Sucked in mud and Overheated?

YEM

Recruit
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
5
Yesterday I was out on the river and the boat was running GREAT. We stopped for lunch along a sand bar. While eating the boat swung to the side and got a little stuck in the mud because the the river was lower than normal. It was nothing major, and I was able to free up easily before I even powered up. There was a fair amount of silt in the area, but I wouldn't have thought enough to clog the water intake.

Anyway, less than a quarter-mile from the spot we started up from I turned around because I smelled "burning". I saw some smoke coming from the engine hatch. I immediately shut the engine off and noted the temp gauge was pegged HI. Prior to shutting it down the engine felt normal (e.g. not losing power). Although, my wife who was sitting in the back seat thought the exhaust was making a different/louder sound and she thought she heard some ticking/clicking when we first started up that went away.

I checked the oil after we stopped, and it was not cloudy/milky or black. It was still fresh looking. There was no oil or water in the engine compartment (bone dry), and not a lot of smoke... I couldn't tell for sure where it was coming from. I could hear a gurgling noise that I presumed was cooling water boiling/draining.

I had the boat towed to a boat ramp that was near by (too bad it was 15 miles from the one we put in at) and called it a day.

2000 Sea Ray with the 3.0 Alpha One

I have recently had the water pump replaced (start of last season) when I had the exhaust and shift cable bellows replaced.

Oil changed every winterization (only 8 or 10 hours this season - I've been gone for most of the summer).

Is it likely the water pump sucked in enough silt to obstruct cooling flow despite not being too bad (not in stuck in the the mud when I started up)? Is it likely there is larger scale engine damage, or did I catch it fast enough? What was the smoke?

I'm bringing this to the marina to be looked at tomorrow, but was hoping to get an idea of what to expect since I don't know a lot about marine engine repair. I want to make sure I'm making an informed decision regarding repair.

Thanks for your help.
 

FreeBeeTony

Captain
Joined
May 15, 2002
Messages
3,991
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

My guess would be that you had little/no water entering the engine and the smoke you saw was from the rubber exhaust componets on the engine. There should be a rubber boot connecting the exhaust elbow/riser to the exhaust tube inside the engine compartment. I would check that to see if it burned. Then I would backflush the water intake from the thermostat housing. If that seemed clear I would start it up on tne muffs and check the water flow......just my $0.02. Good luck. Hope this helps.
 

TilliamWe

Banned
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
6,579
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

It is indeed possible that you had the water intake clogged.

Either way, you need to check the impeller in the drive (it's probably gone), backflush from the T-Stat housing (as mentioned), and remove the exhuast tube from the riser/elbow. You'll find that your exhaust shutter (also called a "flapper") is probably burned up and gone too. If you are lucky, that was the source of the smell, since they are rubber, also. But the rubber hose fromt he riser to the elbow could be melted too.

You probably didn't hurt the engine. But we don't know, becaase you don't know how long you were running it with the temp gauge (directly in front of you) pegged on HI.
 

fmalott

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
561
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

It is indeed possible that you had the water intake clogged.

Either way, you need to check the impeller in the drive (it's probably gone), backflush from the T-Stat housing (as mentioned), and remove the exhuast tube from the riser/elbow. You'll find that your exhaust shutter (also called a "flapper") is probably burned up and gone too. If you are lucky, that was the source of the smell, since they are rubber, also. But the rubber hose fromt he riser to the elbow could be melted too.

You probably didn't hurt the engine. But we don't know, becaase you don't know how long you were running it with the temp gauge (directly in front of you) pegged on HI.

i agree pretty much have to flush the cooling system and replace the impeller
 

wellcraft-classic210

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
839
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

You may want to consider adding a high temp / low oil pressure alarm buzzer / I don't know of anyone who enjoys watching the gauges constantly

such as SIE-MP41400
 

TilliamWe

Banned
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Dec 21, 2004
Messages
6,579
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

You may want to consider adding a high temp / low oil pressure alarm buzzer / I don't know of anyone who enjoys watching the gauges constantly

such as SIE-MP41400

His 2000 model Mercruiser should have an audible alarm. But regardless, you don't have to watch them constantly. Glancing in their general direction every minute or so would let you see one was severely out of place.
 

YEM

Recruit
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
5
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

Thanks for the info guys...

I typically do a good job monitoring the gauges. This actually happened rather fast. I would guess that I was up on plane for no more than 45 seconds to a minute a minute. I didn't hear a buzzer or any audible alarm come in, so I'm not sure that I have that feature. I've had the boat for 5 years now, and never had any trouble with it, so I haven't encountered any alarms.

I'm planning on flushing the cooling system and replacing the impeller for the water pump. From the garage I can't tell if the rubber boot to the exhaust elbow/riser is melted, so I'll pull it out and take a better look in the sun with a search light.

TilliamWe, Is the "flapper" you are speaking of the same as the exhaust manifold bellows? I had the bellows replaced last year, and this new "performance" kit didn't even have an actual bellows, it just has a flap that discharges exhaust under the water line.

Again, I appreciate everyone's help today.

Cheers!
 

skydiveD30571

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
1,042
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

When you pull off the rubber boot that connects the elbow to the y-pipe you'll see the flappers. Unless they melted and broke off and fell into the y-pipe which is possible. Use some wd-40 or other lube spray to make it easy work removing the boot and installing a new one if necessary. But yes, the purpose of the exhaust shutter ("flapper") is to not allow water to flow back thru the exhaust and up into the engine.
 

wellcraft-classic210

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
839
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

GRRRR It seems the vice admiral needs to take his meds & my post was valid afterall.
 

TilliamWe

Banned
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
6,579
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

TilliamWe, Is the "flapper" you are speaking of the same as the exhaust manifold bellows? I had the bellows replaced last year, and this new "performance" kit didn't even have an actual bellows, it just has a flap that discharges exhaust under the water line...

Nope, the flapper is where I mentioned it is in my first post, and where skydive explains it is.

What you are talking about is called an exhaust tube. And it'll be fine, since it's under water most of the time.

Good luck.
 

YEM

Recruit
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
5
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

Sorry I never followed up last year... here is to anybody who is interested:

A cooling lines on the outside blew off which is what caused the engine to over heat in the first place. This was worked on when the bellows was replaced the winder before, so the marina covered this as re-work.

The flapper had melted and fell down into the exhaust manifold. I found it sticking out of the prop. Had the marina look at it and they found that the water temp alarm was broken (no audible alarm), so I had that replaced.

No damage to the engine, and I ran the rest of the year without issue. I'v been out several times this season, but then started having an unrelated issue which I posed this evening.

http://forums.iboats.com/prop-questions-topics/prop-recommendation-621043.html
 

TilliamWe

Banned
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
6,579
Re: Sucked in mud and Overheated?

Thanks for following up. Glad they were able to fix everything. Hopefully properly this time!
 
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