Water in cylinder and air intake

[LakeMiss]

Hi everyone, Through a series of stupidities, I half submerged my brother in laws XP with one spark plug removed.

The pump worked well, and I used a shop vac, and had the compartment mostly empty of water in just a few minutes.

I searched what to do with water in the cylinders, and read to crank the engine with the plug out. So I did that, and sprayed water out, and dried it as best I could with a rag.

I put new plugs in and tried to start it. No go. (Thats is the part that I'm worried might have done some damage).

I pulled the spark plug and tried shop vaccing water out. The water came out infinitely- like, way more water than could be in the engone or even compartment.

So it seems water is coming from the lake directly into the engine?

The oil is clean. The gas tank level doesnt seem changed (but maybe the reserve tank? I can't see that)

I took the air filter cover off, and the filter screen. Water is coming up and out that, especially when I lean forward. That's a couple feet up from the compartment floor, and the water only sits a half inch deep there. How is the water coming up so high?

Any advice? Would this be easier to diagnose in the water (at dock) or on the trailer? I feel like I can see more where the water is coming from in the water, but my concern is that at some point something goes wrong and it sinks!

 

[LakeMiss]

I should add that the water coming out the cylinder and air intake is quite clean, just a hint of gasoline in it.

 

[burtshaver2021]

I’m not quite understanding exactly what happened? You had it in the lake with one plug out? I’m assuming you didn’t have it running then? And water cane in? Or did you have both plugs in, it running in the lake and water came in to the engine compartment? When you say it won’t start, do you mean it won’t do anything? No noise, starter doesn’t engage nothing? Or does it sound like the starter engages but just won’t roll it over? What engine is it? Clean all the moisture out of all electrical boxes and connectors, check all your cooling hose to be sure they are tight, check the bolts in your exhaust. To get the water out of the engine, roll it over with the plugs out, put some injection oil in the carb as well as in the plug holes for a little lubrication. Once you think you’ve gotten all the moisture out of the engine, put the plugs in and try to start it, if it rolls over but doesn’t start, take the plugs back out and dry them, add a little squirt of injection oil in plug holes and carburetor, put plugs back in and try again. Keep going through this process until you get it to start. Only run it out or lake water for 20 seconds at a time or you will dance the carbon seal or carrier bearing. If you get it running on land, after you have checked all hoses and bolts take it to the lake and drive it for an hour. It’s important to do this as soon as possible ( like within 24 hours of flooding) to get all the residual water out of the engine. If your machine has a 787 then you have bigger problems because there would be water in the counter balance shaft, some of the later years have a drain plug but the earlier ones I’m pretty sure you will need to disassemble the engine to get the water out of there. Hopefully someone else chimes in about that, that knows for sure. This is just my opinion but if you can’t get it to run, I would literally half fill the crankcase by taking the carbs off and dumping oil into the intake manifold, have to turn the engine over by hand to move the rotary valve for the oil to go in. And then Roll it over again with plugs out, hopefully this would help get some of that residual water out and it would live the crank up real good till you can get this figured out.

 

[LakeMiss]

Wow, ok. Thanks. I had it tied to dock, and had a plug out. I dropped the plug, and went reaching for it down the side of the engine. I tipped the ski, filled front and back compartments with water, including the cylinder with the plug out. I was able to get all water out quickly (from compartment).
The electrical system seems good. The starter still works, and the pump still kicks on every time I get on or off and it takes on a bit of water.
The issue isnt just that there's water in the engine that I could potentially get out. I had the shop vac on the cylinder and it somehow was pulling water out continuously, as if it was drawing from the lake--maybe via the cooling system? Would a leak in the cooling system also makes its way back out into the air intake? Thanks a lot!!

 

[burtshaver2021]

When you had the shop vac on the cylinder with the craft in the water how did you have the shop vac connected to the piston? Through the plug hole? Or did you take the cylinder cover off? Just putting vacuum where the spark plug goes shouldn’t draw lake water from the lake unless you have a cooling issue. Is this ski new to you? Have you ever had it running on the lake? We should concentrate on the most important thing right now and that’s making sure you get all that water out before your crank bearings rust, crank it with plugs out, once no water is spewing from plug hole try to start it for 20 seconds. If it starts run it for 20 seconds, wait 20 minutes and then run it for 20 seconds. If it’s sea worthy take it to the lake and drive it to get the rest of that moisture out. You say when you get on it and off of it, a little water water comes in the hull, can you see where the water is coming in?

 

[LakeMiss]

OK, thanks, I'll get it out of the water and dry it out.
Sorry for being unclear, it was not in the cylinder, it was just flush against the housing at the spark plug hole, but it was able to draw water continuously from there.
The ski had been fine until this week, I had some starting problems. Plugs seemed a bit dirty so I just thought I'd swap them--and thats how the whole mess started.

 

[mikidymac]

Get it out of the lake.
Get the water out of the cylinder and get it running then put it back in the lake and run it hard.
You need to get it running and burn all the water out of the engine.

 

[LakeMiss]

OK, got it out of the lake and on trailer-- so how do I tip it to drain water out?

 

[burtshaver2021]

To get water out of the hull open the drain plugs, to get water out of the engine take spark plugs out and crank the engine over

 

[burtshaver2021]

Not sure if I already posted this or not, to get water out of the hull open the drain plugs, to get water out of the engine, take plugs out and crank engine. Ground the plug wires

 

[LakeMiss]

Thanks!

 

[LakeMiss]

OK, more bad news. The starter appears shot. I'm just getting a click now, with a booster pack on the battery. I tilted the bow up, and maybe a half gallon came out the drain plugs. I shop vacced the spark plug hole and the air intake, and they were both dry. I blew them out with air.

I don't even know where to begin now! How can I test the starting system to find that problem, I guess? I am trickle charging battery just to be sure, but I dont think its the battery.
Do I need to flip the ski to drain it properly or is this set up adequate?

 

[burtshaver2021]

No need to flip the ski

 

[burtshaver2021]

Have you taken the plugs out yet and tried cranking it over?

 

[LakeMiss]

Yes, now the starter ain't cranking.

 

[mikidymac]

DO NOT EVER use a jump pack on these or you can fry the MPEM.

Charge the battery with it disconnected from the ski and try again. Chances are good with all the cranking you killed the battery, not the starter.

 

[LakeMiss]

Thanks!! I pulled the battery out to charge. Hope I didnt damage it, I did notice the trickle charger wasnt getting it as high as it was at first.

 

[docdrs]

Hi everyone, Through a series of stupidities, I half submerged my brother in laws XP with one spark plug removed.

The pump worked well, and I used a shop vac, and had the compartment mostly empty of water in just a few minutes.

I searched what to do with water in the cylinders, and read to crank the engine with the plug out. So I did that, and sprayed water out, and dried it as best I could with a rag.

I put new plugs in and tried to start it. No go. (Thats is the part that I'm worried might have done some damage).

I pulled the spark plug and tried shop vaccing water out. The water came out infinitely- like, way more water than could be in the engone or even compartment.

So it seems water is coming from the lake directly into the engine?

The oil is clean. The gas tank level doesnt seem changed (but maybe the reserve tank? I can't see that)

I took the air filter cover off, and the filter screen. Water is coming up and out that, especially when I lean forward. That's a couple feet up from the compartment floor, and the water only sits a half inch deep there. How is the water coming up so high?

Any advice? Would this be easier to diagnose in the water (at dock) or on the trailer? I feel like I can see more where the water is coming from in the water, but my concern is that at some point something goes wrong and it sinks!

I just had to deal with this on son in laws sunk Seadoo boat. Remove water from hull with pump. Remove all spark plugs, ground spark wires put throttle to full wide open which should put it into flooded engine mode and stop gas. Crank engine for 5 seconds. Careful not to look at plug holes as water will shoot out quite forcefully. Spray 3 seconds of engine fog or wd 40 or any oil lubricant into holes, crank engine again for 10 seconds. You can put a rag over the holes to minimize spray. This will need to be done probably a minimum of 7 times. Even at this point there will still be water in the bottom of the crank case but most will be out. Install dry plugs and try to start the engine. It may fire but prob won’t stay running. Now you have to remove plugs crank engine for 10 secs and reinstall dry plugs ( air dry or dry with a lighter or similar. Reinstal plugs and try to start. It usually only takes about 3 - 4 attempts and you should be able to keep it running. There is still water in the bottom of the crank case and now you need to keep it running to get it out. Do this slowly by running it in the lake gradually increasing throttle.

Note this is for 2 strokes only