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Coastalcrom

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I let my kid take my boat out for his 21st birthday. Everything went well on the water but upon putting it on the trailer he didn’t pull the plug and it rained for three days straight… the boat completely filled. I emptied it but I haven’t tried to start it. There is no gas in the oil, is there anything I can do to mitigate the damage I’m guessing occurred? 1978 Glassply 19 ft with 305 mercrusier I/O
 
You might want to check / change the oil.----Dry out / lube starter and alternator.------Check automatic bilge pump ?----How high up was the water ?
 
The thing that really sucks about this is the water has gotten into everything, wiring especially. You may be able to save the engine, but I wouldn't be surprised if you continue to experience problems for a long long time. Treat it as if the boat sank. You'll need to do several oil changes over the next 24 hours. Get the thing up to temp, cool off, and change oil like 4 times.
 
o2batsea said:
The thing that really sucks about this is the water has gotten into everything, wiring especially. You may be able to save the engine, but I wouldn't be surprised if you continue to experience problems for a long long time. Treat it as if the boat sank. You'll need to do several oil changes over the next 24 hours. Get the thing up to temp, cool off, and change oil like 4 times.
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I guess I have a little luck then as there is really only Fishfinder and (ironically) bilge pump wiring under the water level and he had taken the battery off to put on the trickle charge. In researching this it looks like I’ll need to replace the starter and perhaps the alternator at minimum. It’s been pouring rain today, I’m going to change the oil and run it tomorrow. The oil level is normal and not milky
 
racerone said:
You might want to check / change the oil.----Dry out / lube starter and alternator.------Check automatic bilge pump ?----How high up was the water ?
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It was over the motor housing. I ordered a started as I understood they almost always have to be changed. I haven’t ordered an alternator yet, hopefully this one can be saved. It has a bilge pump but he took the batteries in to trickle charge. Both, instead of just the starting battery.
 
Did the water level get over the top of the carburetor?
How high? What was covered in water?
Have photos to share?
 
Milky or no you really want to do the 4 oil changes. Better to spend $100 on oil and be sure everything is good than $10,000 on a new engine or boat.
 
o2batsea said:
Milky or no you really want to do the 4 oil changes. Better to spend $100 on oil and be sure everything is good than $10,000 on a new engine or boat.
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Yeah, it sounds like I’ll be doing some oil changes. Do you usually pump it out the fill tube or drain it from the bottom? I had a hose set up (that I can push out the drain hole and drain outside the boat) for one boat but not this one
 
Coastalcrom said:
Yeah, it sounds like I’ll be doing some oil changes. Do you usually pump it out the fill tube or drain it from the bottom? I had a hose set up (that I can push out the drain hole and drain outside the boat) for one boat but not this one
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I also have another 305 engine with 50 hrs on it that I was saving to swap when this needs a repower. I hope I dont have to use it already the current engine just hit 200 hr. Is there anything that would be the trigger for a swap instead of just working on it in the boat? (Lord knows I dont want to do the swap before summer…)
 
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