Serious Problem!

[cjromero77]

1999 2100i with 37 hrs just crapped out. I bought the boat after it had been sitting over a year and barely used.

I rode it before I bought it, checked the engine best I could and it appeared to be ok. Got up on plane fine, etc....

Here's what happened.

Saturday I took the boat out and tried to top it out. Got 31 mph top at 4500 rpms. Boat seemed to run fine, but and nothing strange except it didn't top out at around 40 which I would have expected.

Sunday the boat starts screeching really bad and the belt was smoking. Checked the belt and it was tight.

After a little trouble shooting at the dock (which I never got off of thank God), here's what I know..

1. Top middle cylinder barely turning.
2. Cannot tell if engine is heating because I'm not keeping it on long enough.
3. Night before, seems to lack power.

Another thing is I wonder now if it was de-winterized properly. I assumed it was because the owner had taken it out with me for a ride. I checked the oil and tranny fluid. All plugs seemed to be in place.

I think this may be a water pump problem or bearings. I heard it may be the impeller (which I would no nothing about).

Any insight to what this is or how this could occur. The boat did sit, but was never in salt water. I've spoken to the previous owner about this and am not getting the feeling he duped me. Just one of those things and I get the impression he knows very little.

Please.. any advice would be great. I didn't buy the thing just to sit. I've only been out 3 times that count.

[Tige M.D.]

first thing you need to do is remove the belt. check to see if the top center pulley turns free and quiet. now check to see if the alternator and the two small idler pulleys turn free and quiet. the center bottom pulley will not turn by hand but, the bottom pulley behind the driver seat should turn with some effort. if it turns real easy or not at all there is your problem.

letting a engine sit for a year is the culprit here. probably killed the raw water impeller. there is a previous thread here that walks you thru the repair.

[mainiak1]

Check to make sure your negative cable is tight. When it is running, check your volt meter 13-14 volts.

[cjromero77]

Thanks Tige M.D. I'm off to look at this. The other problem I was having the night before had to do with top speed.

At 4500 rpm's I was only topping out at 30 mph. Are these two problems related? Some folks were talking about losing compression. However, I don't believe I'd get the rpm's to 4500 if that were the case.

I'll report back once I find out some more.

Thanks!

[cjromero77]

Just checked and everything turns by hand as described by Tige M.D.

Hopefully it is the impeller. Seems the pumps are working ( turning by hand they work as described)

I'll keep this post going for inputs and reports on what I've found.

What other problems might I encounter due to lack of use?

Thanks

[scootc]

Your lack of top end might be the prop. The previous owner may have installed a prop pitched more for bottom-end punch than top speed. The prop should have a number stamped near the hub that tells the pitch and diameter. Someone here should be able to tell you what it'll do.
If your water pump impeller is bad, you'll know within a few minutes of starting the engine (when in the water). Check your temperature gauge. Mine rides right in the middle when at normal operating temp.
Good luck.

[walkers2rad]

Replace your gas filter/water separator, if the gas smells anything like paint thinner than you need to pump it out and start over with fresh. Any amount left in the tank for that long needed to be pumped out before any attempt to run it, not just fresh gas added. Did it sound and feel like it was running on all eight cylinders? Bad gas will plug up a carb or injectors and foul plugs real fast. Your raw water pump should turn only in one direction by hand with the belt off but it most definatly needs to come out and have a new impeller put in at the very least. If you take it apart and the impeller is in pieces you need to fish out as much of it upstream as you can or you will be having all sorts of problems.
Hope this helps you in the right direction.
Ray

[cjromero77]

which is the raw water pump? Bottom pulley behind drivers seat?

[walkers2rad]

Yes I believe that is the one, it is the one with the two big hoses going to it about 1" or so, one goes to the thru hull fitting on the bottom sucking the water out of the lake the other feeds the engine. Remove the hoses first. then there are two 3/8" bolts holding it to the block a 9/16"socket with a extension works well. I have found it easiest to remove the bracket along with the pump instead of pulling the pump and leaving the bracket. Mark the orientation of all of the sections including the bracket with a punch or something so you get it all back timed correctly. Remove the smaller long bolts that hold it all together and pull it apart. Use some sort of lubricant that is compatable with rubber on the new impeller to make it go together easier and help it on the first start up.
Ray

[jsz]

as tige md said earlier, look up the earlier thread on changing impellers. it is very specific and helped me change mine out when i knew nothing about it.