noise with the above failure mode.

With a flat battery ... the starter relay makes contact, the battery voltage 'sees' the stater motor and promptly drops its voltage to such a low level that the starter relay releases the contact due to the low voltage. The battery voltage rises .. and the process repeats. Thus the starter relay 'rattles' or 'chatters' multiple 'clicks'.

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For removing salt (or any other chemical)

Wash in cold (tepid) water first. Heat (as in hot water) promotes chemical reactions - thus more corrosion. Then I'd used WD40 .. then water and soap. Even warm water and soap on the last one, but cold on the first.

Andy's got it, WD40 is your friend, and some Di-lectric grease on connectors if you can find any.

The Black Rock Desert has salt on some of it's Playas, certain places, but not all is Salty as Uyuni is.

But parts I've seen in the Black Rock after a rain is pure Salt soup ... and you can get stuck in it. It eats Aluminum quickly. But it's true, lots of the Black Rock is just dusty, but a very acidic sort of dust.

http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...-2qQbwss-L.jpg
It's a big area, some Salt here and there, but not like the Salar.