Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

[scubatcinorth]

2001 Evinrude FITCH 250HP was under sea water for 24 hours. I washed it off but could not start it as some electric cables had melted a bit (I did not have a battery shut off switch). Folks told me to give up on it. It has been 90 days now. What do I do to try to get it going again? What should I expect it to take to get it operating again? Is it recommended to even try? I love that outboard.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

I hate to say it,but salt water 3 months ago,it just won't happen.

sorry

DHP

 

[scubatcinorth]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

I hate to say it,but salt water 3 months ago,it just won't happen.

sorry

DHP

Why do you say this? If i change the computer, what else needs changing?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

It doesn't matter if a engine is under water for one minute or one month, it's as wet as it will ever be.

The problem is that it must be worked on and running as soon as it's removed from the water, and kept running until all the water has been blown out of it..... and the fuel and oil mixture has once again coated the interal portion of the engine.

The electrical items can be restored later, but the powerhead cannot wait.

Even a few days later after getting the engine out of the water, if the engine has not run, every steel item within the powerhead is pitted and rusted such as the crankshaft, connecting rods, all bearings, etc.... and the salt results in further damage.

Sorry to say, but as per the reply by DHP, what you have is a unrepairable engine.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

but I am still sorry that it happened.Just too much time lapse.The electrical stuff can be replaced for $$$$,but it is the mechanical damage that is now unrepairable.



DHP

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

Saltwater has ate away at all the inside surfaces for WAY too long, and as said above..its too late..

 

[F_R]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

This is just to completely agree with the preceeding comments. That motor is junk by now. No, it isn't even good junk. You had 24 hours Max to get it running or completely disassembled and cleaned, starting the minute it came out of the water.

You may be able to get a few bucks for the lower unit. It is sealed and won't be damaged.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

Its a shame but water, salt and outboard submersion are a bad combination and as stated in the above posts time is your worst enemy in this situation.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

hopefully there is no next time. but to explain, and for the benefit of those reading this.

http://www.brokeboats.com/sunk.html

 

[JB]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

There are exceptions to any rule.

In 2000 I bought a Yammy 130 (from brokeboats) that had been under salt water long enough to grow barnacles. It had been dropped during a failed attempt to steal it. It had been out of the water for at least a month before I picked it up.

I flushed it with soapy, hot water, rinsed, then kerosene. I put a wrench on the flywheel nut and slowly pulled it through about 10 turns, then spun it with the starter for about 5 minutes in 15 second bursts. Then I tested compression and got 145 on all cylinders.

Replaced the carbs. Inspected the starter and replaced it. Lots of corrosion, even though it still ran.

Flushed and relubed gearcase and replaced a fairly brittle impeller.

Put it in the tank and it fired right up. Put it on a prop dyno and got 135HP@5500rpm.

Sold the engine to a guy who put about 100 hours on it before it threw a rod. He knew its history and got it cheap, so he wasn't bugged about it.

Did I restore it to use? Yes, I think so. Was the rod failure related to its bath? I'd say better than a 50% chance.

There you go. It can be done if you accept the risk that it will, in time, fail.

Good luck.

 

[Lubosleftboot]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

I dont know what is normally down stateside but here in Scotland if a motor gets drowned in salt water we immediately wash it down with fresh water or put it in a stream to wash ALL the salt off the engine....this is critical as the salt is highly corrosive...

After a good clean with fresh water the engine then needs to be stripped and oiled.Remove all the electricals and spray them with duck oil or WD40 take out the plugs and pour some 2 stroke oil down the bores...

Turn the engine over preferably by hand to get the oil into the ring grooves and big and small end bearings..Next turn the motor over on the pull cord or starter motor until you see oil exiting via the exhaust ports...

Strip and clean out the carb and replace all the rubber seals refit the carb and electricals once they have dried out usually about 2-3 days in a dry room then attempt to start the motor in a barrel or on the muffs...

Once the motor starts run it gently for about 5 minutes there will be lots of smoke this is normal due to the extra oil in the combustion chambers....

Stop the motor and clean the plugs as they will be fouled I use a blowlamp and burn off all the crud ,then start the motor again until it settles down...repeat this process until the motor idles and revs properly....

Like AM I used this method to reclaim a 20 hp jonny that was drowned in the sea,and that was 4 years ago.This engine is still going strong but I did react very quickly to its drowning...

Hope this is of some help to you...

LLB

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Evinrude underwater - can it be fixed?

i agree with JB, it may fail in 1 hour or 200 hours