Boat motor cylinders filling with water.

Hey guys. I went to the lake wednesday. Put the boat in the water wednesday night and ran it for a hour wakeboarding. When I went back out thursday morning I couldn't get the boat to start. It would roll over and then make a grinding sound. Took the boat to the marine to check it out. They told me that I backed in the water too fast and forced water up the pipes and into the cylinders. So we took the spark plugs out and turned the motor over and pushed all the water out. Motor ran fine after that for the rest of the day.

Got up the next morning. Same problem. So thought maybe put it in the water to fast. So I went through the same process and got the motor running again. Took a break for lunch. When we took the lunch break I put the boat back on the trailer and left the motor running till the boat was out of the water so didn't have to worry about water going back up the exhaust.

Took 3 hour break for lunch. Afterwards couldn't get motor to start. The cylinders were back full of water. Any ideas? Someone said maybe bad head gasket, cracked head, or someone said hole in valve.

Is it all the cylinders or just a few? Just off the top of my head it sounds like it overheated and blew the headgasket(s). And for the record that's what the flaps are for over the exhaust, to keep water out so backing in shouldn't have let water in no matter how fast you back in.

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Originally Posted by Razzman

Is it all the cylinders or just a few? Just off the top of my head it sounds like it overheated and blew the headgasket(s). And for the record that's what the flaps are for over the exhaust, to keep water out so backing in shouldn't have let water in no matter how fast you back in.

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I knew the flaps over the exhaust were to keep water out but the guy at the marina shop told me that sometimes that you can hit the water fast and it can cause water to create a air pocket that holds the flap open. I didn't really believe him but just in case the next couple of times I put the boat in the water I started it just before getting in the water so that exhaust would be coming out the flaps to prove his theory wrong that it wasn't caused by backing in to fast. Another reason I don't think it came up the exhaust is because just one side of the motor has had water in it. Has been the same side both times.

I don't really remember it is all the cylinders or not. Sorry. The first time I didn't get to see what had water in it because the guy at the marina was doing the work. I do know that the two cylinders closet to the drivers seat had water in them both times. Not sure about if the two cylinders toward the back of the boat had water in them or not.

Sorry can't help more then that. If the boat had over heated wouldn't I have noticed? I have never seen the guage show it was hot. Highest I have ever seen I think is 180 which is where I thought the thermostat was set at.

Does it smoke while running?

Have you checked your oil? What does it look like? There is a very good chance that you have a crack in your heads or intake allowing water in or a blown gasket. Very hard to tell anything without seeing the block. In all of those situations, you could never have a temperature issue on the gauge. A leak down test should be able to show if it is the head gasket.

If this just started happening, and you know you have not run the engine overheated, then more than likely it is the exhaust flappers. If you get no smoke while running, then it sounds like water is coming in while the engine is off. The flappers and/or bellows (if your boat has any, prob just has flappers) are prob. the culprit.

Keep it simple.

Water can't come in my boat when the motor is off. I start the motor before putting it in the water and don't shut it off till it is back on the trailer at the end of the day. So the motor is running when I put it on the trailer. Then I go and park the trailer for a few hours and when I come back the cylinders are full of water. So the water is coming from somewhere in the motor or exhaust manifolds because the boat is sitting on a trailer when it happens.

I don't think it's such a great idea to be running the engine while out of the water. A crack or blown gasket = lots of smoke. You said you start your boat before you put it in the water, what's cooling the engine during that time?

Your situation is boggling my brain ....I need to ask if you checked the compression to every cylinder I think one might have shot rings which causes a great deal of condesation immediately upon starting the engine.

If your oil is not milky and you don't see water leaking from your block or manifolds then no crack
Sounds like a riser gasket or a interior perf of your exhaust cooling jacket since your engine is running fine
Try draining your exhaust. Jackets just when you shut it off and see if that eliminates the cylinder water
.02

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Originally Posted by davinci

I don't think it's such a great idea to be running the engine while out of the water. A crack or blown gasket = lots of smoke. You said you start your boat before you put it in the water, what's cooling the engine during that time?

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When I say I start it before putting it in the water I'm talking about as the back of the trailer hits the water we start the motor. So the motor is running for 2 seconds out of the water. I was just trying that because everyone said water was going up the exhaust. Since I had the motor running when it went in the water and left it running till out of the water. Then I knew the water didn't go up the exhaust. That was the only reason I did it that once.

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Originally Posted by DOCDRS

If your oil is not milky and you don't see water leaking from your block or manifolds then no crack
Sounds like a riser gasket or a interior perf of your exhaust cooling jacket since your engine is running fine
Try draining your exhaust. Jackets just when you shut it off and see if that eliminates the cylinder water
.02

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The oil in the motor looks fine. It doesn't look milky at all. What is the exhaust jackets? The last time I pulled the boat out of the water I disconected a hose to drain the black exhaust manifold. Not sure if that worked or not since I haven't been back.

In my experince this is caused by cracked cyl head or heads,only way to know for sure is to pull them and have them checked.Sorry for the bad news.

The exhaust jackets are the flaps on the outside,they open out when the engine is running but stay closed when backing into the water.

Can someone walk me through how the water goes through the entire system on the boat? From the water strainer intake to the exhaust flaps in the back. I don't know enough about it to know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DOCDRS

If your oil is not milky and you don't see water leaking from your block or manifolds then no crack
Sounds like a riser gasket or a interior perf of your exhaust cooling jacket since your engine is running fine
Try draining your exhaust. Jackets just when you shut it off and see if that eliminates the cylinder water
.02

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To me this sounds like your problem. Engine runs fine from the minute you his the water until you take it out. The water jacketed portion of the exhaust manifolds are ABOVE the head. If they are leaking internally, the water will run down the inside, backwards into the head when the engine is not running-hense filling the cylinders with water. When the engine is running the exhaust gases prevent the water from running backwards into the head. I would start here.

The flappers, I wouldn't think so. I'm assuming yours are still there anyway. A cracked head, from what you describe it sounds like alot of water. It probably be more like a hole, and the engine wouldn't run well.

Is the black part that says "Indmar" the exhaust manifolds and contains the water jacket you are talking about in the above post? How do I check this for a leak? Just take it off and look for cracks? When I put this back together do I need a new gasket and if so where would I pick one of these up?

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3460163_n.jpg

Also, did compression test on all 8 cylinders because someone in here asked if I had done that.

PSI - Cylinder
185 8
165 6
190 4
190 2

220 7
150 5
170 3
180 1

Cylinder 7 has been the cylinder with water in it.

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Originally Posted by walb0244

Also, did compression test on all 8 cylinders because someone in here asked if I had done that.

PSI - Cylinder
185 8
165 6
190 4
190 2

220 7
150 5
170 3
180 1

Cylinder 7 has been the cylinder with water in it.

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If your have water in #7 that would explain the higher psi. The black this that says Indmar on it is the exhaust manifold. The part attached to it on the top is the riser. Both have a water jacket around them to keep them cool. Water is pumped into the manifolds from the engine via the rubber hoses on the ends of the manifold. Water from the manifold passes up through the riser and then mixed in with the exhaust gas, then out of the boat via the exhaust system.

Being that #7 is the lowest point, explains why most of the water is there.

If it were me, I would start by draining the manifold. Take the small rubber hoses off each end to drain. Then Take the exhaust hose off the riser. Then unbolt the riser from the manifold. Start inspecting. Look inside the riser and manifold. Check the gasket as well. You are looking for signs of leaks. If you find something that looks like it was leaking, probably the part that needs replacement. These may be hard to see, or impossible, depending on the size. But need to at least check.

When you put your stuff back together you will need new gaskets. Heres a link http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1068 or your local dealer for parts.


Just to put my disclaimer on my advice. I am not a professional marine mechanic. I do have some exerience with engines. I do all my own maintainance on my own boat. This is only internet advice and I can't be held responsible for anything you do to your boat.;)

my thinking is just as hoopskier is talking about........are you just getting water on the one side? if your lucky it just may be the gasket between the exhaust manifold and the riser.......vs new exhaust manifold and or new riser

Yeah just getting water on the one side. Gonna start taking it apart today. Gonna start with the exhaust manifold and riser first like everyone says. Hopefully can find the problem there. Got a local marina mechanic that is normally nice enough to walk me through everything. Thanks everyone for the help will update later.

Pulled the exhaust manifold and riser this morning off the motor. Took the riser and exhaust manifold apart. Capped off the hoses on the exhaust manifold and filled the water jacket with water to look for a leak in the manifold. Water started coming out of cylinder 7 opening pretty quick. So know that the exhaust manifold is bad. Now to find one. Any ideas where to pick up one for a good price?

Walb0244, good to hear you found your leak. Glad it was not the head, but disapointed that it wasn't as cheap as just the gasket between the manifold and the riser. Hopefully Google can help you find a manifold for a decent price.

Ordered the exhaust manifold off of skidim.com Didn't want to order a used one worried I would get stuck with someone else's headache. 250 for the exhaust manifold, riser gasket, exhaust manifold gasket, and shipping. So all in all not too bad. Still glad it wasn't the head. i'm just hoping that when I put it together that it actually fixes the problem.

Ok. Skidim is telling me that Indmar is out of exhaust manifolds and it is on back order. So was looking at two other places to purchase the manifold

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/ba...rine/index.htm

http://smartolive.com/smartolive/bar..._store=default


Anybody got any ideas about either place. The manifolds are 100 cheaper.

Have a look at inboardonline.com, I saw some on there. Good luck.

Keep us updated in your search.

I feel like I am going through this with ya! :-?

walb, how many hours do you have on it?, and has this boat been used in salt water?

The boat has roughly 350 hours on it. I'm not sure if the boat has been used on salt water or not due to me getting it as a repo. The boat was sold in Indianapolis so I wouldn't think they would bring a repo from the coast to here to sell it but who knows. Why do you ask?