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Please advice on parsley submerged 04 Johnson 175 engine

T

TheBrain

Regular Contributor
Please advice on parsley submerged 04 Johnson175 engine

I was swamped over the weekend saltwater has entered the 04 Johnson 175HP
This happened approshemently 2am Saturday the engine wasn’t completely submerged (because I was beached at time of swamping)
But engine was in water lower than the cowl seal.

This is what I have done
1.Drained the carbs w/ engine tilted completely up
2.pumped new fresh fuel though then replaced each drain plug bolt.
3.drained 2 stroke oil resoivor
4.dissconnected oil line pumped in new 2 stroke oil
5.cleaned battery connections to starter
6.removed all spark plugs and tilted trailer as high as I could, I observed a clear fluid
Exiting just the two lower cylinders, then sprayed fogging oil into all cylinders.


All this done Sunday afternoon at this time I was able to turn over the engine w/ the starter but the engine wouldn’t start. edit the engine would only turn over when tilted up
Not when tilted down.

Now early Monday morning engine will not turn over w/ starter, the starter makes a dull clicking noise kindof like a car starter that has a bad solenoid but the clicking was dull.

7. early Monday morning removed all spark plugs w/ engine tilted completely up filled each cylinder w/ diesel fuel researching how to manually turn over engine there’s a cover over the flywheel. Or will the diesel fuel leak down past the rings into the crank and it’s bearing.

edit: the lower units gear oil is still the same fluid I thought it was like a sealed transmission and separate from engine.

Any tips on restarting a parsley submerged engine.
Thanks
 
Run to a shop for help ASAP !!!!!-----Corrosion is damaging big $$ parts now.-----They must be started within a few hrs of recovery.----Do not waste any time here !
 
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Agreed, time is running out. Or has run out. Somebody needs to get it started now, no time to learn on this one.

Boy, I hated it when we got a storm that sank several boats at the same time. Witness all my grey hair. (Can't be age).
 
took engine to boat mechanic Tuesday morning engine was running in a couple hours. said he choked the carbs by covering the inlet curious how he covered 6 carbs maybe 6 rags stuffed into each inlet

mechanic told me he disassembled the starter found zero water inside starter said he tightened the brushes in the starter they where loose from over cranking.

picked up boat on Friday put boat in lake didn't cruise around because I was seriously low on 2 stroke oil so I let her idel for about 45 minutes at the dock. hopefully 45 minutes running at idel dryed up any moisture inside the engine.

hope the engine will be reliable.

I concerned w/ the electrical parts of engine leaving me stranded?
TB
 
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You're a very lucky boater! Normally if the engine isn't started and running within a few hours after being submerged... the engine is junk as rusting begins the second the engine is removed from the water.

Water must have access to the electrical components, especially to the "voltage" terminals (battery, etc) in order to destroy the cable/wiring terminals.

Check the back of the ignition switch for obvious corrosion, green fluff, anything out of the ordinary... the actual battery terminals at the battery... the wiring terminals at the powerhead, especially the terminals connected to the starter solenoid. If there is no obvious damage at these areas, it can be assumed that water DID NOT gain access to anything that could affect the electrical system.

Let us know what you find.
 
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the battery was actually completely submerged for about 12 hours still connected. I felt a tiny tingle when I pulled it up to the top of aft. the batteries positive wing nut was almost completely melted when elevating the battery alot of grey sulfic acid came out and now my aluminum hull has a thin layer of corrosion.

battery actualley powered both my bilge pumps for a few hours.

when you say "
Check the back of the ignition switch for obvious corrosion" is that at the binnecale where I insert the ignition key? the binnacale was never wet.

hopefulley the wd40 I sparyed into every wire connecter will stop any corrosion.

when I ran the engine on friday for the 45 minutes do you think that was long enough to dry any moisture.

Thanks TB
 
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The battery actually being underwater (Salt Water) is bad (BAD!).

For sure, check the back of that ignition switch (Yes... where you insert the key) along with all of the wiring/cable terminals.

Keep your eye on the tachometer operation, also on the charging/battery voltage gauge.

I've seen many engines too low in the water where water would gain access to the bottom cylinders (heavy rain), but spare the electrical system, and was hoping your problem went that route. Unfortunately, apparently, that is not the case. WD40 will help considerably... CRC666 is better if you can find it... CRC556 may also be helpful but I don't remember the application description.

However, you have the engine running which is a Godsend... saves the cylinder sleeves, bearings, crankshaft, the powerhead in general.
 
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The big problem is if the salt got into the crankcase the damage may already be done. Pull the flywheel and clean all the components with electrical cleaner. Pull all electrical connectors apart and clean with electrical cleaner and put back together with dielectric grease. Sand all grounds metal to metal including parts that use bolts for ground. You may have dodged a bullet of no salt got into the crankcase. The only way to remove the salt is to completely disassemble and clean everything thoroughly. It is running is a good sign hope everything works out.
 
faztbullet said:
Drain the oil tank if it was submerged!!!!
Click to expand...
yes did that step 3 thanks

joereeves said:
The battery actually being underwater (Salt Water) is bad (BAD!).

For sure, check the back of that ignition switch (Yes... where you insert the key) along with all of the wiring/cable terminals.

Keep your eye on the tachometer operation, also on the charging/battery voltage gauge.

I've seen many engines too low in the water where water would gain access to the bottom cylinders (heavy rain), but spare the electrical system, and was hoping your problem went that route. Unfortunately, apparently, that is not the case. WD40 will help considerably... CRC666 is better if you can find it... CRC556 may also be helpful but I don't remember the application description.

However, you have the engine running which is a Godsend... saves the cylinder sleeves, bearings, crankshaft, the powerhead in general.
Click to expand...
are you saying corrosion can start at the engine and corrode engines wire harness all 25' all the way upto ignition key? will I have to disassemble binacle for inspection?

kimcrwbr1 said:
The big problem is if the salt got into the crankcase the damage may already be done. Pull the flywheel and clean all the components with electrical cleaner. Pull all electrical connectors apart and clean with electrical cleaner and put back together with dielectric grease. Sand all grounds metal to metal including parts that use bolts for ground. You may have dodged a bullet of no salt got into the crankcase. The only way to remove the salt is to completely disassemble and clean everything thoroughly. It is running is a good sign hope everything works out.
Click to expand...
water got into the 2 lower cylinders so theres proballey SW on crank after running engine 45 minutes would'nt the salt dry to dust and grind itself up?

I tryed to remove flywheel crank bolt w/ a wrench unsucsessfully

do I have to use a impact tool to break this bolt loose?

Thanks
 
TheBrain said:
(1) - Are you saying corrosion can start at the engine and corrode engines wire harness all 25' all the way up to ignition key? will I have to disassemble binnacle for inspection?

(2) - Water got into the 2 lower cylinders so there's probably SW on crank after running engine 45 minutes wouldn't the salt dry to dust and grind itself up?

(3) - I tried to remove flywheel crank bolt w/ a wrench unsuccessfully. Do I have to use a impact tool to break this bolt loose?
Click to expand...

1 - Normally, water, even salt water does not attack the full length of the wiring. Rather it (corrosion) attacks just the beginning and the end terminals for some reason... I assume because that portion is exposed. Should a wire/cable with voltage within it have its insulation broken, cracked, cut, somewhere along its length, then being underwater, especially salt water, you could expect that area to be damaged... but normally, as stated, it's just the end terminals.

If the ignition switch is within the binnacle mount, yes, you'll need to do some dismantling there.

2 - I serviced many underwater engines due to storms, mechanical mishaps, hull damage, etc via Maurice River, Delaware Bay, the Gulf of Mexico... salt water galore! Apparently once the engine was running, the salt became non existent as many of those engine are still running. Frankly I wouldn't be concerned about that aspect of the problem.

3 - A proper size socket, a long breaker bar to hold the socket, and a tool that auto mechanics use called a "Spanner Wrench" to grab the flywheel teeth are needed to remove and install the flywheel nut. Also, that nut must be torqued to factory specifications or it will surely shear, causing possible damage to the flywheel and crankshaft tapers. Pic of spanner wrench follows:
Spanner-2.jpg
 
Update was able to replace a battery power lug this end corroded about 4" of #0 AWG tinned cable.

inside helm only the lug deterated.
 

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Brain..... There seems to be some disbelief that the back portion of the ignition switch could be damaged due to the fact that the switch wasn't actually submerged. Such is not the case.... The fact that the electrical system was submerged will cause the terminals of the ignition switch to fuzz up green with corrosion, and in many cases blow the back of the switch out. Other members here can verify this statement I'm sure.

You may be lucky in this area.... you've had an extreme amount of good luck already.... but what I speak of is well worth while looking into rather than to chance a ruined outing.

Racer..... Retiring in 1991, I wasn't aware of that fact. What holds that flywheel on?... Don't tell me Elmer's Glue! :cool:
 
5 bolts and a pin to line it up.-----A woodruff key for the timing wheel.----May not even have a taper on the crank for the flywheel.
 
joereeves said:
Brain..... There seems to be some disbelief that the back portion of the ignition switch could be damaged due to the fact that the switch wasn't actually submerged. Such is not the case.... The fact that the electrical system was submerged will cause the terminals of the ignition switch to fuzz up green with corrosion, and in many cases blow the back of the switch out. Other members here can verify this statement I'm sure.

You may be lucky in this area.... you've had an extreme amount of good luck already.... but what I speak of is well worth while looking into rather than to chance a ruined outing.

Racer..... Retiring in 1991, I wasn't aware of that fact. What holds that flywheel on?... Don't tell me Elmer's Glue! :cool:
Click to expand...
OK I disassemble control box clean w/CRC electronic cleaner, remember initially (3rd week of NOV I sparyed all electrical connections w/ WD40.

plan to relug 0AWG 12V power/ground then do some premeditate wiring.
TB
 
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