Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

[Euphoria717]

So i recently purchased a 1987 Celebrity Calais, 17 foot boat with an OMC 4.3L, After replacing the helm and steering cable, the starter, and changing all fluids, greasing it, and cleaning it up, I finally got it out on the water today. The boat fired right up, no issues, and i took off. I looked back after a minute or two on the water and there was smoke pouring out of the motor compartment, opened it up and there was a ton of water in there, and sounded almost as if something was on fire. Lots of smoke and a crackling sound, like wood burning, but saw no flames, just heard the crack and popping as if there was a fire. smoke was coming out from the back of the motor. I doused the motor with a fire extinguisher anyway. Had to restart it and drive it back to the dock, and it seemed like it ran good, but by the time I got back, it was smoking again, sounded like it was on fire again, and i again doused it with the extinguisher even though i saw no fire. The water almost seemed like it was coming in from the motor, but i did not see where exactly it was coming from, i was just assuming. Im guessing there is a crack somewhere, but cant figure out what the fire sound was coming from. Can anyone maybe give me some ideas? Thanks

Ryan M.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

I looked back after a minute or two on the water and there was smoke pouring out of the motor compartment, opened it up and there was a ton of water in there, and sounded almost as if something was on fire. Lots of smoke and a crackling sound, like wood burning, but saw no flames, just heard the crack and popping as if there was a fire. smoke was coming out from the back of the motor.


Ryan M.

Howdy,


You might be a little more specific on where the water was coming from. "there was a ton of water in there" doesn't really tell where it was coming from.


If I had to guess, I would say you have a cracked block or ruptured raw water hose from the transom.

That will cause a SEVERE overheat in the exhaust system. (smoke and crackling noise) If all the cooling water is coming out of a cracked block....... little, (if any,) would make it to the exhaust manifolds, risers and exhaust system. It would literally COOK the rubber parts in the exhaust system.


Sounds like you might be pulling the engine......


Sorry about that.....



Oh, Welcome to iboats!!


Rick

 

[Euphoria717]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

sorry, im not completely educated on boat terminology yet, im guessing it was the bilge that was full of water.....the bilge pump was completely submerged. I couldn't exactly tell where the water was coming in at. I started the boat again today, and it fires right up, only ran it for a second and shut it off, just to see if it would start. I guess i should try pumping water through there and see where the leak it. I didn't see anywhere where it looked as if there was a fire, so the crackling and popping sound must have been something else.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

What was your temperature gauge reading through all of this? If you did truly have no water flowing through the engine, that temp gauge may not have told you much. A good habit to get into, is to watch your gauges as the engine warms up. What I do at the beginning of the year is place my hands on the risers after the engine first starts to detect a low raw water flow causing things to heat up to fast.

Had you ever started the engine on the muffs?

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

Yep, sounds like an overheat to me. The fact that it started after it cooled down is a good sign. Check the impeller & all of your hoses. Plus you'll have to clean up all of the residue from the fire ext.

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

This exact thing happened to me the first year I had this boat. Had a severe overheat (clogged riser) and it cooked the exhaust hoses. One boot burned through and it was just dumping water in the engine compartment. Ended up with a visit from the CG 20 miles offshore.. The hole was also at the top of the Y pipe so every wave dumped 1/2 a gallon into the bilge. These boots looked fine from the outside but inside they looked like the attached picture.

When they burn inside you will hear but not necessarily see flames then. Smoke inside the engine compartment means there was a hole in the burned one and it was pumping water into the engine compartment. You really have no idea the volume of water those raw water pumps move. If it doesn't make it outside the boat you will fill up pretty damn fast. Much faster than a bilge pump can keep up with.

None of that would be a cracked block. My engine ran fine for many years after that (until I had some water intrusion for another reason last winter)

View attachment 107286

 

[clt400]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

run it with muffs and a hose. best to have someone watch for overheating while you check the engine.

 

[Gettinther]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

So i recently purchased a 1987 Celebrity Calais, 17 foot boat with an OMC 4.3L, After replacing the helm and steering cable, the starter, and changing all fluids, greasing it, and cleaning it up, I finally got it out on the water today. The boat fired right up, no issues, and i took off. I looked back after a minute or two on the water and there was smoke pouring out of the motor compartment, opened it up and there was a ton of water in there, and sounded almost as if something was on fire. Lots of smoke and a crackling sound, like wood burning, but saw no flames, just heard the crack and popping as if there was a fire. smoke was coming out from the back of the motor. I doused the motor with a fire extinguisher anyway. Had to restart it and drive it back to the dock, and it seemed like it ran good, but by the time I got back, it was smoking again, sounded like it was on fire again, and i again doused it with the extinguisher even though i saw no fire. The water almost seemed like it was coming in from the motor, but i did not see where exactly it was coming from, i was just assuming. Im guessing there is a crack somewhere, but cant figure out what the fire sound was coming from. Can anyone maybe give me some ideas? Thanks

Ryan M.

First have a good look around the exhaust at the rubber couplings and water hoses for damage, then hook up the muffs and hose and see if the leak happens before ya run the engine, if it leaks fix that , then re hook up the muffs and run the engine and check for leaks and bad noises, again fix any leaks if possible, then recheck for leaks and engine noises.
KEEP AWAY FROM BELTS AND PULLEYS when running the engine.

Just my approach
Best of luck

 

[jpwdesigns]

Re: Guessing I Need a new motor, but need a second opinion

M aaybe little late but check the oil cooler. If not winterized bottom end cap may be popped off. That would send water into engine compartment instead of engine where it needs to go. Result would be water in bilge and burning bellows and overheat. Happened to me.