Partially submerged engine

[paulc229]

Hello all, so we’ve had torrential rain here, and apparently the auto bilge killed the battery while trying to keep up for 3 days of rain. Engine compartment was partiallly submerged, up to about 1/2 way between the bottom and middle spark plug.....what to do before trying to start?

 

[Tim75]

Take out all the spark plugs. Throttle to wide open. Rotate engine BY HAND a couple of turns. Did you get any water out? Try the starter for an instant. You will need to energize starter solenoid. Do you think you got all the water out? Put it back together and try it.

 

[paulc229]

Thanks , I’m planning on trying all that tonight when I get home from work, unfortunately I could only bail the boat out this morning then and to come to work... how does one energize the starter selonoid?

 

[Tim75]

Ventilate bilge with hatch open.
Connect a switch from large terminal where battery cable connects.
Other end of switch to small terminal that has 1 wire on it.
Auto parts stores sell a tool for this.

 

[paulc229]

ok, so all done, cross your fingers going to try to start it in a bit once i get up the nerve...lol
followed tims advice and hand cranked the engine over a little bit of water came out the bottom spark plug holes, added a little alcohol and rotated again, and added a little oil and rotated again......

 

[paulc229]

Boat started and ran as normal, let it run u til it got good and warmed up and hopefully got rid of any water left in it,...still no blower or bilge? And the battery wasn’t dead so not sure why it took on so much water...thank you tim75 for all your help much appreciated. Also the light on the blower switch is always on now? Not sure why?

 

[paulc229]

Blower ended up being a blown fuse, but still no bilge pump...

 

[Tim75]

When (if) your night running lights got turned on, that will turn on the lights in your switches.

 

[paulc229]

It went out as soon as I changed the fuse, it was the only one lit. Thanks for your help Tim. Now just have to figure out the bilge pump issue.....

 

[dblackstone]

I would guess water go into the bilge pump. Might need to be replaced.

I personally like to wire bilge pump directly to battery with inline fuse so it is always on if water gets high enough to set it off