**** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

[brianmerc]

I know, everyone is going to say "you IDIOT!!!!"<br /><br />After I started it up without the water running, I was thinking "Hmmm... did I forget to do something?" Then I said, "Oh $hit!", dove into the boat and turned it off....Whew.... It ran for only about 10 seconds.... Do you think I ruined anything??<br /><br />It ran fine a minute later once I got the water turned ON this time....<br /><br />I told ya'll I am a new boater!!!! MY BAD!!!!

 

[upstate]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

your impeller is prob shot now

 

[Mumblerone]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

You're probably OK. Is the pisser working? Take it for a ride, make sure you getting water out the back. See if the bell and whistles go off. I'll bet your OK. You did say 10 second, not 10 minutes?

 

[OBJ]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

Hi Briamerc....<br /><br />Mumblerone is probaby right, depends on the rpm you were turning. But even at low rpm say 1200 to 1500, it don't take long. I would put a motor flusher on it and start her up and check engine temp. Problem is, if the impeller fins are gone, you maybe putting water into the engine from the flusher. Just to be on the safe side, my opinion only, I would drop the lower unit and check the impeller. Playing it safe beats and over haul anyday.<br /><br />Jim

 

[grandx]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

10 seconds at idle... your going to be fine. I'd run it in shore for a day just to make sure, before I pulled the lower off. If it pisses and the temp remains normal, you'll be fine.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

if damage to impeller occured, you ran it after<br />and could have thrown pieces of it into the cooling system...bad mojo!<br />if it were me, I would drop the lower unit and <br />inspect impeller. if fins are missing, the whole cooling system is in jeapordy! if it's not broken<br />then at least you know for sure.<br />I wouldn't run my motor another minute, but I may<br />be paranoid too...<br />good luck,<br />M.Y.

 

[grandx]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

Brian, my suggestion to you is not a shot from the hip. If your description is accurate (10 seconds, attempting to flush engine-should be running low rpm's without load on motor) You probably did no damage to the impeller if it was in good shape to begin with. I have also done this on occasions and have worried about it like mellow yellow, I have pulled the lower on two different occasions only to find the impellers in near new condition. I would run it and keep a close eye on it before I pulled them again... I run a (pair) of merc V-6's and it is a real pain to pull two lowers and replace by yourself. An extra set of hands is helpfull if your running a large motor.

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

Don't take a chance. Replace the waterpump. It's not hard to do, and doesn't cost more than $40 (US) to do. Water pumps are cheaper than powerheads!!

 

[radsrh]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

If it were me and it was only 10 sec and no more I would say you should be OK. Put it in a test tank or on the lake and make sure temp and water flow are good and change the impeller with your other annual duties.

 

[grandx]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

As usual Brian, there are differing opinions on the subject. If the water is pumping normal, you're OK, but if you decide to pull the lower, replace the impeller even if it looks perfect, then let us know what you found. How old is the impeller anyhow, if near 2 years old it needs it anyways.

 

[Forktail]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

We dry start all of our surf launchers before they are backed into the surf, day in and day out. 10 seconds is probably about what we do. It's a safety precaution because you need immediate power upon launching...no time to find out she won't start, or you could end up capsized. This is in saltwater. No problems with impellers, etc.<br /><br />I would say if the outboard has been sitting or stored for a long time, then the impeller would be extremely dry and you could cause damage pretty quick. But if the outboard has been run recently, there should be enough moisture/water in the impeller area to lubricate it for 10 seconds. If the outboard hasn't been run in over a week, I'd check it.

 

[Bear]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

A picture from http://www.brokeboats.com/drypump.html <br /><br />

 

[rudeafrican]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

I agree wholeheartedly with Forktail. Here in South Africa where we all launch through the surf, and the law requires that you run twin motors so it's double trouble, we all dry start our motors before even dumping the boat off the trailer. I see this done on a daily basis by dozens of skippers when I'm at the coast. Unless you impellor was bad to start with, you are fine. Take her for a short run on a stretch of water and if the stream is there and she does not overheat, you're Ok.

 

[Hooty]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

I don't suppose you have a water pressure gauge. That would tell you in a heartbeat. Another good reason for installing one.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[Mumblerone]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

True story. I'm not recommending this. I use to have a 18' Whaler with a 150 HP 2-stroke and a 9.9 HP 4-stroke, both Yamaha. After I launched the boat, and at the dock, I would always put the 9.9 in the water an start it (electric start), while it was still runnig I would start the 150. I would then shut off the 9.9, kick it up on the bracket and off I'd go. One time when I did this, and after running for over an hour, I shut the 150 off...guess what was still running on the bracket? That's right, the 9.9. Well, I figured at worst the motor was gone and at best the impeller. Slowly I lowered it into the water...a little steam came out the pisser, then a little more. That was in 1988 (motor was a 1987), it ran great for the next 10 years until I sold the boat. Never gave me a problem...nor did I replace the impellor. Got lucky that day! Sooo...10 seconds, NO PROBLEM!

 

[Hooty]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

Good story Mumble.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[Forktail]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

That one brings back a memory, and a true story...<br /><br />I was trailering over some rough dirt road with an electric start Yamaha 9.9 troller all wrapped up in canvas and duct tape behind my 20' aluminum. Stopped the truck for fuel and checked everything over. I noticed the 9.9 had turned completely to the right so I grabbed it to straighten it back out. I about burned my hand on the lower case....it was extremely HOT! Stunned and confused I began looking for an electrical short or something. Found nothing except that I forgot to kill the main Perko switch. Then I noticed the canvas and tape around the cowl had caused the electric start button to engage when the motor turned sharply on the transom. I wrapped it too good I guess. <br /><br />It had been running while I was trailering!<br /><br />I thought for sure it was siezed....a $2500 mistake. But as luck has it, the little 4-stroke Yamaha 9.9 has a fuse that eventually blows on overheat. And it worked. I replaced the fuse, changed the oil and it is still working fine 15 years later. Impeller? Just fine (although it had run in a lake 12 hours earlier). <br /><br />God only knows how long the little guy ran back there. I didn't feel any extra power behind the truck either. Maybe a bigger prop would've helped

 

[brianmerc]

Re: **** I accidentally fired up my engine without water!!!! ****

HEY!! Thanks for all the replies!!!! Yeah I did say 10 seconds, NOT minutes. The RPMs were at about 1200-1300 I'd say. After the incident, it ran fine for the 10-15 minutes I had it fired up. The pisser was working!! I was just flushing out the engine. I don't think there is anything wrong, but I'm glad you guys know your stuff. Just thought I'd run it by you guys!! YOU ALL ROCK!!! Thanks again!!<br /><br />brianmerc aka "The New Guy"