Sunk 7.5 pulled up but not cleaned right away -- fatal?

[scoutabout]

Arrgh. I just got a call that my poor little '76 7.5 hp was dragged from the lake by a neighbour on the weekend after the waterfront was flooded by the opening of a local dam. The boat was sitting up on shore, motor tilted, bilge plug out when the lake level rose three feet...

Unfortunately it seems that after the rescue on Saturday to higher ground it was left full of water and is still there. I'm only hearing about it now and can't reach anyone at the lake for confirmation.

Is this thing going to be salvageable by Friday which may be the soonest I can get to it or is it already toast by now?

I've heard if you can't treat a motor the moment it comes out of the water it's almost better to leave it under until you can deal with it.

I'd be interested in opinions on whether anyone thinks there's still a chance to save it come the weekend and would be most intersted to hear any success stories of resurrection after this kind of delay. :%

 

[steelespike]

Re: Sunk 7.5 pulled up but not cleaned right away -- fatal?

I wouldn't call it terminal.Get right on it as soon as you get there pull the plugs.squirt some oil in the cylinders.Clean the carb.see if you can pull it over.You'll probably have to pull the flywheel and dry things out.Run a a tank of 25:1 mix through it.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Sunk 7.5 pulled up but not cleaned right away -- fatal?

*update*

IT'S ALIIIIIIIVE!! d

Got to the motor this weekend. There was some crud under the cowl and the grease in the rope pull mechanism turned gummy so it doesn't retract so good -- but after carefully pulling it through a few times, lots of priming, and five minutes of pulling my arm out of the socket in earnest...the old girl fired up. We went for a run and she seems ok. Here's a pic of her high and dry.

Thanks for the good word, Spike!

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: Sunk 7.5 pulled up but not cleaned right away -- fatal?

try it in water

 

[SeaKaye12]

Re: Sunk 7.5 pulled up but not cleaned right away -- fatal?

Lets hope that the crud that you found under the cowl didn't work it's way in through the carb. At least you've got it running....Short of a complete teardown (which should have been done before it was even turned over) there's not much else that you can do. It's life prior to needing a rebuild probably has been shortened because of the abrasive materials that it's injested...but it may well still last for years.

If it was me though...I'd be imagining things....a little knocking here...a bit more vibration there....you know how that goes.

Good luck, and thanks for reading, Chuck