Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

[fabrimacator21]

I have a Omc 800 series I/O stringer drive. I just got done wiring my tach and I want to see if it works but I have no water pump belt on the motor. Trim motor is out of commision until I get parts ( 1 week until I get parts and I can't change the belt until the trim works because of how the brackets line up.). I'd like to find out if the tach works but I don't want to hurt anything. Can I dry start it with no water pump belt for a second or two to see if the tach works without hurting anything? There should be leftover water in the heads, exhaust manifolds, and I/O but I want to be 100 percent sure it won't hurt anything before I fire it up.


It won't be running for more then 2-3 seconds...

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

You'll be OK.....

 

[fabrimacator21]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

cool.

Is there anything in the I/O that needs water when it's in neutral? I've been in a few situations where I needed to run it and didn't have a hose.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

I don't know enough about your specific drive, but it is never a good idea to run any engine with the drive connected for a prolonged period....

 

[Honest Don]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

The omc 800 has a rubber impellor in the upper part of the drive. If It's run for more than a VERY SHORT time I'm sure it would damage it. The water will both lubricate it and cool it, so without it you're doomed!

 

[180shabah]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

A couple of seconds will be fine.

BTW - when was the impeller last replaced?

 

[fabrimacator21]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

no clue on when it was last replaced.... I've owned the boat for 1 1/2 years but anything before that is anyones guess

 

[studdy05]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

By the book, an impeller goes from good to destroyed in 5 seconds without water. That engine will be fine. That impeller can't take the pain.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

It could well cook your shift wire. At least in the later stringer drives the shift cable goes thru the exhaust passage and requires water to keep it from being rapidly cooked.

 

[fabrimacator21]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

guess I'd better not push it. Nothing do or die, just want to see if every thing works with the tac. I'll just hold off until I get a belt on it(and some rabbit ears)

Great info though. This place kicks arse.

Thank you.

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

IF you want to test you're tach, do this:

Turn you're engine by hand to TDC.

Remove you're distributor, mark the tooth location with some white-out.

Turn on you're ignition. (the key)

Turn the ditributor's drive gear with you're fingers while looking at you're tach.
If everything is working properly, you turning the distirbutor will cause you're plugs to fire, and will cause you're tach to move,

Depending on how far away you are from you're tach, you may want to have an assistant look at the tach, turning it by hand will only result in a 200-300 rpm reading or so (but it will show that it works)

 

[Handegard]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

An easier way is to just remove the distributor cap, and crank the starter, and see if it bounces around.

Nothing to harm that way...

 

[bustermin]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

no clue on when it was last replaced.... I've owned the boat for 1 1/2 years but anything before that is anyones guess

I'd say it's time for a new impeller, whether you run it with water or without. Your already doing work to it, why not change the impeller now, it's a very inexpensive repair and it will give you piece of mind (especially since you don't know when it was last changed).

 

[fabrimacator21]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

An easier way is to just remove the distributor cap, and crank the starter, and see if it bounces around.

Nothing to harm that way...

What would removing the cap do?

 

[fabrimacator21]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

I'd say it's time for a new impeller, whether you run it with water or without. Your already doing work to it, why not change the impeller now, it's a very inexpensive repair and it will give you piece of mind (especially since you don't know when it was last changed).

The boat is a low hour boat. I think just over 200. Been garaged it's entire life. I don't have the funds right now to do it (can barely buy food) but I'll try to remember that when I get the dough.

How involved is it? 10 minute job or more of a tape the manual to your forehead kind of job?

 

[bustermin]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

What would removing the cap do?

It keeps the motor from starting. As for how long it takes to change the impeller, I'd say it would take about 45-50 mins. your first time, after youve done it a few times you'll be able to do it in aboput 15-20mins if not less.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

The impeller is turning anytime the engine is turning, and yes starting the engine will definitely stress the impeller more than just cranking but impeller damage can happen at any rpm if the impeller gets dry.

Don't do it just to check the tach, as mentioned you will only get a bounce and still have no idea if the tach will work correctly or not.

 

[QC]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

Uh . . . guys. His question was running it without the "water pump belt" . . . So I think the concern is damage to the engine cooling system, not the drive impeller. IF HE HAS MUFFS AND USES THEM, there is no reason he can't start this with water to the impeller and run without the circulating pump for a few minutes even . . .

Am I missing something?

 

[fabrimacator21]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

Uh . . . guys. His question was running it without the "water pump belt" . . . So I think the concern is damage to the engine cooling system, not the drive impeller. IF HE HAS MUFFS AND USES THEM, there is no reason he can't start this with water to the impeller and run without the circulating pump for a few minutes even . . .

Am I missing something?

Hmm.... good point here. I do have muffs.....

 

[Maclin]

Re: Will a dry start for a few seconds hurt anything?

Uh . . . guys. His question was running it without the "water pump belt" . . . So I think the concern is damage to the engine cooling system, not the drive impeller. IF HE HAS MUFFS AND USES THEM, there is no reason he can't start this with water to the impeller and run without the circulating pump for a few minutes even . . .

Am I missing something?

No, I missed something, sorry! I saw "no water" and missed the "pump belt" part...wooops. I agree that with muffs supplying water to keep the raw water pump impeller happy the engine can be run for 2 or 3 minutes as mentioned.