Engine crapped out!

[30521v]

So yesterday I went to take out the boat for an after work session. I was looking down and didn't realize the rollers coming at me and took on a S*#t load of water!.. No big deal, I pumped the water out.

When trying to get up to plane it would sound awful and bog a little. We rode for a little and it rode horrible.. So when we are 100' from the dock the engine and the alarm goes off and the engine shortly dies.. I cannot get the engine to start again!!


What the hell happened! It was working fine last week.


Its a 2000 21i

[boatwakes]

Can you be more descriptive than "it rode horrible"? What symptoms exactly were present?
- Did it not respond when you pushed the throttle?
- Did the engine sound like it was sputtering?
- Were there pops and snaps at any time while it was running and if so when: acceleration, random, deceleration, idle?
- Have you recently done any work to the motor and if so, what?
- Had you brought the boat up to speed at any time prior to hitting the rollers? If so, was everything okay then?
- When was the last time the spark plugs, cap and rotor, ignition sensor, ignition coil, raw water impeller were changed?
- Did you check your gauges when the alarm went off, if so were the temp and oil pressure readings normal?
- Do you want to try and fix it yourself? If so, get an inline spark checker and a fuel injection pressure gauge from any auto parts store and check fuel pressure at the front of the engine, port side. Remove the cap on the fuel pressure test port and screw in the gauge, turn the key to the "on" position only and watch if the fuel pressure goes up to 32psi when the fuel pump turns on. If that's okay, install the inline spark checker to the distributor cap at any plug wire post and then hook the wire to the other side of the checker. Turn the engine over and look for spark through the checker window. Report back when you can.

[Ruger761]

Do you know if yours is carb, throttle body fuel injection or multi port fuel injection? Will it crank over still? Do you know how high the water level was in the engine bay? Did it die when you hit the roller or did you turn the key off? The alarm sounding makes me think you killed a sensor. Do you happen to know if the alarm was constant or a different on/off tone?

[30521v]

Boat Wakes:
-The throttle was responsive to a point, in neutral and low rpms
-The sputtering sounded like it was mis-firing
-the pops and snaps were only at the very end after I ran back . The alarm came on and I shut it down for a minute then started it back up, thats when the back fire snaps and pops began before it shut down again and I couldn't get it started.
-I haven't done any motor work. I got the boat 3 months ago (20 hours) and it was serviced before I took ownership
- the raw water impeller and everything was changed around 20 hours ago, but I run in salt water so I was planning on changing it real soon
-all the gauges were relatively normal
- I will try to get the parts and check it this weakend but with this hurricane possibly coming it might take longer

Ruger761:
I need to find if its a body fuel or multi port.. its def not carbed,
it will not turn over
the water was probably 3 inches or so.. I did my best to get most out
It did not die after the roller but it ran sh88ty afterwards. I hit the rollers right out of the ramp so I didn't have a bench mark to compare to.
The alarm was a on off tone.. reminded me of a over heat alarm on a out board

[Ruger761]

Multi port will have fuel rails on each side of the motor above the valve covers with the injectors hooked into the bottom of the rails. Throttle body fuel will look like similar to a carb with your injectors there and sensors.

3inch water isnt that much really. Id begin prob checking fuel pressure or making sure your fuel pump is at least still coming on. Do you know if they changed the fuel filters? If not, need to do that. Check and see how the distributer cap looks along with the rotor. Bet its wore pretty good depending on how many hours are on the boat same with spark plugs and wires. One other thing make sure hitting the roller didnt somehow knock a sensor wire off.

[boatwakes]

Okay, final question too, what engine and what year? That will give me the part numbers you need. PM me if you need.

[TeamAllen]

Condensation from steam in the distributor cap?

[Moki]

Have you tried pulling the spark plugs to see if it water locked?

[30521v]

I am going to pull the boat to my house (currently on davits at parents) on friday. I hope its just a condensation or something dumb like that problem. I'll PM you with the info boattwakes

Boat is for sale now, I have to have something with a higher bow!

[30521v]

Have you tried pulling the spark plugs to see if it water locked?

When I pull the plugs what am I looking for?

[boatwakes]

Is it turning (spinning) but not starting or just clicking when you try to start it?

[30521v]

I am going to try again tonight, Directly after the engine was turning, just not turning over. I was able to flush the engine using the inline flush and turning it

[boatwakes]

DON'T DO THAT!!!! The engine needs the exhaust pressure to push the water through the exhaust riser mixing elbow or it will revert water back into the engine because of the intake overlap in the camshaft. Getting water into the cylinders will HYDROLOCK the engine. Remove the serpentine belt to finish diagnosis. Don't worry about flushing until the engine situation is done.
-remove the serpentine belt
-turn the engine over (this is the term used when starting the engine. It means the engine is turning over or spinning when the starter is engaged but not actually firing or running) with a spark checker connected to any plug wire and see if it's getting spark