Submerged Motor

[Lake Wisconsin]

I am looking for a little help, especially if you have any background in marine mechanics. I am looking at a boat that was capsized. Everything is in good shape, but I am a bit concerned about the main motor. The boat was capsized about 2 hours prior to being pulled out of the water. Immediately, the gas, oil and motor were flushed with fresh fluids. The motor has been run about 2-3 hours without any issue since. How big of a concern for long term issues would you have? Is there something I should look for while test driving the boat? Overall thoughts? Something to just walk away from? Thanks in advance.

[MarkG]

2 stroke or 4 stroke? Carbed or EFI ? Any electronic modules, ECMs etc?
Could still be some moisture in the crankcase,but even if purged,If a late model outboard,with all the electronics it may have,there could be trouble down the road with corrosion at connectors,switches sensors and electronic parts etc.

Just curious,is this an insurance salvage that you would be buying REAL CHEAP? If not why would you even consider it?

[toolboy]

We had a duckboat accident many years ago and my motor was under for a couple of hours. It was flushed after a few hours and still runs like a top today. It was a small two stroke, but I know of other larger motors that have had the same problems and they are still running. If the price is right, I would go for it.

[ffishman]

A lot depends on the age of the motor.

[REW]

Lake,
The connections and electrical modules in outboard motors are made to resist water and corrosion very very well.

The key thing is that as soon as the motor was taken out of the water, it was drained, flushed, and then restarted and run for some time.

The idea is to get any moisture and other junk out of the motor and have the motor run with fresh fluids in the motor.
Then, get it up to temperature and let it run for a good while.
This heat will completely dry the motor.

Should have no issues at all if that was done.

----
This reminds me of a story from many many years ago.
I had gone fishing on opening day of fishing season with a friend and a rented boat. I had a 5 hp outboard with a built in tank.
We went out early in the morning for a day of trolling. We caught a few fish and then the gas tank ran dry. I spun the motor around, and filled the tank. I wanted to be sure that it was full so some gas was spilled out of the full tank.

I replaced the gas cap, spun the engine around and gave the rope a tug to start the engine. The engine started, backfired and started burning. Of course, there was no fire extinguisher in the rented 14 foot boat.
I unclamped the motor from the transom, and dropped the motor in the water to put out the fire.

Afte the fire was out, I clamped the motor back on the transom.
I gave the rope a pull, the motor started, and backfired and started burning again. Now, since I had really tightened down the clamps, I was having trouble getting the clamps loose. The fire was getting hotter, the gas was getting hotter and gas was beginning to jet out of the vent on the top of the tank, burning brightly.

Finally, I got the clamps undid and dunked the motor. I pulled out the motor and it started burning againl. I dunked the motor and then pulled it out and it started burning again.
Finally, I dunked the motor and left it under water for about 2 minutes. Then, when I pulled it out, the fire stayed out.

So, we just rowed and still fished for the next hour to let everything settled down.
After that, we decided to troll some more, so I pulled the rope once and the motor took off just fine and we finished the day. I never did have any trouble wiht that motor for the next 10 years that I owned the motor.

Take care
REW

[yarcraft91]

REW

Probably before the days of video cameras- too bad, might have won a prize on America's Funniest Home Videos.

[Shellback]

I would assume with your handle you are speaking about being submerged in fresh water. Whole different ballgame if submerged in salt water. Electrical components don't fair very well.

[staylor]

...since all that you list are pretty much the way to keep the motor from having any permanent damage. The only thing I would have done differently in the same situation would be to pour alcohol into the intake and rotate the flywheel by hand to have the alcohol mix with any water remaining in the bearings prior to firing it up and running it. I would suggest that before you close the deal to have the compression checked- just in case water remained on any of the rings and stuck them. While you're checking compression, rotate the flywheel slowly and feel for any clicking or sticking caused by a scored crank or bad ball or needle bearing that has got water damage. I had a similar experience to that noted by REW- but without the fireworks display-LOL. This was a 5 hp motor that had been submerged twice when I bought it- and after replacing the coils and condensers ran OK. Then it got submerged again- but ran ok after drying out. I sold it and the new owner managed to submerge it 2 more times- yet it still ran OK after drying out. The next time it was submerged the owner forgot to run it immediately after pulling it out of the water and the rings rusted to the cylinder walls. I was given the motor back for free- managed to get it unstuck and sold it to yet another owner- and it still ran OK. This was an older motor with no ball or needle bearings so as long as the rings weren't stuck and the ignition worked it would run.
Doug

[Lake Wisconsin]

2001 225 Vmax, which I believe is a 2- stroke EFI. Compression test was done and came back within a few #'s of each other. Dropped in fresh water. It is a good price, that is why I am looking.

[Shellback]

01 225 HP VMax, that's not a cheap motor to replace or repair. A computer or fuel injection problem could set you back the value of the motor. I'd feel alot more confident in an older carbed 2 stroke surviving a dunking, rather than that motor. Here on the east coast, a motor like that, that was salt water dunked, would be avoided like the plague. Not only the motor, but you could have issues with the boat also. Personally, I think there are too many good buys on boats that are "RIGHT", than to buy something that could be a long term headache.