Hydrolocked in the parkinglot

[gica]

Weird title but yesterday I spent all day working to finish my two 2-stroke waverunners and only around 10pm I decided to go to my 1997 Maxum 5.7L to just start it and clean it a bit for the next morning.
to my surprise the engine would try to crank and lock up. I thought it was the battery being low. So enabled the dual charger and waited, tried again and same thing. I opened up the engine area at the transom and under the engine there was a lot of black, nasty water touching the engine, and of course the drain screw was on(my bad). I remember after going fishing a few month back, before Covid, I pressure washed the floor and never thought I had the drain blocked(brain fart). so cleaned up the engine compartment and tried again, no luck the starter sounded like it wasn't engaging(wasn't a click, click sound) weird sound as if it was free spinning and not touching the flywheel. So my friend suggested that it may be hydro locked.
I said how the heck I started it a month before when I did the pressure spraying. I did have water running at the engine.
So how the heck did I get the water to stay in the cylinders, yes I took off all 8 plugs and spun the engine from the main pulley and water rushed right out.
I read about the risers getting rusted being cast iron, manifolds to go with, some said something about the risers being too low sometimes, but only if coming to a quick stop on water and engine overheated it could cause water to get in. Not my case here, never had that problem, and only the last trip was on salt water. Cleaned it for 20min right afterwards.
what do you guys suggest besides getting the starter out and replacing it.
By the way the oil doesn't look contaminated but I will change it with the filter.
Sorry for the long plot but wanted to fully explain.

 

[alldodge]

Squirt oil in the cylinders and rotate it some more. When the new starter is installed, more oil and spinning.

Check exhaust
Change oil and try to run it

 

[NHGuy]

Get some oil in all the cylinders immediately, and turn it over (manually) to spread the oil out.
Your starter is probably no good.
I have wet killed a starter a different way. My second time out with my previous boat I was with my teenage daughter at an old familiar sand bar. I slowed down to tell her about the spot and water started coming up through the floor!
Well it was my first sterndrive boat and I made the mistake of using a fliplock plug. It unflipped and fell out.
The engine was running still so I just turned on my pump and hopped in with another plug. The following year the starter would not work so I replaced it. I looked it over and I am very lucky to have caught the leak before it got to my alternator.
I did an autopsy on the failed OE starter and found some rust and stuck bits, so I freed them up and the starter came back to life. Now it's sitting on the basement shelf. I really ought to put that on Craigslist.
Now most folks will want to check before changing the exhaust because it's $. But your boat is 23 years old. Those castings are 3 to 5 years in many applications.
You ought to start shopping for manifolds and risers. It's very possible they will be needed.

 

[Bondo]

So how the heck did I get the water to stay in the cylinders, yes I took off all 8 plugs and spun the engine from the main pulley and water rushed right out.

Ayuh,....... My waGuess is rain water down the carb,.......

Many motor boxes put the seam, right over the carb,......

 

[gica]

No I actually did the water part when I pressure washed after the fishing trip. And the drain was plugged.
I just took the starter apart and the main shaft is corroded at the end where it goes in the flywheel. There is a cylinder there probably bearing and now it turns but not that freely. The cylinder has rust to the half.
WHat's a good starter for mercruiser 5.7l On Amazon the https://www.amazon.com/Quicksilver-8...6314167&sr=8-9
is the most expensive.
DB Electrical is cheaper.
https://www.amazon.com/DB-Electrical...314327&sr=8-10
So I just looked and the Bendix drive is what's messed up from the corrosion. Any idea where I can get that?
Tried to load a picture but I get unknown error

 

[Searay205]

Get the quicksilver unless you want to fiddle fk for hours with shims and end getting the quicksilver anyway. Last aftermarket pos i had (API Marine) the mounting bolts wouldn't fit through the mounting holes and the pinion shaft was 1/16" closer to the inboard mounting hole. Made every noise you could imagine. Quicksilver everything just lined up and zero noise.

 

[Searay205]

On other hand get the DB electrical. I want to see how long that $55 prize last.

 

[alldodge]

Should be able to use any of the offset bolt patter starters, they work on SBC and BBC without issues

Quality is another issue which they do vary. I bought a PMG starter for my 509 and I really like the small size, its lighter and spins the motor faster. I would suggest staying away from arco and BD

 

[Lancer76]

Washed my boat this spring. I had the flame arrestor off the carb and the same thing happened - hydrolocked. Pulled plugs and turned over numerous times to discharge water from cylinders. Put it back together and all good. For me the time between washing and starting was less than 24 hrs. Not sure how your time frame would affect the cylinders & rings. Good luck.

 

[gica]

So I opened the starter in pieces the brushes are like new. cleaned , the Bendix had some rust cleaned that moves up and down fine. The starter works fine off the car the solenoid engages and spins. When I install it the wheel spins bit it doesn't move up to engage the flywheel. What is the issue, is the solenoid not strong enough to move it? All it does is has a shaft that pulls in and out and it triggers a plastic arm that moves the Bendix up and down. So what could it be, just curious before I actually splurge on a new one. It shouldn't be any of the metal parts, and brushes are fine.

 

[alldodge]

When the solenoid is energized it pulls it to the rear where the main battery to starter makes a connection. When that is being pulled back, the arm pushes the bendix and the gear engages. Maybe the "plastic arm" is the issue

 

[gica]

Actually it's the plastic gear cup where the planetary gears are , it's half way stripped. I noticed that there is no way to find that part.

 

[tank1949]

Actually it's the plastic gear cup where the planetary gears are , it's half way stripped. I noticed that there is no way to find that part.

go buy a cheap auto starter and install in order to get rings lubricated. Then, fix or replace marine starter.

 

[alldodge]

If you want a starter with no plastic go to API Marine 10099HD, one I have on my motor

http://www.apimarine.com/marine-electrical/mercruiser-volvo-marine-power-50-863007a1-30433.html

 

[Searay205]

API marine sucks. Just took one of their POS starters off my 5.0 mpi. Previous installer had grind starter bolts to even get through mounting holes. pinion shaft 1/16" closer to mounting holes causing starter to drag when key released. Stolen design aftermarket fking junk. idiot at API customer service said flywheel probably bent. idiots

you want a starter that fits, works without noise and no plastic gears get a quicksilver.

 

[alldodge]

API marine sucks. Just took one of their POS starters off my 5.0 mpi. Previous installer had grind starter bolts to even get through mounting holes. pinion shaft 1/16" closer to mounting holes causing starter to drag when key released. Stolen design aftermarket fking junk. idiot at API customer service said flywheel probably bent. idiots

Like all things we all have opinions. Been doing fine on my 530HP 509 since installed. To bad it couldn't handle a 250HP 305

 

[Searay205]

No **** but its 260hp. By the way he told me they get in 1000 unit lots from Kungflu (china) so there's another 999 incorrect. He was very knowledgeable about their warranty. No surprise. Same company represents SEI outdrives another POS.

 

[gica]

So the engine cranks and starts with the choke on and at 1300 rpm, anything lower it dies. I have to do a compression test if not maybe the carb is bad from the water.
I read somewhere about a way to check if the heads are leaking by removing one of the thicker hoses and filling it with water and in the morning see if it's still full. not sure if I got it right. this is a weird situation being that this happened while the boat was not being used and last time I started it in the lot it was perfect. Chinese sabotaged me!!!

 

[QBhoy]

I think it’s pretty clear you are still getting water taken in to the cylinders. Cutting out at low rpm and your previous issues is a safe bet on this

 

[gica]

So I did the compression test and they are all between 160 and 170. Only one at 170 the rest 160 and 165.
I went online to look at the 2 barrel 5.7L mercruiser carburetor rebuild and I noticed that my choke plate doesn't stay all the way closed upon starting and opens in 2 minutes, it moves freely by hand like it is not attached anywhere. so before I go ahead and take out the risers one by one to inspect for blockage I would like to get the 650rpm idle back.