At first I was really impressed with this machine for my son but as time goes by not so sure.

We went up to the mountains yesterday and he thru a muddy water puddle. After he got to the end I it lost all power so he could not climb the incline out. Sat for 30 seconds then it got better. Later crossing a creek same thing.

Sounds like water on the belt me but weird as it has no power to move forwards or backwards. And it looks like the drain plug is pretty close to impossible to get out in the field. Any other ideas on what happened it if it's the belt how to better keep water out. Last thing I need is it with no power on hill or something else.   Frustrated to say the least.

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

Hard to say but I would start by checking any electrical connecter that could have gotten under water and..why not pull that belt cover and take a look. Any possibility water got into the tank?

how deep did you go in water ? the rear cvt vent pipe is locatet above the left rear wheel and if you take in water in the cvt you loosa all belt grip and the machine don't have enugh grip to move. It's possible its leaking in water in somewhere in the intake pipe or the pipe conections. Did the machine rev as it should ? if you let it stand with the engine running for a while the belt box dries and you have enugh belt grip agian.

Did get water in my belt box one thime barly had enugh grip to reverse out of the water and rev it a bit and let it stand with the engine running for a while and the belt box dried.

Lost power ? Did you loose power in the engine or belt grip ? did it rew upp but didn't move ? if so it probably water in the belt box.

Yes it is possible water got to the vent tube.   After the water you could push the accelerator all the way and nothing. No revving up just like it stumbling kind of like water in the fuel. After 20 seconds donor so get better then fine til the next creek crossing. Water did not get high enough to get near the gas cap.

Is there a easy way to reach the belt drain bolt. Seems like the frame is in the way. Or is it easier to just loosen the bottom cover bolts?

I went ahead and removed the belt cover. No water in there. But what looks like muddy water has been in there. Is there something I can spray around the belt area and not hurt the bed and such.

Also anybody ever do anything to keep water from getting there.

when i clean my cvt i use breakecleaner and spray it in a piece of cloth or something and clean it out.

Don't think it was the problem becaue the engine should rev if the belt slipps. its possible but unilky that it youst had enugh grip to keep the engine from reving but not get forwrd, but it's should be almoust impossible.  Could you rev in neutral or not ?


How deep did you go ? because the gas cap is higer than the egnine air intake that is located under the seat. If you get water in there the engine will run bad for sure.

I would recomend to check the intake after badly tighten clamps. (have a bad experince by delares who loosen things and don't tighten it properly) also give the electric conectors a look.

Did the engine or efi light turn on when it didn't rev as it should ?

Not sure if the lights on the display came on I was too frustrated at that time.  The water was was maybe around knee deep as we sit on bike. But it splashed up pretty good. The did not appear to be any water in the air box.

Is the specific connectors to look at or just check the all? 

I take that back the water was more like ankle deep. Just had the go thru with some momentum for the other side. I went back and watched video.

Trying to post a video of the first pond where you can here the machine after but it won't let me.

can you post the video on youtube and post the link ?

I would chek the conectors that was under water but it does not fel like a electrical problem because it disepears to fast.

if i now more specifik what parts that was under water it's easier to figure out what may causing the problem.

https://youtu.be/JtKaOhgXq0c

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

https://youtu.be/JtKaOhgXq0c

My Brute Force would do that every time I hit water like that but it turned out to be the vents on the carbs would get water splashed up on a vent can that had a vent hole in it. The water would run right down into the carbs and make it run like that for ..well as long as there was water in the tubes..like 5 minutes or more sometimes. Water is getting somewhere it shouldn't...maybe even the coil connection or spark plug boot.

That water wasen't so deep so my guessing is tah something is not sealed properly that makes it run that bad after some water.

You cold do a test if you have lika a water hose and pour water (not high preasure) on diferent parts of the engine and see if you find wat is causing it tu run bad. Wnhen you du it pour somw ater on the airbox tubes seal and the intake to see if its taking in water there and causing the engine to run bad.

If you can't find it and you have warrianty go and have a talk with your dealer. he migh have an idea what's causing it.

Have it happened more times then this hole ? I think i my 500s have done that thing one time or so. gave it a decent amount of throttle on a road and it's lost power. did stop and restart and all things was youst fine. My guessing is that it's was some contaminations in the fuel oo somethin like that.

Definitely not the belt/drive system.

I would be suspicious that either water got into the intake somehow, or something electrical got compromised (spark plug wire tight?).

Can't tell from the video if that is steam coming out of the exhaust.

I agree that is electrical, you can hear the engine sputtering almost like it sucked water, but if the intake box under the seat doesn't have water, some connector got water in it. 

I have two cforce 400's and i have had them up to the seat in water, after going through a creek that was deeper than we thought.  Honestly i was afraid we got water in the intake boxes as water went over the seat and got my backside wet.

But they never missed a beat, when i pulled the cover off, it was bone dry, go figure.  This is why I think when your son went through that puddle, water must have sprayed up into a connector or something... just my two cents.