Thread: Water in Engine
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Old 06-13-2005, 03:12 PM
Don Moyer's Avatar
Don Moyer Don Moyer is offline
 
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Andy,

Here is an excerpt from a recent tech note we prepared for cleaning water out of an engine after it enters the engine from the exhaust system. The most important part of the whole procedure is to get to the point where you can restart the engine and warm it up, which of course begs the question of why your engine wouldn't start in the first place. I'll add a short list of things to check in this regard at the end of this message.

WHAT TO DO IF WATER IS DISCOVERED IN THE CYLINDERS (OR RUNNING OUT OF THE INTAKE THROAT OF THE CARBURETOR):

1) If water is discovered in combustion chambers, perform the following precautionary steps as soon as possible:

a. Close the raw water thru-hull valve.

b. Remove all spark plugs and squirt lots (5 or 6 squirts) of Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) in each cylinder to prevent pistons from seizing. Try to aim the MMO away from the manifold side of the engine, toward the cylinders.

c. Turn the engine over with the starter until most of the evidence of water is gone from the combustion chambers.

d. If water was seen to run out of the intake throat of the carburetor, remove the main passage plug (the plug that you would remove to remove the main jet), and allow all the fuel and water to run out of the carburetor.

2) Dry (or replace) the spark plugs, and try to start the engine. If the engine starts, open the raw water through-hull.

3) If the engine starts and runs satisfactorily, check for water in the crankcase. If water is present, change the oil at least three times. Run the engine just long enough between changes to mix up the water and oil to maximize the amount of water that comes out with each oil change.

QUICK CHECKS FOR NON-STARTING ENGINES:

1) Close raw water through hull as soon as it is determined that the engine is not starting within the normal time.

2) Be sure the choke is closed completely. If an engine chronically starts hard, but then runs OK after it starts, the hard starting is almost certainly caused by the choke not closing completely.

3) Remove the flame arrestor and check for the presence of raw fuel. If the choke is closed completely, there should be raw fuel puddled in the bottom of the intake throat within 15 to 20 seconds of cranking (3 or 4 five-second attempts). If the carburetor intake throat is "bone dry", the reason for the non-starting is either a problem in the fuel supply that prevents the fuel from getting to the carburetor or some problem within the carburetor that prevents the fuel from getting through the carburetor (most likely a blocked main jet).

4) Remove the secondary lead from the center of the distributor cap and hold it approximately 1/4" from the cylinder head while someone cranks the starter. You should see a good arc between the end of the coil lead and the head that can be stretched to 1/2" or even 3/4". If you see no spark, the reason for non-starting is clearly within the ignition system, most likely a breakdown within the primary ignition circuit.

5) With all spark plugs removed, hold your thumb over each spark plug hole sequentially to check compression, as someone cranks the engine for a second or two with the starter. An Atomic 4 will usually start if any two
cylinders have normal compression as indicated below.

a. Compression sufficient to force past your thumb no matter how hard you press it against the plug hole would confirm normal compression of approximately 85 psi or above.

b. If you can hold your thumb against the compression, but not easily, a compression value of approximately 40 to 50 psi would be indicated, and starting could be problematic.

c. If you feel virtually no compression on any cylinder, the problem is likely a stuck valve.

Best regards,

Don
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