I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Robertpel9

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What a day,
My wife and i braved 58 degree cloudy weather on lake norman NC for one last trip of the season to go to a party on the other side of the lake. Boat as always was flawless in performing and we stopped on the way home to float and talk.

I kept moving the boat to keep it in the blue patch so we could get sun and not freeze. The i made it appears a major mistake. as we were stopping from a 5mph cruise i turned the key off while it was still in gear. I heard the engine continue to turn for 5 secinds even though the key was out like thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, i saw it was in gear during this time and put in the neutral and it stopped.

We talked for 20 minutes and then were ready to go home, when i put the key in and turned it it just went thud like a hammer hitting a metal table, no other noise at all. I turned the key againa nd again and just that sigle thud.

I went to the sterm and with the drive trimmed up i went to turn the prop as i leaned down i fell overboard and missed ripping my leg open by about 2 inches. This happened TWICE (How embarassing). The prop moved fine.

I then moved the throttle from forward to reverse and then back to neutral and we heard it try to turn over like for 1/2 a second like thud thud thud real quick instead of once.

I called sea tow as a last resort as we were now stranded and i was wet and freeing. He told me over the phone to make sure it was in neutral, i told him i was sure i was, he said to wiggle the throttle around in neutral while i turned the key. i did as told as i really thought it was going to fire at one point as i sounded like it was going to start. but it didnt

After that now when i turn the key i just hear the starting turning like a whining noise, no engine noises at all. He towed us home ($195 later:( ) and he said the sound we have now is defintely just the starter tooth? not engaging with the enginer or whatever. I think we now created two problem.

Now i am stuck with a boat in my wet slip that cant go anywhere and have no idea what is wrong. What can happen when you turn off the key and take it out while the boat is still moving in gear that would do what i articulated above and why when i did what he said do now i not hear any engine noises jsut a starter turning??

What a day, i am cold, wet, worried to death that my mint condition 142 hour 1995 Volvo Penta 4.3 GS which has been bullet proof i blew up. The sea tow guy said it is most likely fine and just something minor but my wife and i are worried.

Any thoughts on WTH happened????? I want to have some knowledge before i call a mobile mechanic. Please help!!

Thanks as always,
Robert
 

Bondo

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Ayuh,....

The 1st thing to do is get the sparkplugs out of it,+ see if it dieseled,+ is Hydro-locked,...

Your story sounds like That was the 1st Problem....
 

Don S

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

In case you don't know, when an engine diesels, it usually is running backwards, and sucks water in from the exhaust which goes right into the cylinders with open valves. Water doesn't compress, and you have a hydrolock which keeps the engine from turning over. Pulling the spark plugs out gives the water a place to go. IF you just keep trying to crank it over with water in the cylinders, you will damage the flywheel ring gear, the starter, or bend rods, or, all of the above.
 

Robertpel9

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

what would cause hydro lock from the scenario i described

I am freaking out about this. We bought this boat because it was meticulously maintenained and had only 89 hours on it over 13 years. I put 50+hours on it this summer with now issues, ran like new. I hope i did not cause a serious failure

Could the boat just think it is in ear and not neutral. Would that couse just that single loud thud or ping sound when i tuned the key (Before the sea tow guy had me jilled the throttle and turn the key. no i just hear the starter whine)
 

Don S

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

You must have been typing while I was posting. I think I answered your questions.
 

Maclin

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

You gotta take the plugs out now as advised, you have two threads on this and I think the advice just above is best as has been alluded to in the other thread.....:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=281878


Take 'em out so you will know now....
 

Bondo

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

what would cause hydro lock from the scenario i described
I heard the engine continue to turn for 5 secinds even though the key was out like thud, thud

Ayuh,....

That's what I base My comments on.....

Edit;... I posted this in the locked thread, Just as Don locked it,...
I just can't waste all that 1 fingered typing,...:rolleyes:
on lake norman NC

Ayuh,....

The Clock is Ticking,....

The fact that it's Freshwater, just might make it Savable....

You gotta just the plugs out,+ at the very least, oil into the cylinders,...
Running would be Much Better......
 

JustJason

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

it sounds like you were in fresh water. But you still want to get those plugs out asap. and if there is water in the cylinders crank it out, throw the plugs in and see if she'll run.
if it will. idle it for for a bit (10-15) minutes. Then check the engine oil to see if any of that water got in the oil.
If you don't get the water out quickly though there's a good chance your cylinders are going to rust.
 

Gary H NC

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

I hope he is getting the spark plugs out as we speak!
He does have a really nice boat and it would be a shame for the motor to get trashed.
 

Robertpel9

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

OK plugs are out water came out of one plug on each side (nothing out of the other two on each side i put WD 40 in each cylinder hole

I do not have spare plugs, do i put these old plugs which were moist back in and spray and start it.

I can also now turn the engine by hand and i could not before

Please advise asap, i am freaking out. I am sure i got everything out

I think i have a starter problem too now as it went to whining after i jiggled it

I am going to run to the store now and get new plugs. Please advise if i am missing anything here as i am going to check this before i go back and play around in the dark some more - the boat is wetslipped

I hope to god my engine is ok, why did it stop even doing the thud when he had me jiggle the throttle. I am worried i will not know what the deal is as i think i am going to replace the plugs and still just hear the starter whine

Please let m eknow, this boat is mint i am really freaking out, i hope i am doing the right thing
 

Don S

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Dry the plugs, use a propane torch or heat gun and get them dry, crank the engine over (without spark plugs) for 10 seconds. Put the dry plugs in and start it up. (With muffs and water).
Allow it to run till warmed up. Shut it off and change the oil and filter. You should be good to go.
And don't let it diesel again. If it starts to, turn the key back on and let it run for a minute or two and shut it off again. Make sure it's below 750 rpm when you shut it off. Being in gear will not cause it to diesel. But shutting down to quick after running will.
 

Robertpel9

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

jsut got back from store, bought new plugs, cannot change oil as boat is in wetslip and will not have access to get it out of water until monday or tuesday

I am going to go put the new plugs in now, wish me luck, my guess is that i have a starter issue now from jiggling the throttle as it went from at least trying to engage the engine to nothing but a whirring, whining, noise, what can i do there

Man i hope this is OK. am i going to be ok with the same oil for a few days???? Going to the slip now, please let me know any and all thoughts about the starter, the jiggling of the throttle, etc

thanks
 

Gary H NC

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Turn the motor by hand a little then try the starter again....you may have lost some teeth of the flywheel (ring gear)
If at all possible get it started and warm it up.
 

Don S

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

You don't have to have the boat out of the water to change oil, just suck it out the dipstick tube like 99% of the boaters do. Hand pump, electric pump, drill pump, vacuum pump, you name it, they all work.
Best thing to do is go to the link below and download an owners manual for your engine.
http://www.volvo.com/volvopenta/glo...ice/publication_search/publication_search.htm
Then get the OEM service manuals for your engine. It'll be the best tool in your toolbox.
 

Gary H NC

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

I will PM you my number if you need it Robert.
 

Gary H NC

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Wish Robert luck.
I have talked to him on the phone and i listened to the starter,Even after turning the engine several times by hand the starter spins but will not engage.
That makes me lean more to the starter teeth rather than the ring gear.Being that he turns by hand a little at a time and still no engage.
I could hear the starter over the phone.It just spins away,no grinding.
One big thing is he checked the oil level on the dip stick...it was way over full!
He is going to get a pump in the morning and change the oil.
He did get a bunch of motor oil poured in the cylinders after turning it by hand.
I think it will survive,
Whats do you guys think?
New starter and a couple oil changes?

Robert, I PM'd you some info
 

Maclin

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Might make sure the battery is fully charged. If the bendix was just a little weak before it could need just a little more juice than what is left now.

I hope the starter did not try to break loose and is now hanging buy just one bolt far enough away to not be able to engage the flywheel, though I expect it would make a worse noise than you are describing if that did happen.
 

Robertpel9

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Gary- Thanks for taking my call late at night.

I wanted to give an update and see if anyone has anymore ideas

Here is an update. We put a socket on the pulley and cranked away after having removed the plugs and injected oil into the cylinders,and a mix of water and oil came out. We kept cranking until nothing at all came out anymore. Just for the heck of it i tried to start it and it actually tried turning over instead of just hearing the whining hair dryer noise i mentioned earlier. The belts turned for a couple of seconds although i cannot really say it sounded like a normal engine turning over. I then got excited and reinstalled the spark plugs thinking we would be ready to go but then when i got everything reconnected things had changed and we mostly just heard that same noise of the starter, my wife saw it move slightly some of the times we cranked the ignition. As i would crank the engine by hand a few inches and try starting it again we just got more of the same.

I am out of energy so we called it a night. i am going to go down and crank it by hand again to prevent seizing and i am hoping to find someone to help me get it out of the water. I am worried about getting lied to at the mechanic shop and them making this more than it is but then again we do know the engine was hydrolocked now

Any other thoughts??
 

Robertpel9

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Wish Robert luck.
I have talked to him on the phone and i listened to the starter,Even after turning the engine several times by hand the starter spins but will not engage.
That makes me lean more to the starter teeth rather than the ring gear.Being that he turns by hand a little at a time and still no engage.
I could hear the starter over the phone.It just spins away,no grinding.
One big thing is he checked the oil level on the dip stick...it was way over full!
He is going to get a pump in the morning and change the oil.
He did get a bunch of motor oil poured in the cylinders after turning it by hand.
I think it will survive,
Whats do you guys think?
New starter and a couple oil changes?

Robert, I PM'd you some info

Gary,
The oil level came down after i let it sit and took the dipstck out and wiped it, etc. It was just slightly overfull and that was probably the oil i put in the crankcase that was leftover after shooting the cylinders up. See my post above for all of the other fun stuff we went thru and let me know what you think

I hope things will be OK, i am freaking out about it
 

wca_tim

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Re: I hope i did not trash my drive train PLEASE HELP!!!

Sounds like you;re going to be ok on it. The starter problem may resolve it self once you get a good charge on the battery. hang in there - you're doing just fine with it.
 
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