Dead in the water

[CurrentObsession]

After drifting for several hours, I forgot to lower the out drive unit before starting the engine. Ran the engine for a few minutes with the trim all the way up before realizing it was up. Lowered the drive, shifted into forward and started on my way. I accidentally pulled the safety lanyard that killed the engine, but reinstalled it before putting the drive in neutral, while the boat was still going a few MPH. The engine sputtered back to life, but was making strange noises like gears where grinding. It stalled out and when I tried to restart, the engine seemed locked up. After several attempts the starter is now just screaming like the teeth are all gone and it is not engaging the anything, just spinning at high rpm. My suspicion is that the gimble bearing and or the universal has ceased up.

What can I do by myself to verify?

 

[Don S]

Re: Dead in the water

My suspicion is that the gimble bearing and or the universal has ceased up.

probably not a thing wrong with them.
My guess at this point, when you pulled the lanyard the engine dieseled and sucked some water in the cylinders until it finally died and hydrolocked (water in the cylinders).
As you kept trying to start it while the engine was hydrolocked the end of the starter finally broke and the bendix is now hitting the edge of the flywheel teeth, making a heck of a noise.

My suggestion is to pull the spark plugs and turn the engine over by hand and get the water out of the cylinder as much as possible, and squirt some oil in the cylinders that had water in them.
Pull the starter and inspect and replace if necessary soon before the cylinders get rusty.
Also pull the drive and inspect ujoints and gimbal bearing.

 

[CurrentObsession]

Re: Dead in the water

WOW I never thought of that. I had a hydrolock issue with my seadoos and I am familar with the process of pulling plugs etc. I thought a 5.7 Liter engine, with the way the exhaust manifold is so high out of the water that it couldn't happen?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Dead in the water

WOW I never thought of that. I had a hydrolock issue with my seadoos and I am familar with the process of pulling plugs etc. I thought a 5.7 Liter engine, with the way the exhaust manifold is so high out of the water that it couldn't happen?

Ayuh,... Normally it don't...
But, choppin' the power can do it,..
Especially if the shutters are bad, or Gone...

 

[CurrentObsession]

Re: Dead in the water

Don S was dead on right.....Just pulled the plugs, turned over the engine about 1/4 turn, engaged the starter and out comes the water. Thanks so much.

The only issue now is that I suspect there are missing teeth on the flywheel where the starter chewed them off???????

 

[CurrentObsession]

Re: Dead in the water

Update......

I was cranking over the engine without plugs just fine. Installed 4 of the 8 plugs and figured I should make sure everthing is still okay while cranking over. Engine cranked for only about 1/16 revolution and went back to making a whinning noise and not turning over. Pulled the plugs all back out and at first the starter just whinned, after hand cranking it would turn the engine over again. Bad starter or solenoid? How hard are they to replace?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Dead in the water

sounds like the bendix may be stuck. the fact that the starter turns indicates that the solenoid is pulled in and making contact. you will have to pull the starter and inspect. that will also give you the ability to view the flywheel teeth.

 

[Don S]

Re: Dead in the water

Sounds like you ripped the teeth off the flywheel in one spot. Remove the starter, turn the engine by hand till you find the damaged teeth.

 

[singlesupra]

Re: Dead in the water

Either that or the compression was enough to finish off the teeth on the starter after hydrolocking done the damage first

 

[CurrentObsession]

Re: Dead in the water

Update.....

just replaced the starter, cranked over without the plugs in for a little bit, reinstalled the plugs and now she runs like a champ.


Thanks for all the input, you saved me a bundle!