Dunked motor

[tdp63]

I have been offered a 30 hp Johnson that has been submerged in fresh waterwhilst not running for about 6 hours. It has since been sitting untouched for about two weeks. What should I be considering? If the price is right and I buy it, what do I do to it then? Model number is J30ELCUB. What are the specs/year for this motor? Also while I am at it, what are the specs/year for a 4 hp model AJ4RCUD? This little one will probably come with it. I haven't seen them yet. Thanks guys!

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Dunked motor

It doesn't matter if an engine is under water for 6 seconds, 6 hours, or 6 days. It's as wet as it's ever going to be.<br /><br />The mistake some people make is to pull it out of the water, then just let it sit. The air hitting the engine causes it to start rusting instantly. The engine should be left underwater until one can start work on it to get it running immediately.<br /><br />As it stands, the engine you speak of couldn't possibly be anything more than a rusted mass of metal, excepting possibly the lower unit.

 

[tdp63]

Re: Dunked motor

Well, ya could've softened that blow a bit. Hehe. I pretty much thought that could be the case but then start hearing differing opinions around the place. All the same, I am still interested in the year/specs on these.

 

[JB]

Re: Dunked motor

Those are both 1987 engines, tdtp63.<br /><br />It is entirely possible for an engine to survive being submerged but as Joe says, the longer one waits the less likely it is.<br /><br />If the offer is free or about what the gearcase is worth for parts go for it.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Dunked motor

if you can wrench, get the manuals for both. you didn't state if the little one had been dunked also. if it hasn't it might be worth what you pay for both. i understand parts a expensive down under. if you can and it is acvantagous, order on line from the US. there is a lot info on this forum, about dunked motors. use the red search function at the top of the page. good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Dunked motor

When you have the time, have fresh fuel ready and new plugs ready. Remove the engine from its bath, remove the spark plugs, crank the engine to remove the water. Spray the cylinders through the plug holes with any lubricant, spin the engine some more. Install new plugs, connect the fuel line and fire it up (using muffs of course). The quicker you get it running the better. If it doesn't run, you'll need to spray protectant through the carbs while cranking to protect the internals and then spray the cylinders again. This should protect it until you have another opportunity to work on it. Drain the lower unit and refil to protect that.

 

[Ranger01]

Re: Dunked motor

While i agree with upinsmoke about getting it started and running it with the oil and all that, i think that it should have been done after that motor was pulled fromt he water. If it sat for any amount of time then there is a really high chance that like Joe said, it's a rusted mass of metal. Maybe good for parts.. The amuminum parts anyway. I know it isnt what you want to hear but who knows, maybe you can get her to fire right up? Good idea to take a gander inside the cylinder and see what kind of damage/rust is in there.

 

[byacey]

Re: Dunked motor

If the needle bearings have rust pitting on them, they will fail in a bad way sooner or later. My opinion is get it lubricated up as mentioned above, lots of oil, and disassemble, clean and inspect. At the worst you will be replacing bearings and seals. Rings are probably OK if they are cleaned up well. Ignition may have to be replaced depending how much waterproof the coils and condensers are. Most likely the sparkplug wires will need to be replaced due to water wicking up the steel wire inside the insulation; it'll rust eventually and develop leakage paths. If you can do this work yourself The motor is probably worth something, if you can't it's not worth the price for scrap metal.

 

[Ranger01]

Re: Dunked motor

bill is right on the last part, though i have great admiration for the classic motors (be they anchors to some) It really isnt worth having a shop do. Nor is it worth it to dump a huge amount of money in to it. little parts are one thing but untill you know what's going on inside that thing i would hesitate before investing to much.

 

[Ranger01]

Re: Dunked motor

* That wasnt to say that bill was wrong on any other parts, just wanted to comment on the last.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Dunked motor

Uh huh. If it's been underwater and then left, it's going to need a teardown to inspect. If it was salt water the outboard sunk in, you can bank on new bearings and wrist pins, probably a new crankshaft and ignition system, possibly a rebore, and perhaps reeds.

 

[budsbud66]

Re: Dunked motor

-- what i would do, fog the **** out of it asap. see if you can turn it over. keep fogging it.. run it with a little more oil mixture. if it works buy it. if it doesnt.. leave it.. <br /><br />where im from we drop snowmobiles in the rivers all the time.. pump the water out of everything.. and they are as good as new.. but you have to work on them very soon after you sink them... just one point.. make sure you get the carbs good.. i had to fully dissemble all three carbs to get all the water out...

 

[tdp63]

Re: Dunked motor

Paul- It was fresh water.<br />Team - What do you mean by 'fogging'?<br />The actual deal on this is that through tragic circumstances the owner drove over an embankment and into lake. The boat, a 1988 Stacer 400 Seahorse,forward controls, with the 30 hp motor mounted, came off the trailer and ended upside down in water. Hull has some panel damage requiring some handy work and a bit of welding. The 4 hp was at home and is like new. Maybe 5 -10 hours work. Dealer told owners son the boat and 30 hp only worth AUD$1000. The 4 hp not worth anything. Now this is a DEALER talking here. He said if he was to take it, it could blow out to over AUD$3000 in repairs. But he would be pricing that out at AUD$60 an hour labour. I wont have that cost. So thats what I am looking at. I can see potential and a big bonus if the motor comes up OK. My expenses will only be parts. Now what do we think?

 

[lark2004]

Re: Dunked motor

HA! the 4hp is worth nothing????? <br /><br />It was at home and is probably still in running order. <br />The dealers here are as bad as car sales men, they will try and devalue anything you have, until they get their hands on it, then all of a sudden, it's worth money again...... hmmmmm.<br /><br />Now, what money are they asking? Is it the $1000 the dealer said it was worth? Does it include the boat? The trailer?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Dunked motor

Ah, I don't know how I managed to overlook that. Still it stands, if it's been untreated for six days then you're going to need to teardown to inspect. Pitted roller bearings don't fix themselves and the rod always seems to come out of the block at the worst time.<br />If the engine presently spins freely with the plugs out, maybe you got lucky. But then again maybe all those things I listed are bad. Lets have a look:<br />(USD)<br />Rod bearings (big and small ends) - $125 for the pair<br />Crank main bearings: $60<br />Con rods (the rod bearings roll on them): $220 for the pair<br />Crank shaft: $200<br />Wrist pins: $14<br />Rings: $20<br />Gaskets and goop: ~30 or so.<br /><br />You see how this gets expensive fast. Probably you like I multiply the USD price by 2 to get the "in my hands" price. You can save a lot by finding used stuff locally. When I did my 28hp which sunk in brackish waters, I found used wrist pins and con-rods, I turned the crank top and bottom mains down and rebuilt the bearings with slightly larger rollers. It was a huge amount of work. Oddly, the crank throws and the centre main were untouched.<br /><br />I guess what I'm saying is, you pays your money and you takes your chances. I'm not a betting man so I would pay what a 87 4hp is worth locally and subtract the cost of a rebuilt powerhead. I probably would risk the ignition system, but probably I would end up replacing the ignition coil anyway. I guess if I ended up with a real low number I would pay about half what the lower unit and other various undamaged parts would fetch on ebay.

 

[CFronzek]

Re: Dunked motor

The big problem stems from the bearing types. Shell bearings like those used in a car motor are coated with babbit and can tolerate water. Bearings that have needles, rollers or balls (most quality two-strokes)are made with high carbon steels that rust like crazy it they are not dried out quickly. <br />As a matter of policy I wouldn't look twice at an outboard that sat with water in it for more than a day.<br />Even if you were successful and got the motor to fire and it didn't make any unusual noises, right away, there could be a very small amounts of bearing damage that would cause the bearings to fail within a few months.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Dunked motor

if you have the time, interest, and can wrench, i say buy the 4hp and throw in the 30hp. tinker with it, see what it needs, if it is too much, part it out on Ebay. and you still have a 4hp.