"My continuing saga with a 
"My continuing saga with a '71 M440. Over the weekend, I had my Century Coronado at the dock, in the water for several hours. It was a busy day, lots of boat wakes and waves.... It ran fine earlier that day. I went to start it, and it was locked up solid, would not turn, and did not start. I removed all spark plugs and cranked it over. One of the rear cylinders was in fact, full of water. So I turned it over a few more times to dry it out. Then I put the plugs back in, checked the oil, and it started right up. Seemed to run OK. I assume it took in a wave thru the exhaust, and got past an open valve, into a cylinder. Now I think I know why these old inboards have the rubber flapper vales on the exhaust (mine does not have them. Yet)... OK, what damage might I have done? It never started when full of water. It just would not crank. Can the starter motor alone cause a bent rod? What else should I check out?"
"My continuing saga with a '71 M440. Over the weekend, I had my Century Coronado at the dock, in the water for several hours. It was a busy day, lots of boat wakes and waves.... It ran fine earlier that day. I went to start it, and it was locked up solid, would not turn, and did not start. I removed all spark plugs and cranked it over. One of the rear cylinders was in fact, full of water. So I turned it over a few more times to dry it out. Then I put the plugs back in, checked the oil, and it started right up. Seemed to run OK. I assume it took in a wave thru the exhaust, and got past an open valve, into a cylinder. Now I think I know why these old inboards have the rubber flapper vales on the exhaust (mine does not have them. Yet)... OK, what damage might I have done? It never started when full of water. It just would not crank. Can the starter motor alone cause a bent rod? What else should I check out?"