Possible Damage done by Water in Fuel ?

[aj584211]

My water-fuel separator filter cartridge was over-whelmed last week and allowed water into my 2003 90HP VRO engine. Obviously, the motor ran poorly (10-15 minutes) until I got back to the dock and got the engine hooked up to good gas in a back-up portable tank. I drained all of the floats and the engine will now start and idle OK but i've got a non-functioning cylinder (of the four, lower port-side) that does not effect the idle when I pull off the plug wire. Spark is present but doesn't seem to be working. When I ran the boat, as is, it would not tach higher than 4K.
Questions:
1.Does short term running with water in fuel (it never completely died) usually cause internal damage to the piston etc.
2.Now that I've got good gas in the motor, can I "safely" run it to my trailer (20 Minutes) at moderate rate without added "damage"?
Any thoughts would be appreciated...
Thanks

 

[boatingbob]

Re: Possible Damage done by Water in Fuel ?

Check compression, if compression checks out clean the carb. and check fuel lines.

 

[aj584211]

Re: Possible Damage done by Water in Fuel ?

Check compression, if compression checks out clean the carb. and check fuel lines.

 

[aj584211]

Re: Possible Damage done by Water in Fuel ?

Thanks, Bob.
What about limping this back to the ramp to take it out?
If I squirt starter fluid into the one suspect carb at idle to see if I can get it to fire, might that tell me something or am I gonna hurt something.
What should the compression ratio be in this 90 HP?
Thanks, again...

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Possible Damage done by Water in Fuel ?

I wouldn't worry about compression numbers, as long as they are all within 10-15 % of each other. Also, don't use starter fluid to test the cylinder. Just washes away the oil. Use some pre-mix in a spray bottle. Check that compression before you run it again. If low on that cylinder, have it towed to the ramp. Cheaper than causing more damage to the motor....And remember this, even if the compression is good on that cylinder, if you run it and it's not getting fuel to that one cylinder, it will burn it up...

 

[aj584211]

Re: Possible Damage done by Water in Fuel ?

Thanks, Admiral...
Good advice...
I appreciate your help...
Jim

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Possible Damage done by Water in Fuel ?

Run the engine. Pull the spark plug on the non-firing cylinder. Is it wet or dry?