Costly rookie mistake...how bad should I expect

[Matt S]

It's an 07 volvo 3.0L with about 8 hours on it...

We put the boat in the water today, the usual with my wife backing it out of the way of the launch slips and idling away while I park the truck. When I met her at the dock I hear a slight whooshing - like an alternator. "do you hear that?" I ask. "hear what?" she says as she's with me in the boat now. Temp is at 175. So we get out of everyones way and shut the motor down. I lift the hood.

Smoke is coming from the water pump, I thought it was the belt and then and I see I am a total idiot and forgot to cap the flush port last weekend. I cap it..I know we're not going anywhere now and my water pump is toast. I've got 20 yards to get back to the dock, and the light wind is drifing us towards some rocks. So I start the boat, temp goes to 200 and the temp alarm sounds continuously while I try my best to get the 25 yards back to the dock through all the other people using minimal above idle speed as possible.

Figure 10-12 minutes from boat start to lifting the hood, and then another 2-3 minutes getting back to the dock. When we got home about 35 minutes later I did feel the water feed line was cold, not just ambient, where the top hoses were for sure hot; but not any hotter - maybe not even as hot - than an automotive hose that has ran low on water that I've experienced.

My only worry is that I toasted the motor. What should I expect when I call the dealer tomorrow?

 

[Don S]

Re: Costly rookie mistake...how bad should I expect

You aren't going to destroy an engine at 200? or even 240? but you may have not had water on the sender, so it wouldn't be working. You probably destroyed your impeller, and maybe even the exhaust hoses that hook the engine to the down pipe on the transom shield.
Put an impeller in it, check/change exhaust hoses (new gasket on riser) put the muffs on it, and fire it up and see what happens.

 

[Matt S]

Re: Costly rookie mistake...how bad should I expect

Thanks Don. I understand there might have been no water for the temp sender to read on, but I'm hoping the fact that it only went up to about 200 and stopped climbing right after capping the flush port that there was *some* water going in. It definately was not at the next tick which is 225 by the time I landed back at the dock. But when I shut it off to lift the hood after I heard the noise it did diesel just a half second. I knew something was up even before I lifted the hatch and so I took a double take of the trim but it was down.

When I inspected the hoses I looked at and felt everything. The billowed connector hose to the exhaust pipe, as well as the pipe, were not that hot and showed evidence of nothing. There was zero odor that might come with an overheated motor that I know of (except the smell of impeller). The billows also looked normal.

I'm going to see if the shop can do it since it's under warantee. I never usually forget a pocketbook lession - I've had lots with cars. If they can't do it in my timeframe, is this easy to figure out? I don't have a manual yet. It looks like it may not go camping with us Wednesday...

 

[Matt S]

Re: Costly rookie mistake...how bad should I expect

The owners manual says how to do it, very easy. I will call the dealer tomorrow am though just to make sure I won't void my warantee or anything.
I would think they wouldn't care since the manual says to always keep a spare...

 

[Don S]

Re: Costly rookie mistake...how bad should I expect

Trust me, you do not have a warrenty issue hear. Volvo will not warrant leaving the cap off, or impellers going bad. And this time of year, you aren't going to get instant service at any marine dealer, warranty or not.

What is the SN for your engine?

 

[Matt S]

Re: Costly rookie mistake...how bad should I expect

My main warantee question is if something else goes bad later, and they see I fooled with the impleller they could question it or something. I completely understand what I got into otherwise, and wasn't thinking they'll replace it for free. I expect to pay. I just don't want any other issues.
It looks so easy I'd rather just do it myself since the dealer is 50 miles away. Should I even tell them or wait for them to ask at the 20h service?

I don't know if I can get an impeller locally, Napa ? I'll look for a more local Volvo authorized place. On iboats, when I click through the links for my motor (only lists up to 2006 "red" but figure it's the same) it gives me impellers for the 4.3...not sure if that's because they're interchangable or it's a web glitch.

Anywhoo here's the motor info

3.0 GLP-E
3869357-4012213250

I appreciate your help Don.

 

[Matt S]

Re: Costly rookie mistake...how bad should I expect

One more question since I'm here. The manual only describes the exhaust temp buzzer sender on the elbow. It does not describe which of the 2 sensors on the exhanger is for the buzzer, but one of those has to be the sender for the gauge. I didn't get any audo alarms until I replaced the flush cap, so I'm guessing the temp gauge had enough water to not get too hot - not being "in the engine"...