swamped motor

[Chadlee]

My boat with a 55 seahorse 5.5 was swamped in a storm last fall. After retrieving the motor, I cleaned it up as best I could and brought it indoors for the winter. now when I try to start it, it wont turn like it has seized. Where do I start to bring this baby back to life?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: swamped motor

Take the spark plugs out and set the motor on it's front so the plug holes are pointed up and spray down the cylinders with PB Blaster. Let them soak a few days and gently rock the flywheel back and forth to try to break the rings free.

Unfortunately, if you did not immediately get the motor dried out and running after it was dunked and it sat for a year, then it likely has corrosion on the internal bearings and bushing and it's trashed. You may get the rings unstuck and get it running, but if the internals are rusty it will probably fail pretty quickly.

 

[Chadlee]

Re: swamped motor

Take the spark plugs out and set the motor on it's front so the plug holes are pointed up and spray down the cylinders with PB Blaster. Let them soak a few days and gently rock the flywheel back and forth to try to break the rings free.

Unfortunately, if you did not immediately get the motor dried out and running after it was dunked and it sat for a year, then it likely has corrosion on the internal bearings and bushing and it's trashed. You may get the rings unstuck and get it running, but if the internals are rusty it will probably fail pretty quickly.

Thanks TX. I know I'm reaching here, but would that still be the case if the motor wasn't submerged? I'm sure it had some waves crashing over it. How difficult is replacing the internals? If they're trashed, I guess I can't hurt it any worse by trying to replace them>

 

[Haffiman]

Re: swamped motor

If you do not restart a swamped engine while it is till wet - dooooomed!
You may be able to save it if completely dismantling.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: swamped motor

If you did not completely sink the motor, like "glug, glug, glug" to the bottom of the lake,then water probably didn't get inside to the crank and piston bearings. Just remove the lower unit to make sure it isn't the thing that is locked up, set the motor spark plug hole up, spray inside the spark plug holes with a lot of penetrant, and let it soak. The key thing is not to try to force the rings to break loose, because they are brittle and will crack and break. Just a slight wiggle back and forth a few times, then respray and wait to soak in again. I have a 3 hp that took a week to break loose, and I had the whole head soaking in a bucket of penetrant.