Water Instrusion

[wiltok]

After 20 years of boating (started when I was 15), I had my first incidence of water intrustion (1990 16 w/OMC). First ride of the day, I cranked the boat down most of the way on the lift, and hopped in to warm it up. I pulled the throttle detent, pumped the throttle 2X to set the choke, left the throttle forward about 45 degress and turned her over. It caught, but it was obvious I did not engage the throttle enough and the boat started to sputter. IDIOT move #1, pushed the throttle forward to bring up the revs. Boat backfired, made a weird noise, and stopped abruptly. Even though it had never happened to me before, I knew I had a case of water intrusion. IDIOT move #2, tried to restart - TWICE. Both times the boat started to turn over and stopped with a relatively loud noise (this point I am still not believing what I know to have happened). Pulled the plugs, in one cylinder water POURED out (plugs were wet with water in the others), sprayed WD-40, turned over several times and reinstalled. Although it was rough for a few seconds, the boat started and I took it for a 30 minute ride (no water in oil). It ran fine - no abnormal noises and RPM/Speed settings were the same as before. In fact, last weekend I had my highest top speed ever (the water instrusion actually happened about a month ago). I am writing this to 1) share my experiences so others can learn (it can happen to you!) and 2) ask if anyone thinks I will have future problems (weakend components??). I have driven the boat probably 15 times since the incident and it is running great. Did I get lucky??

-Keith

[Walt. H.]

At any time while lowering the boat did you lower the bow down more then the stern? That would have caused the water in the exh hoser's to back down your exh riser's and into the exh manifold pasages and into the any open exh valves before you attempted to start the engine. I doubt you did any hydro lock damage like bending a connecting rod, not at starter cranking speed, only when they sink while running. You cleaned it out right away and got it running so there wasn't any time for rust to accur. That was a month ago and everything still runs smoothly. :crossfing :checkered

That can happen too, to us trailer guys after we un-hook and sometimes really lower the nose down. Opp's!

So keep your bow up and your glass full! :beer:

Enjoy,
Walt