HELP!!! Engine has water in cylinders!

D

Dalma

New Member
Jul 23, 2010
23
Ontario
Boat Info
2004 Sundancer 320
Engines
350 Mag V Drives
Having a very bad day...I just received a phone call from the Marina and what we thought was a starter turns out to be water in the cylinders?? They want to pull out the entire engine and send it to an engine shop.

We went out on the water two weekends ago and the engine alarm came on and it the temp got to only 200 before I shut it down. Limped back to the marina let it cool and started it again...no problems, no over heat, figured it was a bag or something. So last weekend I cleaned out all of the strainers, etc and decided to go out for the day again. No enigne start? Figured it was a starter? Now my marina is telling me there is water in the cylinders. They drained the engine, changed the oil and started her back up and no problems, until they shut down and water starter flowing in the engine. Their advice is to pull the engine and send out? Is this correct? Is there any common problems to check first? If they pull the engine could there be any future problems after reinstalling?

Boat is a 2004 320 with 350 mag V drives. It has a raw water cooling system.

Any help would be appreciated...

Jason
 
My first guess is your exhaust manifolds/riser/elbows are leaking into the motor and need replaced or at least new gaskets. I would start there....no need to pull the motor unless there is more to the story?
 
What Quint4 said first and if that isnt the problem then:

Sounds like possibly a leaking cylinder head gasket. When they go, water can get into the cylinders. If the leak isnt too bad, but just bad enough, the engine will still run pretty well but water will be able to flow into the cylinders. After shut down the water can just trickle in. On closed cooling systems the pressure of the hot fluid in the closed system will push even more water/rad fluid in the cylinders than a raw system but nontheless, the raw system leaks too. With a bad cylhead gasket, it is fairly common to have an overheat problem as well, which it sounds like you were on the way to having until you caught it and shut down. Unless you have a cracked block or something else terminal, I would not pull the engine. I would have this engine pressure tested, which is a little bit of a PIA in a raw system but doable and find out which cylinder(s) are leaking and pull the cylinder head off and inspect the gasket. If you/they find the telltail signs of a cylinder head gasket failure, you can have it replaced and reinstall the cylinder head for much less $$ than pulling the engine only to end up doing the same thing with the added expense of an unnecessary engine R&R. If the problem does turn out to be fatal and you do have to remove the engine, the labor for pulling the cyl head off first wont cost any more since thats what they would be likely to do anyway with the engine out. Also, I would be concerned that they want to go strait to an engine removal without more info/at least looking for a bad cylhead gasket but maybe they have seen more or know more than what I have from your post. Pulling an engine is a last resort in my view and I dont think your engine is there yet without at least a reasonable bit more detective work.
 
Check the riser first just like Quint 4 said. I can't believe that the Marina wants to pull the engine with out first telling you that have went thru everthing else first.
 
Just went through that. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you want to avoid a larger bill in the long run, I think the advice given is correct.

You don't know how long your engine has been exposed to water intake. Mine had a hole develop on one of the heads and that was the reason it seized (like yours). Once water enters the cylinders you are risking more damage and for sure you have lost compression. Sometimes you get them started, but salt water has already done the damage. No to mention you need to find where the water came from.

First, you need to find out where the water is coming in from. Usually the manifolds or the manifolds/riser joints are the reason. If you have water in the cylinders it usually is due to the heads (head gasket, corroded head or cracked head) which could corrode due to leaky manifolds and risers.

I just spent:
$2100 for the machine shop.
$500 for two used heads (only needed one, but got good deal so I went with both).
$2000 for engine removal, break down, and replacement

I hope this helps you...

My symptoms where simirlar to yours. It started run hotter and it overheated a few times. Then on a day it was running somewhat within temp range it clunk, clunk, dead! Checked oil for water and there was none. Limped back on one engine. A few days later checked oil again and there was more oil than before, but no yellowing or milky look. We removed a spark plug and water shot out. It was then I new I was in trouble.

Why I went with the rebuilt option.
1- You cant see what is inside. Therefore, you could spent almost the same amount of money just trying to figure out where the water came from.
2- Like in my case, you could have damage to a head that is only visible by a complete teardown.
3- Salt water and the material the sleeves and rings are made of just do not get along. Once these materials come into contact they like to solidify. You can separate them, but in that process you damage one of the two joining surface. Resulting in compression loss.
4- If you get it running, and you get enough compression, your crankcase, rods and piston bearings have been exposed to corrossion. You could break a rod later down the water and then you need a new engine.

Thats why I think your mechanic may have your best interest in mind. Second his option to make sure.
 
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With the boat being in Ontario, I would assume the boat is operated in fresh water. Does that change anything?
 
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Had the same symptoms. Trust me, reversion is no joke. A bent rod is the least of the worries. I have seen broken cranks, cracked blocks, even stretched head bolts. I hope you get everything fixed and back on the water soon.
 
Looks like a bad head gasket in the top photo based on the rust line path.
 
Thanks for all the advice...I called my insurance company and they have gone out and completed an inspection with thier tech. Looks like it is an iternal in the block. It's turning into a "he said, she said" thing as my insurance company says the marina didn't winterize the engine properly and the marina is saying its a defective part on the engine. Anyway the engine is coming out next week and being sent to out by my insurance company. I will keep you all posted.

BTW...If it turns out to be due to poor winterization, what are your thoughts on the other engine, maybe it should be pulled and checked over??

Thanks,

Jay
 
Looks are deceiving you always want to tear the engine down and magnaflux both heads and block some new cracks might not be visible to the eye especially from freezing you might see one fix it and put it back together then find out you had another crack you couldn't see yet. Lot of work pulling it apart again do it right the first time.
 
To bad they didn't put the 460 Ford in the boats. Thats a much better engine!
The broken piston picture looks like detonation big time.
 
I agree with Tom. I have never heard anyone say anything positive about the Ford. In fact, the industry as a whole just gave up on that platform. Good car engine though!
 
Are you serious? You really think the 460 Ford is a superior engine? A big gas-guzzling turd is what I'd call it. Go find me an OMC with a 460 Ford and a King Cobra outdrive. Match it up against a BBC in the same boat and it will be 8mph slower.

You're kidding, right?
 
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