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Help I need to prove IMPACT versus overheat

C

coxgreen

New member
"I sure hope someone can help

"I sure hope someone can help me. I have a boat running a 5.7L Mercruiser with an Alpha 1 outdrive. Boat was running perfect (4500-4600 @ WOT with 5 blade stainless prop) until I hit a submerged object with my prop. This impact resulted in my drive belt coming off and me being towed back to shore/dock.

After replacing the drive belt, I was able to start the engine and drive the boat onto the trailer, however the engine ran poorly like it was sputtering and missing. Took boat to mechanic next day.

Here is the problem. Appears to everyone involved that this is engine damage due to impact. My insurance company does not agree and after the engine was torn down (by my mechanic in front of the insurance rep), they concluded the engine failed due to overheating/abuse.

I am contesting this decision, however, I am not an expert on the signs of overheating versus impact. My mecahnic gave me a written letter including the following info:

1. Drive belt intact with proper tension
2. Compression test showed severe motor damage
3. Stern drive was pulled to inspect engine coupler & cross bearings: coupler, u-joints, shafts intact - no damage noted
4. Lower gear case bearing carrier was removed - no wear or damage noted
5. 5 cylinders with cross hatching, 1 with water intrusion, 1 with major damage to piston rings, cylinder wall and cylinder head, 1 with scoring resent
6. Drive coupler with evidence of being spun
7. Water pump pulled - impeller intact
8. Pinon drive shaft splines show evidence of impact

So, what does all of this mean to me as a lay person getting ready to battle my insurance company. I know that my boat ran excellent prior to this accident and now I have no boat until I replace my engine.

Please, I hope that you can help me understand the workings of an engine (what shows overheat and what are signs of impact)."
 
It means you are probably goin

It means you are probably going to lose except for items 6 and 8.

You may win if you can prove that the belt was knocked off by the impact unbeknownst to you; after the impact the missing belt caused the engine to overheat and fry the rings and cylinders. That is your only case you could argue. It only takes a minute to cook an engine.
 
"You have information that sup

"You have information that supports both a minor impact and overheating. A minor impact alone will not cause overheating.

You say that the engine would not run after the belt came off, but the engine will start and run with the drive belt off, so please elaborate on this.

Or in other words, did you run it without the belt? It's understandable if you tried to limp home rather than call a tow vessel, but if you did, it certainly would have overheated and damage would occur.

I hate to side with the insurance company, but you said yourself that the engine was running great right before the impact and there is no way an impact alone would have created the types of engine damage you described. Sorry.

Dave"
 
"Confusing report. I can tell

"Confusing report. I can tell you one thing for certain, though: A raw water cooled engine deprived of water will self-destruct in 20 to 30 seconds under load--and the more load, the quicker it destroys itself.

My best guess is that your engine lost coling water: either the raw water pump stopped (if the belt thrown or not) or the lower unit intake was damaged so water could not come in.

Try again with the insurance guy. And good luck.

Jeff

PS: Check the block and heads for signs of extreme over-heating (burnt paint)."
 
"First of all I see a conflict

"First of all I see a conflict in the report and have a few questions. Item #3 contradicts item #6. How was the coupler OK in item 3, but showed signs of spinning in item 6?

Did you experience any alarms?
How long did it run with no belt, if at all?
On an Alpha drive the belt drives only the circulating pump, not the supply pump. With the supply pump still pumping you will have enough water going through the system to keep it from any immediate damage. Water is still circulating through the cooling system, just not as strongly as it would otherwise.

Is this an EFI engine? If so the ECM will store crucial data which could help your case. This would be in the form of stored DTC codes.

I too am having trouble connecting the dots, but you may have a case if you can access the ECM.

Good luck,
Rick"
 
"((Boat was running pe

"((Boat was running perfect (4500-4600 @ WOT with 5 blade stainless prop) until I hit a submerged object with my prop. This impact resulted in my drive belt coming off and me being towed back to shore/dock.))

Here is some of the points where your case will get sticky,
1)At what point did you realise you had thrown a belt
2)Can you prove that the belt was thrown as a direct result of the impact.
3)Can you prove impact (witness, damage to prop ect)
4)Is your boat fitted with Audible alarms for overheating and do they work.
5)At what point did you realise your belt had been thrown and how long was that after the impact.
6)How long had the engine run after the impact.
7)Does your temp gauge read accuratly.
8)Do you have accurate, current service records.

I am no leagal eagle but I was an engine builder in a previous life and I think that unless you have rock solid witnesses to prove that you did everything in your power to shut the engine down within 1 minute of the impact and that the impact caused the belt to come off and not just a maintainance issue, you are screwed.

You need to make the insurance assesor your best friend and find out as much as you can about him, does he have any formal qualifications that allow him to make an accurate, informed decission on your failed engine. Or is he just making a decission in the best interests of his employer.
Your best chance of success lies in levels of doubt, you need to prove that there is a high probability that the impact led to your engine failure and that the insurance assesor cannot technicaly prove otherwise.


When making a bet only bet what you are prepared to loose, If you take on the fight with your insurer and you do not have all your i's dotted ant your t's crossed you will get burnt and it will cost you your insurers leagal expenses, which will be a hell of alot dearer than a new engine would cost.

Sorry I cannot be any more positive than that.

Cheers
Peter C"
 
"[b]"This impact resulted

""This impact resulted in my drive belt coming off.
My mecahnic gave me a written letter including the following info:

1. Drive belt intact with proper tension"

Ayuh,.......

I don't have any Good News either,.......
Actually,.....
I Question just How in 'ell the Belt can be thrown by an underwater Strike if it was secure to begin with,.....
That alone baffles My Mind.....

And,......
If the Belt Was in fact thrown,.....
Why is it said to be "Drive belt intact with proper tension" by the Mechanic........

Unless I'm missing something,......
I can't see where you have a leg to stand on......"
 
"[b]"After replacing the d

""After replacing the drive belt, I was able to start the engine and drive the boat onto the trailer"



The report was obviously written after the fact."
 
"Thank you all for the great f

"Thank you all for the great feedback. Sounds like I do not have a leg to stand on with the insurance company to convince them of the impact.

Not sure what happened then, as the boat ran superb up to point of impact..."
 
"was it possible engine wot p

"was it possible engine wot popped boat on wake engine overreved, damaged cylinder{sucked a valve?, belt popped off, damage to coupler from when boat returned to water driveline stressed as throwing into reverse? just a thought. good luck, rodney."
 
"OK, Newbe here to the forum,

"OK, Newbe here to the forum, but not boating.

#1, if you overheated the engine, the first affected would be the cylinder heads, not the cylinder walls/ pistons.
#2 On the Alpha drive, the belt runs the circulating pump only, you still had raw water pumping up, I dont see that losing a circulating pump would cause catostrophic failure in a minute or two.
#3 YOu put the belt back on and state it drove onto the trailer, What happened from the ramp to the Insurance man??? SOMETHING DID!!!!

#4 IF the impact shut the motor down, which it sounds it did. It is possible that you had a bad flapper in the Y pipe and you forced water backwards in the exhaust, forcing water into the combustion chamber, leaving water in the cylinder. You put the belt on, and fired it up to load, wiping out the cylinders and 1 piston.


I would call the insurance Co and demand a second opinion from a different appraiser. Explain to them your felings about the incident.

It doesnt sound like your mechanic did you any favors at presenting the case to them either!!!

Friends of ours had a 4.3L merc replaced and 3 hrs into it an oil filter hose blew and toasted the motor. they were denied insurance, they protested and a 2nd appraiser found that the hose should have been replaced when the motor was and they were refunded the costs of the motor.

Tom"
 
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