Yanmar water damage- boat sank

[james]

I have a friend whose boat sank in 15 feet of freshwater with a Yanmar 2 cylinder. How do we clean the engine? Engine was not running at time of sinking. Anyone else had this happen? what was needed to repair? this engine has a full oil dip stick reading... so definitely water got in. Happened about 3 weeks ago and took a week to pull it up.

 

[Jim LeBlanc]

Take apart

I would pull the engine and take it apart ASAP. Since you know it was soaking in water for a week and the oil pan is full of an oil/water mixture, you would likely do bearing damage on startup if you simply tried draining the crankcase, refilling with oil, taking out the injectors and trying to turn the engine over without taking it apart.Check out the oil pump, the pistons and rings and the cylinder wall condition and put in new bearings and seals on the rebuild. Should work fine after that.

 

[Rafael Perez]

Keep it soaked in water?

I've heard that it is good practice to keep it submerged in water if the cleaning process is not done immediately.At least that is my experience with salt water. Once a wet steel piece gets in contact with air it corrodes faster than submerged. If you take it out of the water you should rinse, dry and grease it ipsofacto.Good luck.

 

[Tom s/v GAIA]

I'm going to stick my neck waaaay out.

IF IT WAS MINE; Drain the crank case oil, and oil filter. Fill the crank case with kerosine. PULL THE INJECTORS.disconnect the fuel line. turn the engine by hand (if you have water in the cylinders this will clear most of it), squirt alittle kerosinein each cylinder, turn the engine by hand 2 or 3revolutions. If you feel no binding, cover theinjector ports with rags and jump the starter terminals to spin the engine. YOU ARN'T TRYING TO START IT!!!!! This will pump the kerosine/water out of the cylinders, and force the kerosine thru all of the oil passages in the engine replacing any water in them. Drain the crank case, replace the oil filter and fill with engine oil. spin the engine again THE INJECTORS ARE STILL OUT. Check the dipstick if the oil has water in it change the oil. reinstall the injectors and try to fire the engine. Of course all of the fuel lines, filters, tank need to be cleaned. The starter and alternator need to be dried & checked, but you MIGHT be able to dodge a engine overhaul. Understand, if you have the $$$$ & time overhaul it. But I have done this and it can work. After you have run the engine 10 or 15 min at an idle, shut it down and change the oil again. Good luck!! Tom s/v GAIA

 

[Ed Allen]

tom has it down pat.

thats exactly what you want to do next. Now!

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Extraordinary, Tom

You're probably a heart-transplant surgeon in your day job.

 

[Steve]

Chocolate....

Just a BTW, water mixed well in oil will look like chocolate syurp. Easy way to tell if you got all the water out of the engine after a short run.Steve