Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

[pensacola]

I just recently had hydro lock occur. My starter was grinding bad and we had to be towed. I pulled the plugs and the whole right bank had water in all four cylinders. I have a bayliner with a 305 5.0 mercruiser. What do I do now. I turned the motor over with the plugs out and water shot out of the spark plug holes. Do I just leave the plugs out over night and let them dry out or what? Please advise me.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

When you get a hydro lock, ESPECIALLY if in salt water, you pull the plugs, get the water out of the cylinders the best you can by cranking, dry the plugs and start it up on muffs and see if it clears up. If it doesn't pull the plugs again and repeat. This time no water. Recheck after about 15 seconds.
IF no water, great. Start it up and fog it (no water) within about 20 to 30 seconds. Now your engine is safe, but your impeller is toast.
Now, you find out why you have water in your cylinders. Not before you save the engine.
If your engine has been setting for 24 hours with the plugs out and it was salt water, you need an engine.

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

I went out and have been messing with it since I read your post. It is turning over like it should now with no noise. I still keep getting water in the #3 plug everytime I pull it back out after cranking for a few seconds. It still won't actually fire off. I read in another post to spray starter fluid in the spark plug hole. Will this help?

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

NO, do not use starting fluid in it.
Is the boat in the water? Is it raw water cooled? Alpha ? Bravo? need some info here.

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

No its alpha 1 drive, its on the trailer and its raw water cooled, not a closed system.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

Drain the exhaust manifolds and try it again. Remember, no muffs, no water.
Could care less about the impeller, this is about saving the engine.
I'll be around.

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

That stopped the water from getting in the plug thank god. But it still won't start. I went across the coil and had continuity across the positive and negative. Doesn't that mean its bad?

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

That means nothing. Pull the coil wire out of the distributor and hold the wire end about a half inch from a good ground and crank the engine. Should see blue spark jump. (Not yellow spark)

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

It may take a couple of time to get the water out of everything.
Make sure you dry the spark plugs off before you put them back in. Heat from a propane torch (Hot, but not even close to red hot) will dry them quickly so they will fire.

 

[Uraijit]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

A shot of carb cleaner will dry things out pretty quick.

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

There was absolutely no spark coming from the coil. That must be that problem. But back to the water. Since I drained it and I stopped getting water in the 3rd cylinder that means I have a problem right? Also what is an impeller and what does it do? Also is it expensive and hard to replace?

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

What year is it? Mercruiser uses model and serial numbers to ID their engines and drives, not GM 305.

Ok, lets assume you have a dead ignition switch, kill switch, wiring harness or something else. Get a jumper wire and hook it to the + terminal on the coil, then hook the other end to the + terminal on the battery.
NOW, see if you have spark.
Don't leave the wire hooked up after the test. Only use it when trying to start or run it.

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

I will try that tomorrow. Its 10:30 and I am done. I do feel better about the situation than I did yesterday. Thank you so much for all the advice. Still wondering what the impeller is and does.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

We will get to the impeller and where and how to fix it later. Before you head off to bed, go squirt some oil (any kind) into the wet cylinders and crank it over a couple of times...... Keeps the rust down

Better check, I think it's 11:30 there, not 10:30

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

will wd-40 work for that?

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

NO......

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

ok just checkin'. One of the other threads mentioned wd-40. Some people don't need to be giving advice when they don't know what they are talking about.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

That is the difference between a DIYer and someone that does it for a living and sees hundreds of different boats.

 

[pensacola]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

very true. I did that now I feel better about letting it sit over night. I used a syringe we had for giving the dogs medicine. I was like giving my boat oral medication.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hydro lock, what to do afterwards?

See you tomorrow