Submerged outboard

[sly_karma]

We keep a boat at our family cabin on the Sunshine Coast, a mid 70s 14 ft Starcraft with a 1988 40 hp Evinrude 2 stroke. Last week it took on water and partially sank at the dock, victim of an improperly fitted drain plug. A friend of the family helped them recover it and got the motor drained, oiled and eventually running again. I'm back in the Okanagan working so I don't know all the details; they can start it manually but have been told the battery and starter solenoid are damaged and need to be replaced. Apparently the terminals on the battery leads are burnt out as well, no doubt they shorted when it went under.

The family are questioning whether to proceed with repairs in light of the age of the boat. Local marina don't want to take it on, they've been burned before with reviving submerged motors. Sounds like easy work to me, I have crimps and terminals for battery cables and solenoid is bolt on/off. But what else might have failed? Starter motor, probably or eventually. That too is an easy three-bolt change out. I would think the coils, CDI, rectifier and regulator are working fine or there'd be no power to run the ignition system - they let it run for a good 20 minutes and say it ran smoothly. With no battery to provide external power to the ignition, the engine must be making enough of its own. I have a whole bunch of stuff I'd do to diagnose further, but I'm 8 hours away.

If the fixes are limited to solenoid, battery and terminals, this is about a $200 parts bill. Starter would add another $275. The unknown is what happens in the next few months. Do we come back in spring to find moisture has done its slow but deadly work on a coil, power pack, stator, rectifier, or ignition switch? If the ignition system is suspect, replacing it could run another $500.
I was thinking I'd go down there in September to close up for the year anyway, it could be a repair trip too. Once you're on the island it's a lengthy trip to Sechelt for parts - in a boat that may or may not be running. Not sure if worth it or do we find another used outboard and go through the whole re-rigging process? Would love to hear from others who've been through this experience.

 

[Rockfish]

Thats an old motor, you may want to look around for a grenaded parts motor. If it spent some time under the chuck that would be the cheapest way to get replacements for fried electrical parts, a wiring harness and a good collection of spare parts. You may find it is not just the main electrical part's but even the wires at connections that may now corrode over time and throw bad grounds etc.

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

not a whole lot of value left in an old 2 stroke like that. personally I would be inclined to not throw a whole lot of money at it. I would definitely try the solenoid but I'm not even sure I would throw a new starter at it. try jumping it and see if it flashes up...cable straight to hot on the starter, at least you will know if starter is ok. you probably have a battery hanging around somewhere or out of a vehicle to at least see where you are at. I don't believe the starter would be shorted so if it does spin and all you're worried about is corrosion take it apart, they are really a very basic motor....make sure its dry, clean it up and throw new bearings in it, maybe brushes while you are there.

good luck.

 

[Cuba Libre]

Years ago I had a 20 ft o/b skiff sunk by vandals ( pulled the plug) in the Kitimat River . The 90 Johnstone was recovered, stripped, got up and running again. BUT--- the water ( yes--fresh) crippled the electronics . Fix one electrical problem and another would pop up... An unreliable jet boat is dangerous.. I scrapped it.

 

[1marko]

A sunk motor is scrap. end of story

 

[sly_karma]

One of the family replaced battery terminals and they used another battery; the motor fired up first try. But they were too busy/too scared to put it in the water for a proper test, and now everyone has come home and the boat is tarped up on its trailer. I guess I better go up in September and take it for a run. I suppose letting it sit there for 5 or 6 weeks will provide some insight into what might yet come - either it fires up, or time and moisture have done their work on one or another of the electrical components/connections. I figure I better bring a big selection of terminals and shrink tubing and replace anything I can get at.

Simply replacing the motor is a fair undertaking when it's on a little island with no access to normal stores for parts, fasteners, etc. We don't have a shop or garage at the cabin, so it all has to be done out in the open with whatever tools and parts that are there or that I bring. I've done a couple of outboard switchovers before, so I know enough to appreciate that it would be more of a challenge on the island. For now, I think it's worth trying to make a go of this motor. In the past it ran really strong and could propel that little flat bottom Starcraft faster than water conditions would permit most of the time.

 

[1marko]

The damage won't be readily apparent right off but the hazard is real and the
Outcome imminent...believe!

 

[Tieoneon]

We keep a boat at our family cabin on the Sunshine Coast, a mid 70s 14 ft Starcraft with a 1988 40 hp Evinrude 2 stroke. Last week it took on water and partially sank at the dock, victim of an improperly fitted drain plug. A friend of the family helped them recover it and got the motor drained, oiled and eventually running again. I'm back in the Okanagan working so I don't know all the details; they can start it manually but have been told the battery and starter solenoid are damaged and need to be replaced. Apparently the terminals on the battery leads are burnt out as well, no doubt they shorted when it went under.

The family are questioning whether to proceed with repairs in light of the age of the boat. Local marina don't want to take it on, they've been burned before with reviving submerged motors. Sounds like easy work to me, I have crimps and terminals for battery cables and solenoid is bolt on/off. But what else might have failed? Starter motor, probably or eventually. That too is an easy three-bolt change out. I would think the coils, CDI, rectifier and regulator are working fine or there'd be no power to run the ignition system - they let it run for a good 20 minutes and say it ran smoothly. With no battery to provide external power to the ignition, the engine must be making enough of its own. I have a whole bunch of stuff I'd do to diagnose further, but I'm 8 hours away.

If the fixes are limited to solenoid, battery and terminals, this is about a $200 parts bill. Starter would add another $275. The unknown is what happens in the next few months. Do we come back in spring to find moisture has done its slow but deadly work on a coil, power pack, stator, rectifier, or ignition switch? If the ignition system is suspect, replacing it could run another $500.
I was thinking I'd go down there in September to close up for the year anyway, it could be a repair trip too. Once you're on the island it's a lengthy trip to Sechelt for parts - in a boat that may or may not be running. Not sure if worth it or do we find another used outboard and go through the whole re-rigging process? Would love to hear from others who've been through this experience.

Friends of mine had their motor submerged at Renfrew years ago. They were told to dry it out, change oil and run it. It ran for years after that with no issues so you may get lucky. I would keep an eye out for any corrosion developing, I use fluid film against corrosion. Works great.

 

[Rockfish]

You have not got a lot to lose except a little sweat equity and a small amount of cost to try. Boeshield T9 may help. I believe it was initially developed for the aircraft industry as a deep cleaner and connection corrosion inhibitor and protector. I would think the connections that would be the most challenging would be the plug together multi wire type. I would also wash as much as I could first with salt away and that fluid film stuff is a good final step. Some of the dealers use it to spay down the motor as the last thing they do before they put the cowling back on the motor.

 

[uclueletcharters]

Mechanical will be okay it’s electrical over time. Electrical and saltwater are a killer corrosion combo. But you can patch if and when stuff happens in your situation. Sunk a 9.9 many years ago was underwater for days. Storm flipped off 12’ tinny with motor on it off dock. Found the boat smashed apart but no motor. A couple days later I saw an object under the water. It was the motor. Pulled it out flushed it out fresh gas and it was running an hour later. No issues until a few years later.

 

[Fish Camp]

Take the motor off the boat .find a barrol big enough to submurge the motor in freash water untill your ready to sell or repair it .repower boat unless the rivets leak /transom rotton or where the gussets to hull is rotton on that old starcraft ,might want to lift the floorboards aswell to look for lost pennies.

 

[wildmanyeah]

If there plan is to take it to a mechanic then its not worth it. I'm finding that there is less and less mechanics that work on old motors and often they just keep replacing parts until they find the issue driving up the cost like mad. Grounding issues can be really hard to track down as well, so if it ends up having some of thoes Faaaaaak.

one wire broken somewhere and they will start replacing everything you mentioned

 

[sly_karma]

Heading up to the cabin weekend before Thanksgiving for final shutdown. Will be almost 10 weeks since the motor was run. Plenty of time for moisture to cause problems if it got into electrical components. If it starts on the trailer, then it's going into the water for a test run. Then a whole new set of problems could arise - partial breakdown of a coil causing misfire/ no fire at higher RPM, etc etc. Discussion with neighbour who helped the family resurrect it after the initial sinking suggests any issues encountered will be electrical in nature as no fuel system parts were removed or adjusted. It ran really well before, apart from the usual 2 stroke on premix flaky idling.

 

[Eden Island]

Friends of mine had their motor submerged at Renfrew years ago. They were told to dry it out, change oil and run it. It ran for years after that with no issues so you may get lucky. I would keep an eye out for any corrosion developing, I use fluid film against corrosion. Works great.

I owned a brand new 15 hp Mariner that was dropped in 100' of water by a group of diver buddies - recovered the next day, dried out and ran reliably for 5 years. If there were ever any problems after that, they belonged to the guy that stole it.