askyles
Cadet
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
- Messages
- 8
I apologize in advance for the long post. I just want to put down as much information about the problem as I can. I have had an issue that I need to address ASAP. I first want to say that this is my first post and I have been learning a lot from everyone on this forum so I just want to say thanks! Especially do Don S. I have learned a lot from reading your posts. I am a new boat owner for about a year now and I have a lot to learn.
I have not winterized my boat but I have been paying attention to the weather and heating my engine compartment when it gets below freezing with a 150 watt light bulb and it does the job nicely. However, the day after thanksgiving the temperature had not gone above 27 degrees since about 5:00 am. I went out to my boat about 6:00 pm that day. So about 11 hours. I had made the mistake of looking at the daily high, which in this case occurred in the early morning hours and assumed that my engine would be OK. I turn the bulb off in the day to save energy (I don't like wasting energy unless I have too). I was working in the house on a remodeling project all day long not going outside or thinking about going outside other than knowing I had to check on my boat in the evening. Here is where it starts. Sorry for the long introduction...
As I approached my boat I noticed that my tarp was folded in like it was filled up with water. I had not put the wood beam in yet as I was doing other things to my boat (preparing to put in new seats and such for the next season). As i pulled the tarp up to dump out the water a horrible sight hit my eyes. There was a huge chunk of ice that was in the bowed tarp. There was a fair amount of water as well so I know I did not get a super cold freeze. But, never the less. It was cold enough to have concerns. As i got in the boat I realized there was a hole in the tarp and it was at the spot to where the carburetor bolt stuck up out of the motor. I did not have my engine cover on (my first mistake). It makes sense to me, the tarp filled up and the pressure broke a hole where the bolt was sticking out where my carburetor and flame arrestor is.
I then noticed that it had leaked and my motor was literally covered in ice around the carburetor and I instantly panicked realizing I probably just ruined my perfectly good motor. I grabbed my Mr. Heater and immediately turned it up to 18,000 BTU to heat and melt as fast as possible to prevent any more damage. I then had the wise idea of starting my motor, yeah that will heat it up fast. Probably my second mistake. As I cranked it did turn over very slow at first. Possible hydro-lock even though it did not cross my mind at the time. I let it sit a few more minutes while the heater was going and resumed cranking. After a couple minutes of very slow cranks my gut told me I should wait until it warms up. (But I kept at it, my third mistake or extension on my second one).
I got it to fire, however it did not want to keep running and my belt was making a horrible squealing sound which I later determined it was the water pump not turning. I still kept cranking and after a few more times of it running 5 seconds or so before it quit, then the water pump started turning and the squealing stopped (or water pump broke inside). The motor then just stopped firing and upon inspection of the spark plugs the next day I realized why. The motor was flooded and spark plugs fouled because of it. I cranked it a lot more than I probably should have. That is about all I could do at that time and after a very poor night of sleep I went back at it the next day. Where the panic really sets in.
Upon inspecting the oil from the dip stick I noticed it was over full and it looked like chocolate milk.
I love chocolate milk. In the oil is a very, very bad thing, even to my inexperience I know that. I called my mechanic friend who is an engine builder for roush racing. Of course I was praying he would say its likely a head gasket, his news was not what I wanted to hear. Probably cracked head or exhaust manifold. I had had my out drive off for replacing my impeller, which I hear its not a bad idea to replace yearly if your boat is always in the water. So in other words I had not had any pressure in to my engine when I ran it for those few seconds. My mechanic friend did not really have an explanation because there should not be that much water leaking in only running it for a few seconds and with no water pressure. Which leads me to a post I read on these forums.
Could the water have entered at my carburetor through my flame arrestor? That is exactly where the hole in the tarp was and it was raining before it turned cold. If this helps to get a better sense of the temperature that day, i had a cooler that had about 2 inches of water in it and a water bottle. Not a bit frozen at all. Had I had my motor cover on I believe I would not be posting this.
Where should I go from here? This weekend is the soonest I can work on it unfortunately. I plan to drain the oil, pressurize my system, clean my spark plugs and see if its still milky after running it. Is there anything else that can cause that much water in there under no water pressure? Everything I have read is after people running it with pressure so I cant help wondering if I need a new engine or not. I am not really looking forward to replacing the engine. Wife hates me having the boat in the first place so replacing the motor will cause many problems. (Futon already on order)
I want to get this problem fixed ASAP as I plan to do some pre-spawn walleye fishing on the Detroit River and Lake Erie as soon as the ice melts.
Also, I am unable to find the proper engine water pump which I should probably replace before putting back in service.
Problem
1. Engine below zero for about 10-11 hours. temp on my Gps/Fish finder said 27 when I went out there.
2. Ice covered motor (engine cover off)
3. Slow cranking at first (may have been hydro locked, all i remember is it was very very slow at first and sped up fast enough to fire up after a few minutes. However would not remain running for longer that 5 seconds at a time.
4. Temporarily frozen water pump (or just broke completely) upon cranking.
5. Water in the oil and over full. (however, it did not run pressurized, what ever water was left when I pulled it out of the water in August due to leaking shift cable bellow)
Thanks in advance for any help with this matter.
About my boat
1976 Starcraft Chieftain
Chevy inline 6 250 165 HP motor, not original motor.
Mercruiser Outdrive
Not a closed cooling system (freshwater)
I have not winterized my boat but I have been paying attention to the weather and heating my engine compartment when it gets below freezing with a 150 watt light bulb and it does the job nicely. However, the day after thanksgiving the temperature had not gone above 27 degrees since about 5:00 am. I went out to my boat about 6:00 pm that day. So about 11 hours. I had made the mistake of looking at the daily high, which in this case occurred in the early morning hours and assumed that my engine would be OK. I turn the bulb off in the day to save energy (I don't like wasting energy unless I have too). I was working in the house on a remodeling project all day long not going outside or thinking about going outside other than knowing I had to check on my boat in the evening. Here is where it starts. Sorry for the long introduction...
As I approached my boat I noticed that my tarp was folded in like it was filled up with water. I had not put the wood beam in yet as I was doing other things to my boat (preparing to put in new seats and such for the next season). As i pulled the tarp up to dump out the water a horrible sight hit my eyes. There was a huge chunk of ice that was in the bowed tarp. There was a fair amount of water as well so I know I did not get a super cold freeze. But, never the less. It was cold enough to have concerns. As i got in the boat I realized there was a hole in the tarp and it was at the spot to where the carburetor bolt stuck up out of the motor. I did not have my engine cover on (my first mistake). It makes sense to me, the tarp filled up and the pressure broke a hole where the bolt was sticking out where my carburetor and flame arrestor is.
I then noticed that it had leaked and my motor was literally covered in ice around the carburetor and I instantly panicked realizing I probably just ruined my perfectly good motor. I grabbed my Mr. Heater and immediately turned it up to 18,000 BTU to heat and melt as fast as possible to prevent any more damage. I then had the wise idea of starting my motor, yeah that will heat it up fast. Probably my second mistake. As I cranked it did turn over very slow at first. Possible hydro-lock even though it did not cross my mind at the time. I let it sit a few more minutes while the heater was going and resumed cranking. After a couple minutes of very slow cranks my gut told me I should wait until it warms up. (But I kept at it, my third mistake or extension on my second one).
I got it to fire, however it did not want to keep running and my belt was making a horrible squealing sound which I later determined it was the water pump not turning. I still kept cranking and after a few more times of it running 5 seconds or so before it quit, then the water pump started turning and the squealing stopped (or water pump broke inside). The motor then just stopped firing and upon inspection of the spark plugs the next day I realized why. The motor was flooded and spark plugs fouled because of it. I cranked it a lot more than I probably should have. That is about all I could do at that time and after a very poor night of sleep I went back at it the next day. Where the panic really sets in.
Upon inspecting the oil from the dip stick I noticed it was over full and it looked like chocolate milk.
I love chocolate milk. In the oil is a very, very bad thing, even to my inexperience I know that. I called my mechanic friend who is an engine builder for roush racing. Of course I was praying he would say its likely a head gasket, his news was not what I wanted to hear. Probably cracked head or exhaust manifold. I had had my out drive off for replacing my impeller, which I hear its not a bad idea to replace yearly if your boat is always in the water. So in other words I had not had any pressure in to my engine when I ran it for those few seconds. My mechanic friend did not really have an explanation because there should not be that much water leaking in only running it for a few seconds and with no water pressure. Which leads me to a post I read on these forums. Could the water have entered at my carburetor through my flame arrestor? That is exactly where the hole in the tarp was and it was raining before it turned cold. If this helps to get a better sense of the temperature that day, i had a cooler that had about 2 inches of water in it and a water bottle. Not a bit frozen at all. Had I had my motor cover on I believe I would not be posting this.
Where should I go from here? This weekend is the soonest I can work on it unfortunately. I plan to drain the oil, pressurize my system, clean my spark plugs and see if its still milky after running it. Is there anything else that can cause that much water in there under no water pressure? Everything I have read is after people running it with pressure so I cant help wondering if I need a new engine or not. I am not really looking forward to replacing the engine. Wife hates me having the boat in the first place so replacing the motor will cause many problems. (Futon already on order
) I want to get this problem fixed ASAP as I plan to do some pre-spawn walleye fishing on the Detroit River and Lake Erie as soon as the ice melts.
Also, I am unable to find the proper engine water pump which I should probably replace before putting back in service.
Problem
1. Engine below zero for about 10-11 hours. temp on my Gps/Fish finder said 27 when I went out there.
2. Ice covered motor (engine cover off)
3. Slow cranking at first (may have been hydro locked, all i remember is it was very very slow at first and sped up fast enough to fire up after a few minutes. However would not remain running for longer that 5 seconds at a time.
4. Temporarily frozen water pump (or just broke completely) upon cranking.
5. Water in the oil and over full. (however, it did not run pressurized, what ever water was left when I pulled it out of the water in August due to leaking shift cable bellow)
Thanks in advance for any help with this matter.
About my boat
1976 Starcraft Chieftain
Chevy inline 6 250 165 HP motor, not original motor.
Mercruiser Outdrive
Not a closed cooling system (freshwater)
