Volvo Penta 5.0 GXI-E - Won't roll over

[jlsmith1000]

Hoping I can trouble somebody with more watercraft knowledge than I, to offer any advice.
I ran into a problem with my boat the other day on the water for the first time this year. 2005 Smokercraft Deckboat, with the subject line engine. Always runs solid. After about 2 hours on the water, I started to hear a whine from the front of the engine compartment, and just as I was thinking that the fuel pump was going to be a problem the boat "thumped" as though I had hit something in the water, boat/ride/engine was rough for a about 20-30 feet and the engine just stopped. Not being a particularly savvy boat mechanic but knowing my way around other engines/machines (mostly tractors), the first thing that came to mind was engine locked up. I also smelled something that reminded me of burning rubber, but that may have been the serpentine belt or I though perhaps the alternator. The engine has clean oil, just changed last fall before winterized. New starter and solenoid about a year ago, and it does seem like it's trying to turn over, just can't. Battery is good, etc. I am paranoid about engine temperature, so I am constantly watching the temp gauge, and it was where it usually is, around 170 so doesn't appear that the engine was too hot over not getting cooling circulated.

What I have checked, and not sure this is the right thing to do.
When pulled out of the water-

1. I put the boat in neutral and the prop will spin both ways, with no issue.
2. I put the boat in forward, and the prop spins one way freely, and not the other, which is what I would expect.
3. I put the boat in reverse, and the prop spins the other way freely, and not the other.
   Also, I think that is expected behavior.

That leads me to believe that the outdrive is ok, am I wrong in that assumption?
Next -

1. I pulled the serpentine belt, and I can freely rotate the alternator, the tensioner pulley, etc. everything but the water pump pulley.
   
   Not sure that I should be able to rotate the water pump that way?
   
   
2. I thought I would try to roll the engine over at this stage (this is the next step) without the belt attached to see if perhaps it would roll over freely. I believe that would tell me the water pump was the issue? Not sure if those water pumps can seize enough to keep the engine from rolling over. I'm referring to the forward-facing pump at the bottom of the engine. I believe that is the raw water pump.

I have yet to pull the plugs and that's next after trying to roll the engine over without the belt in place. I think I need to see if it will roll over and/if I see water from the plug holes assuming the removing of the belt doesn't tell me anything.

Just wanted to make sure that's a valid test here, and that I hopefully wouldn't damage the system more by doing these tests.

Any other thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Jeff

 

[jlsmith1000]

Actually occurs to me there are probably no plugs this is fuel injected I believe.

Trying to roll it over without the serpentine belt did no good. Same thing seems like it starts to roll over and then stops.

 

[jlsmith1000]

Just checked the lubricant in the stern drive by popping the drain plug, looks like this and I don't think that's right....

 

[Lou C]

That does look milky. Might need resealing.
You might have had a hydrolock; to verify remove the spark plugs & see if any have water or rust on them. See if will crank over with the plugs out & if water shoots out of the plug holes. Could come from faulty exhaust or blown head gasket. The drive could have locked up & is stopped ng the engine from turning over. To rule it out you can remove the drive & see if it cranks then.

 

[Lou C]

Actually occurs to me there are probably no plugs this is fuel injected I believe.

Trying to roll it over without the serpentine belt did no good. Same thing seems like it starts to roll over and then stops.

You def do have plugs & should pull them right away to check for water in the cyls. If that’s the case you need to get water out of the cyls right away.

 

[jlsmith1000]

You def do have plugs & should pull them right away to check for water in the cyls. If that’s the case you need to get water out of the cyls right away.

Alright, I'll go find them and do that, thanks. I just had the outdrive painted by one of the boat shops around here, and I can see where the lift/lower hose on the left is leaking fluid. To paint that, I know they likely had to take something apart, just don't know to what extent?

 

[jlsmith1000]

Yeah I'm not sure how I'm confused enough today to confuse EFI versus carbs and having anything to do with spark plugs. Might be that I just need to go back to bed.

Pulled the plugs, engine turns over now. Can't really say that I see any water coming out of the holes or that the plugs look wet.

I will say the plugs look horrible I'm glad I have a new set. First picture is left side of the engine from the front, second picture is right side. Not sure if that discoloration indicates anything to do with water or not? Looks to me like they were in when the motor was painted by somebody as they have red paint on them.

 

[jlsmith1000]

Is there an easy way to see if there was water down in there if I don't see it coming out? And if there is water down there, how am I going to get it out? And what else does that mean I wonder

 

[ESGWheel]

Is there an easy way to see if there was water down in there...

see my Private Message (PM) I just sent you… thx

 

[alldodge]

Your plugs look fine
Crank it over a few times then put old or new plugs in and see if it will start.

If it starts and runs ok, check your exhaust manifolds to see if there is a leak and it gets hydrolocked

 

[jlsmith1000]

You def do have plugs & should pull them right away to check for water in the cyls. If that’s the case you need to get water out of the cyls right away.

No water in the cyls, plugs don't look steam cleaned, and nothing comes out when rolling the engine over, which it does now that the plugs are out.

What concerns me is what would have caused it to get in the condition where I couldn't roll it over without removing the plugs.

 

[alldodge]

Weak starter, bad connection on Bat cables, weak Bat

 

[Lou C]

And those are much easier causes to put right than if you had water in the cyls/oil.
Your plugs don’t suggest water in the cyls lucky!

 

[jlsmith1000]

Compression is pretty constant,
Low 180s on the left side and mid 180s to 192 on the right

 

[jlsmith1000]

All right, going to put new plugs in and see if she'll start up tonight. On another note I checked the Stern Drive and there seems like there's a bit of water in there.

Drained the whole thing out, flushed a gallon through it so that I didn't see any more evidence of water. Picking up new o-rings for the oil fill hole plug, oil drain plug to make sure those aren't an issue.

When I pulled the plugs out, nothing metallic no shavings of any sort came out of the drain at the bottom. When I pulled the fill plug, the one that tells you the drive is full, there was a little bit of shaving on that and as I filled the Stern Drive another little glob of shaving came out but that was it.

Question is, is this much normal wear and tear or should I be concerned?

 

[alldodge]

If t was mine I would not be worried, the magnet is doing its job

 

[dubs283]

You should pull the drive for a pressure test when you note water in the gear oil. Gives a comprehensive look at all the seals. If the u joint bellows has failed water can enter the drive quite easily, among damage to other components

FYI the spark plugs pictured were installed at the factory and are 18 years old. Definitely due for new plugs

 

[jlsmith1000]

Working with a pressure tester I bought, haven't nailed down where from yet. Seems like it's coming from inside the top cover on the lower unit where the dipstck screws in, but not through the dipstick hole. Almost like its coming up through the bearing/ shaft in there.

Sorry I fell off the map. I've been busy with work and a couple of large projects here at home. Have not had a chance to try the engine with water via the hose yet either.

 

[jlsmith1000]

When putting air into the lower unit, and the cover is on the part that is looking uncovered in the picture there, the seam between the two is where the bubbles show up. Is there something behind there like a gasket that might be leaking?

 

[dubs283]

Most likely the top cap seal. The large round rubber piece with the little side seal located at about 2 o'clock in the photo