merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

[mancho]

Danggit. Got drifted in middle of lake lewisville...was runnig good 2 weeks ago on a fresh charged battery... got it to fire up quick on muffs at home but about 10 starts into on water she wont turn over.

Hmmmmm try a battery jump.on the water but nuthin.

Still have around 10 on the voltage gauge.

Tow back to dock....friendly texan tow gives me his battery. I still can't get it to turn over.

Get home....wife says its starter ... I say battery. So since I think momma is always right I pull the starter. Autozone tests it and the starter is working fine. Ok let's recharge the battery and test the alternator.

What my fear is .... look at the attached pic ...when I pulledmy starter ... I was... i was startled by the missing teeth. This can't be good.

Is it possible that the missing teeth is causing the no turn? Im.gonna have to pull this engine to replace that wheel. Chiiiittt!

How can I turn the engine by hand to get it to hit some teeth?

 

[dubs283]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

sounds like you hydrolocked the engine and in the process of continually trying to crank the engine over you damaged some teeth on the ring gear/starter gear

pull all the spark plugs and check for water in the cylinders

then you can re-install the starter and trun the engine over with the plugs out to evacuate the water in the cylinders

how, you ask did water get in the cylinders??

#1 cause is faulty water shutters in the exhaust system

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Ok. Yes. This is my fear of hydrolocking the engine. Ill pull the plugs tomorrow and see if I kick out water.

Hydrolocking on the 2 stroke jet skiis was never good. Had the engine rebuilt. The piston walls needed to be refinished.

Wouldn't there be more missing teeth if it was engaging???

 

[dubs283]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Wouldn't there be more missing teeth if it was engaging???

no - beacuse the starter gear was just engaging the ring gear in that area, remember the engine is not turning over so niether is the flywheel

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Well I guess I would expect it to make a rattling or steel popping steel sound... but it sounded more like nothing. Perhaps the stated engages but cannot move so it sounds like just a whine or high speed spinning ?? I just never heard any steel sounds more like a starter not hitting.

 

[cr2k]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

9/16 socket on the bolt on the front of the front damper. Turn it about 90* and try again.

You can buy a ring gear at the auto parts and just replace that you don't need the whole flywheel.

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Winner is dubs. Pulled the plugs and I have water in the 3rd cylinder on right side and all cylinders on port side have water. crap.

what now? I read about putting marvel mystery oil in after i blow the cylinders out... but what about a bent value or worse? Thinking I'm not really sure what to do next.

I'll search iboat for hydrolock. Obviously the exhaust gates failed.

Thanks for the replies so far, I might need a lil hand holding on this, as I'm trying to keep the repair bill WAYYY LOWWW. I can monkey a wrench just enough to be dangerous!

 

[dubs283]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

dont bother with the oil, just get as much water out as you can - takes about twenty cranking cycles of 5-10 seconds each, pausing in between

then run the engine on muffs for a bit, that will be sufficient - this happened recently, like within a couple days??

i doubt you bent a valve, hydrolocked engines don't turn over so usually nothing gets damaged - once its running you'll know if something is wrong

you'll have to replace the water shutters in the y-pipe to prevent this, otherwise know your limits coming off plane and don't let waves hit the transom while docked, etc...

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Ok. Will do. I nudged the engine past the dead spot on the starter gear ring... so as long as I can nudge it w plugs in while on the water. Chances are slim but sill possible to land back on that dead spot.

Once I get it cleared of water and new plugs in and on muffs... if everything sounds good... I don't see a reason I can't get back on the lake today.

The hydrolock occurred yesterday. So im really hoping that there is minimal damage as apparently the difference in hydrolocking a jet ski is a bit different than a full boat.

Thanks for your help dubs. I appreciate your input. Im always thankful for those willing to share knowledge.

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Oh I forgot. I don't have a y pipe...its straight thru hull...so the exhaust risers have bad gates.? What does that replacement look like in man hours and parts?

 

[dubs283]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

since the water was only in there for a day or so you are okay, just get the water out and the engine run up

do you have flappers on your exhaust tips?? you are gonna need em if you dont, its a straight shot into the exhaust for water!!

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Yes, just checked the pipes, nothing, both flappers missing and internal one is too... just a nary rubber strip left on the metal mount. i checked and couldn't find any internal replacements that matched, so I just ordered new ones. they are 2 inches shorter, big deal, but these new ones will have both the internal and external flappers. I think this is my problem.

I have turned over the engine many times with plugs out and still get a hair of water coming out. i'm thinking of using my 400 watt heat gun to assure things are getting dry. its hot and humid in texas so it's not drying as fast I would like, a good dry heat.

i'm sure my fancy 10 shop hair drying isn't going to overheat as long as I just heat the block/plug hole.

The other issue im now facing is still my starter isn't engaging enough. i can hear the "missing teeth" tick in the wheel as I'm spinning the cylinders dry... .but it's hitting a dead spot about every 3rd spin. how can that be? am i missing the other side of my wheel and the pic of the few teeth isn't the problem?

I'm so ready to pull the starter again and just watch the teeth situation as I slowly turn it. i can't believe i'm this lucky to hit the same freaking teeth in that pic so many times.

I know the starter is kicking out...... meanwhile.... still drying out.

how much is too much water in the cylinder? well, i'm not a mathematician, but any can't be good. i dont want to chance a bent valve and make this problem a true nightmare.

i'm confident i can pull the engine and swap the wheel and remounted under 4 hours...er with my mechanic at his shop! maybe i'm feeling over confident.

thanks!

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

to assist, I went ahead and did a quick video clip.

first part you can see i'm spinning it and water out of the 3rd cylinder on right side... note the clicking as it spins...thats the teeth part.

then i hit it again and i'm not grabbing anything. the starter is spinning out... we're good there, but I must be missing way more than just those few teeth. looks like the wheel is perhaps rusty and that clearly means water had been in this area before.

Mark

 

[dubs283]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

when a V-8 engine stops running/turning, the flywheel will stop in one of four locations, i.e. the starter will engage the ring gear in one of four places when you engage it, follow??

a V-6 flywheel will stop in one of three places - make sense??

so you have a one in four chance of trying to engage the starter in the problem area, or higher depending on how many damaged spots there are on the ring gear

looks like you're gonna be pulling the engine soon

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

Yeah, I just spoke with the mechanic he says how does it attach to the gimble? I don't know, my mercruiser service manual isn't covering anything past the gimble.

I think a new ring gear is in order. oh good times yes.

whatcha think about the port side, see that water? is that too much to replug and try to dry it up? I would say it's less than a teaspoon coming out, but it's hard to tell exactly how much is still in the cylinder.

Thanks for all the help, much appreciated...

 

[dubs283]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

i'd say run it - the longer you don't the longer it has time to rust up in there

don't know what kind of mechanic you have but most mercruiser sterndrives are connected to the transom plate primarily the same way - can't think of why he would ask that

 

[mancho]

Re: merc not turning over. flywheel chipped.

tried hard to get it started after putting the plugs back in... but no luck. I'm hitting the dead spot almost every try... more like 3 out of 4 times. The last 15 attempts to get the starter to hit anything has failed. I'm pretty beat at this point.

I did get it to turn over about 3 times before the starter hit dead again.

However, like a dumb a** I had the ignition power at the throttle in off and didn't realize it immediately. However, when i put it on, still no difference... mostly just catching air with the starter.

I'm thinking the 4 spots that it rests on, they are all gone. I am thinking there is a few things contributing besides my lack of knowledge.

1. The fact it got one spot from the initial hydrolock isn't helping.
2. I can't get a good turn ( a single gear wheel revolution ) until it hits the flat spot
3. I need to get the spark going, so hitting some ether in the intake, bad idea or no? Did this with 2 strokes but this isn't a typical 2 stroke.

I pulled the new plugs I put in and only a tiny bit of water on the 3rd right side (where it was only at) and there was hardly any on the port side (the worst side initially). A tiny droplet but was very small.

soooo, whats advice now? See if the marine mechanic can start it? I am thinking the gear drive issue is coming up faster than I admit.

Can I leave the plugs out so they will dry every drop? or is this bad for potential condensation (although I don't see it getting warm/cold sitting) .... I've given up at the moment and graciously give thanks for those that know way more than me.