Salty Tasting Spark Plugs?

[Cool Beans]

Finally decided to stop being a wuss and went for a real sail today. 12-14 knots wind, gusting to 17+. 2 -3 foot swells with little 1 foot chop on top. . Routinely hitting 7 knots heading back to little creek, and in a couple gusts got close to 8

T'was fun indeed!

Not so much fun coming back. . .engine wouldn't start. Had spark, had fuel to carb. Water separator filter was spun off and dumped, didn't notice any water. After priming, the engine started with some difficulty but smoothed out and we had no issues getting back to the dock.

Funny thing is, part of the on water diagnostic was pulling a plug to see if it was wet with fuel. I pulled the #1 plug and it was wet, but it wasn't gas. I tasted it and it was salty. I had one of my guests (who was helping) taste the #2 and he said it was salty as well

Also note, the fuel system is damn near brand new (year old) and I just put fresh gas in the other day and we had zero issues getting out. The 2 - 3 teaspoons of water that came out the carb bowl was brownish.

The exhaust is just a straight shot out the back, I removed the muffler as part of a diagnostic and never out it back on. Figured it ran fine, why bother?

What are the chances that seawater made it's way down an open exhaust valve and flooded the carb?

-OR-

What are the chances that old water in the separator just got churned up and I sucked in some rust water AND happen to have an internal leak?

Mind you, the engine ran like a top till I shut it off. It wouldn't start at all until everything was drained. I'd assume I would have gotten a few seconds of run time before the engine pumped the water down from the filter to the carb.

Not sure where to start or what to think of this. . .I cancelled tomorrows planned trip so I can flush out the fuel system and change the filters and suck out the bottom of the tank and see if anything was down there. . .

It's just the salty taste has me a little worried. . .

Thoughts, ideas, comments, etc. welcome

[67c&ccorv]

"The exhaust is just a straight shot out the back, I removed the muffler as part of a diagnostic and never out it back on. Figured it ran fine, why bother?"

Can you elaborate...maybe a photo?

[hanleyclifford]

Salt laden moist air would have no trouble getting to a combustion chamber via an open valve. That's why professional captains run their engines every day. I admit I don't always do it in a marina but one a week at least. Your straight exhaust is a suspect.

[Bingy]

I am assuming from sailing conditions and wave heights you mave have stirred up some crud and water in tank.

Fuel condition would be a priority check.

[Administrator]

If I remember correctly from Don, I believe the "straight exhaust" design can be found in the Catalina 27 fleet, those members of the Tartan fleet with center cabin engines, and all of the old Pearson Triton and Pearson Vanguards.

Bill

[Administrator]

In some fuel tanks, the pickup tube sees only gasoline when the boat is at rest, but picks up water when underway and the stern squats a bit.

Don't ask me how I know.

Bill

[romantic comedy]

Sorry to disagree, but there is no such thing as "salt air".

Salt does not evaporate with the water, it stays behind.

[Mo]

Sorry to disagree, but there is no such thing as "salt air".

Salt does not evaporate with the water, it stays behind.

Agree, had the local power company try and tell us in a TV interview that the outage was due to "salt fog". People went wild on them.


When the boat heals when sailing the vent may dip in the water. As the boat moves through the water a siphon effect can occur drawing some water in the tank. You aren't the first and you won't be the last. If you remember just a simple wrap of electrical tape around the vent fitting would prevent that but you would have to remove it once the sails are down and you start up the engine.

[Cool Beans]

real quickly, watching Skyfall. . .the tank vent is high up on the cockpit coaming, we went nuts yesterday but I know we didn't go over that far

I'll get a picture of the exhaust setup in the next day or two. . .looking at it in the boat, the exhaust outlet doesn't look all that lower than the top of the dry stack. . .

[Kelly]

While it's true that the salt is left behind when salt water evaporates, it is also true that salt becomes airborne in windy conditions and can travel quite some distance inland as small water droplets. Incredibly fast corrosion rates and burned garden plants at our home about 500m from the shore attest to this fact.

[Mo]

Hi Kelly,
I live 1 km from the shore and following a 60 or 70 mph storm that blows in from the sea (four or five times a year) I have to rinse the vehicles and house windows. But spray is a different animal...I experience it on the back end of the boat occasionally as well...lol

[JOHN COOKSON]

As A Long Shot

Perhaps some sort of communication between the fuel system and the cooling system in the manifold or the manifold gasket??? The condition was aggravted when the boat was heeled??? This is off the top of my head - I don't know if it's even possible. Pressure testing the manifold in place would rule this in\out.

TRUE GRIT

[Mo]

RWC ...absolutely possible John.

? head gasket
? water jacket
? rusted block

[RMark]

Had same problem with my cat 27, No restart after hard sail and plugs water fouled,changed riser in exhaust to as close as possible to cockpit floor, approx. 1 1/2 inches and added anti siphon valve on water injection hose, fixed it. Also be sure you have rubber flapper on exhaust outlet.

[Mo]

Had same problem with my cat 27, No restart after hard sail and plugs water fouled,changed riser in exhaust to as close as possible to cockpit floor, approx. 1 1/2 inches and added anti siphon valve on water injection hose, fixed it. Also be sure you have rubber flapper on exhaust outlet.

Have to agree...very common reason. Cool Beans...I know you looked into it but did you ever rule it out?