Boat sank.

[fishnsled]

A buddy of mine had his boat sink with the storm that came through yesterday. I'm wondering what you would do with the motor to make sure there is no water in it and to get it going again. Should he take it to a shop or is there something he can do himself.

 

Thanks in advance.

[fishnsled]

I should have mentioned that it's a 4-stroke.

 

Thanks again!

[Zamboni]

Time is off the essence-read posts on submerged motors on iboats site and start immediately-little rust will kill bearings/crank etc. follow steps on there-owners manual should have instructions for dealing with submerged motor also.

 

The engine can be saved, few were last year from tornado's that ripped thru Haliburton-starting immediately is important.

 

 

had quick look-good info in this link: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=...light=submerged

Edited July 20, 2007 by Zamboni

[fishnsled]

Thanks for the info Zamboni, I'll pass it along. Some good stuff there.

[Tybo]

Time is not on your side.

 

Since the engine was not running it will be OK if you get

the water out fast.

 

First you need to have a place you can hang the engine up side down.

 

Get three cans of ether and two cans of wd 40.

 

when using the ether make sure you are in a very well vented area or

you will have a nice sleep.

 

Remove all cover and flood the engine with ether . Lots in the alternator.

 

With engine straight up spray one can one can of wd in spark and in and down carbs.

Hang engine up side down to drain drain wd.

over the next few day turn engine over by hand spraying in wd.

Let dry, change oil slap in new plugs,start engine and let idle for 15 minutes

and presto you are back in the water.

 

I have done this to a few engines(also a car engine).

[fishnsled]

Time is not on your side.

 

Since the engine was not running it will be OK if you get

the water out fast.

 

First you need to have a place you can hang the engine up side down.

 

Get three cans of ether and two cans of wd 40.

 

when using the ether make sure you are in a very well vented area or

you will have a nice sleep.

 

Remove all cover and flood the engine with ether . Lots in the alternator.

 

With engine straight up spray one can one can of wd in spark and in and down carbs.

Hang engine up side down to drain drain wd.

over the next few day turn engine over by hand spraying in wd.

Let dry, change oil slap in new plugs,start engine and let idle for 15 minutes

and presto you are back in the water.

 

I have done this to a few engines(also a car engine).

 

 

Where can he find cans of ether? Name brands? Is there a substitute?

 

Thanks for the help!

[Tybo]

You can get ether at CTC.

It will be called quick start.

[fishnsled]

Thanks Tybo.

[John Bacon]

I am not sure about 4 strokes; but with 2 stokes the standard advice was to keep the motor submerged until you could restart it. If you couldn't get the motor started it was best to re-submerge the engine until you could get it to a mechanic. The corrosion occurs after the engine is exposed to air.

[Joey]

You don't want to leave it in the water to long.

The iron particles that got stirred up by the storm will

settle in the chamfering of the cylinder walls(this is like a scratch on the

walls of the cylinder to help hold oil) and the more you get in their the harder it's to remove.

Making the chance of rusting higher.

This is what the wd is for.

[SBCregal]

wd = water displacing....nuff said

[fishboy]

Holy crap-that's brutal. My Suzuki is a 4-stroke and the manual says:

 

remove the plugs and manually turn the flywheel to drain the cylinders

 

check the engine oil for water-if there is drain (I'd do this anyway)

 

drain the fuel line and filters

 

pour 1 tablespoon of engine oil in through each spark plug hole and turn the engine over manually-don't use the electric starter as you might bend a rod if you've got any seizing; if it's there's resistance, get it checked at a marina (I'd probably do this too)

[Fisherman]

I am not sure about 4 strokes; but with 2 stokes the standard advice was to keep the motor submerged until you could restart it. If you couldn't get the motor started it was best to re-submerge the engine until you could get it to a mechanic. The corrosion occurs after the engine is exposed to air.

If air is only 20% oxygen and causes corrosion on metal,and, other than a few fish poops and gull dumps in water, I think theres only 2 main elements in water, H2+O, therefore... no corrosion under water??

[fishboy]

I just heard from my buddy (the guy who's boat got drowned); he took it over to the marina and they "revived" it for $120-all things considered, that sounds like a relatively reasonable investment.

[John Bacon]

If air is only 20% oxygen and causes corrosion on metal,and, other than a few fish poops and gull dumps in water, I think theres only 2 main elements in water, H2+O, therefore... no corrosion under water??

 

That must be why it is so much easier to breath underwater which is mostly oxygen (by weight) than in the open air; which is only about 20% oxygen

 

All kidding aside, comparing the total number of oxygen atoms doesn't any merit. The oxygen atoms in water are each bonded to two hydrogen atoms. The oxygen atoms in the air are each bonded to another oxygen atom. They will each react differently in a chemical reaction.

 

Corrosion will occur underwater; just not as quickly as it occurs when a wet piece of metal is exposed to air.

[Zamboni]

I just heard from my buddy (the guy who's boat got drowned); he took it over to the marina and they "revived" it for $120-all things considered, that sounds like a relatively reasonable investment.

 

Excellent price, marina would have to do 2, possibly 3 oil changes (with filter) on a 4 stroke alone....plus blow dry electronics, some alchohol or ether to eat water in cylinders, some lube like marvel oil.....$120 is cheap.

 

Hopefully there is no secondary probs like corrosion affecting electronics later-saw a merc 175 sj with flywheel magnets pop off this spring, submerged last summer-ran well after. Tell your buddy to look for any signs of corrosion in next few weeks, he can do backyard mechanic light misting of engine with wd40(non flamable version)....much better would be an aeresol like Repel....bill may show marina did this but do it again in 2 weeks.