I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

[aggiedave98]

Yesterday, I had my 2004 Starcraft Stardeck with the 5.0L carbed V8 out. We were out for several hours and everything was fine. On the way back to the dock, I turned it off to bring my daughter in off the tube. I tried to start it and it would turn over once, then nothing. I tried that a few times and thought I had a low cranking amps on the battery, even though it was at 12.4V. A tow driver came over and we tried to jump it. I tried it several more times, thinking it just didn't charge up enough. The last time I tried it, it made a strange sound like something snapped maybe???

I read up on hydrolock and think that has the symptoms maybe???

Do you guys agree and if so, what should I do now? Should I try taking the plugs out and turning it over or could I do more damage if a piston got bent?

Thanks.


boat serial: 78733c404


reverse drive
outdrive
TSK-SM-M
3868844
serial #4151056372

engine 5.0GL-E
3869254
serial #4012 1205 94

 

[captmello]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

if it is hydrolocked, the sooner you get the water out the better. Or, maybe the starter went out...
Either way it needs to be fixed, winters coming. You could pull the plugs and turn the engine by hand and see if water spills out. Don't get the wires crossed up.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

I read up on hydrolock and think that has the symptoms maybe???

what should I do now? Should I try taking the plugs out and turning it over or could I do more damage if a piston got bent?

Thanks.

Yes, take the plugs out asap and see if you get water coming out of any of the cylinders. Make note of which ones, etc. Then try to turn the engine over with the starter, you will not add to any damage done.

If you do have water in there, then get some fogging oil into the cylinders and spin the engine some more with the starter. Then do a compression test to see where things are at.

 

[aggiedave98]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

Yes, take the plugs out asap and see if you get water coming out of any of the cylinders. Make note of which ones, etc. Then try to turn the engine over with the starter, you will not add to any damage done.

If you do have water in there, then get some fogging oil into the cylinders and spin the engine some more with the starter. Then do a compression test to see where things are at.

Here's the latest... I took out all 8 plugs. I wasn't sure how to turn the crank because the crank pulley had a middle part that was round and then 4 bolts and I didn't want to tighten them down. But I did click the start position for a second and had it turn over more than once. Before it turned over once and stopped. Probably dumb for me to do without having a hose on it. I couldn't move it by hand, so when people say turn it over by hand, how do you do that?

I will get fogging oil tomorrow and hook it up to the hose (I was doing this at 10pm tonight because you guys said ASAP).

BUT, here's another data point. The up/down trim switch doesn't work which is what I had a shop fix a couple of months ago. And as part of that, they had to reinstall the shifter. Is it possible there are 2 problems, or is it also possible the shifter was part of my starting issues?

 

[Don S]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

If the plugs are out, spin it with the starter and blow all the water out. Don't run the starter for more than 15 seconds at a time, and let the starter cool down for 10 minutes, then spin it again. You won't need water on it for that. You need to save the engine first, then find why you have water in it, then replace the impeller if needed. Or just take the impeller out first then spin the engine. Rusty cylinders and rings are more expensive to fix than an impeller.

 

[aggiedave98]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

Don,

(once again, thanks for the help!). I was worried about spinning it without water (which I can do tomorrow, but it was late). And my old boat was a Mercruiser with the impeller in the sterndrive. I actually replaced the impeller a couple months ago.

How critical is urgency on this. Meaning, I may be up another 30 min and can turn over the engine if it's safe (which is what I think you're saying) and maybe even in the morning I could work from home until the boat store opens at probably 9am and get some fogging oil.

But Don, any idea why the trim up/down won't work (and do you think it's unrelated since I had to get that repaired before)?

But the big thing for tonight is can i turn it over for those 15 secs without the muffs??

 

[tpenfield]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

Well, it is the next morning . . . so not sure how you made out.

The water pump, assuming it is a sea water pump, based on your thread, will usually have some water in it and in the intake hose that leads to it. The starter is not going to spin it fast enough to build up friction/heat that would cause damage.

So, feel free to spin the starter for a few seconds.

You did not mention getting water when you took out the plugs (if you did not that would be a good sign). BUT the proof would be when you spin the engine.

Also, not mentioned as yet, but do check the oil for any increase in level on the dipstick, etc.

Let us know how you make out.

 

[aggiedave98]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

Well, it is the next morning . . . so not sure how you made out.

The water pump, assuming it is a sea water pump, based on your thread, will usually have some water in it and in the intake hose that leads to it. The starter is not going to spin it fast enough to build up friction/heat that would cause damage.

So, feel free to spin the starter for a few seconds.

You did not mention getting water when you took out the plugs (if you did not that would be a good sign). BUT the proof would be when you spin the engine.

Also, not mentioned as yet, but do check the oil for any increase in level on the dipstick, etc.

Let us know how you make out.

*****A little bit of background. A few months ago, my trim/tilt was active up. I took apart the shifter but eventually took it to a shop because the cable needed to be replaced and I was worried about messing it up and causing major damage. Back to last night...

After Don's post, I cranked it for 10-12 seconds and it turned over (which it was NOT doing before I took the plugs out... it only turned over once and would stop). I did not see any water when I took out the plugs and when I cranked it actually the engine compartment cover was down so I didn't get to see it (it was late and I have to have the bimini up to keep the engine compartment cover open).

A key point though is the trim would not go up/down.

Then, half an hour later, I tried it again, and it wouldn't do anything. I'm 99% sure that's not an engine problem (by the key not doing anything when I turned it), but a problem with the shifter.

So I think I may have 2 issues maybe?

Let me know what things you think I should try tonight. I'll manually jumper the trim to see if that works, which I think it will. And I assume the shift interrupt is causing it NOW not to even crank once.

What's the best way to test that? Just jump to the starter??

Then, what next? Put the plugs back in and try to start it (with muffs on it)?

 

[aggiedave98]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

The last thing is the oil level didn't seem to be high or have water.

 

[Don S]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

After Don's post, I cranked it for 10-12 seconds and it turned over (which it was NOT doing before I took the plugs out... it only turned over once and would stop)

What do you mean it only turned over once and would stop? Did it take 10 or 12 seconds to make one revolution and then stop turning as if hydrolocked again?

IS your battery charged up? Battery cables clean and tight?

If the engine was actually turning over for a while, did any water come out of any of the cylinders? YES, you have to actually look to see what is going on.

 

[aggiedave98]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

Don, sorry if I was unclear. In the lake with the plugs in it was only turning over once. After I read your post and with the plugs out, I cranked it in my garage for 10-12 seconds and it DID turn over many times. The battery is charged up. 12.5 volts. I did take the cables off and back on in the lake when I was having the issue and they're clean.

It was really late (almost midnight) and because I have to have my bimini up to open the engine compartment, I didn't see if water came out while I cranked, but none came out when I took out the plugs.

I think my plan is to get fogging oil on the way home and put that in there, then put in new spark plugs that I already have, hook it up to muffs, and try starting it. Is that a good or bad plan? Suggestions? Thanks a lot guys!

 

[captmello]

Re: I think I may have had my engine hyrdolock??

If you plan to run it, I don't see any need to fog. Running it will dry it out, if it had water in it...