Dingy flipped outboard under water , help!

[MagicIsland]

Last night during the gale force winds in wells our dingy flipped right over, it had the outboard still on it as we thought it would help keep it upright and balanced. It can only have been inverted for around 2hrs before the tide went out with just the cowel part under the water. I have rinsed of with fresh water but not tried to start it, what should I do next ?

 

[sailorman]

Last night during the gale force winds in wells our dingy flipped right over, it had the outboard still on it as we thought it would help keep it upright and balanced. It can only have been inverted for around 2hrs before the tide went out with just the cowel part under the water. I have rinsed of with fresh water but not tried to start it, what should I do next ?

2 or 4 stroke ??
electrics should be ok a solid state
rinse with fresh water dry & spray with water dispersant, drain fuel & refill
remove the plug & pull through a few times replace the plug
if 4 stroke change the oil
start it in a tub or on the dinghy
4 stroke change the oil again after an hr or so

 

[CaptainBob]

Our old 2-stroke Suzuki did that a few times. I was really concerned about it at the time. But it was absolutely fine. Never did a thing to it other than righting it, then using it.

 

[MagicIsland]

2 or 4 stroke ??
electrics should be ok a solid state
rinse with fresh water dry & spray with water dispersant, drain fuel & refill
remove the plug & pull through a few times replace the plug
if 4 stroke change the oil
start it in a tub or on the dinghy
4 stroke change the oil again after an hr or so

It's a Suzuki 2.5hp 4 stroke, is the 2nd oil change after an hour of runing ? Thks

 

[sailorman]

It's a Suzuki 2.5hp 4 stroke, is the 2nd oil change after an hour of runing ? Thks

get it up to working temp to displace any moisture

 

[Ian_Edwards]

I've had the same thing happen to my Suzuki DF2.5. In addition to cleaning off the salt water, changing oil and turning it over with the plug out, draining and refilling the fuel tank. You my find it necessary to strip the carb' and blow out the jets, water can get into the jets and prevent it from starting. Stripping the carb' is quite easy but be very careful when taking the main jet out, you need a flat bladed screwdriver with parallel sides that will locate snugly in the slot in the brass jet. It's very easy to damage both the slot in the jet, and the tread in the aluminium casting.

I managed to damage both, and couldn't find anywhere to buy a new jet, I ended up putting a new carb' on it.

It's also worth liberally spraying the recoil start spring with WD40 or similar, to stop it rusting, it's made of ordinary spring steel.

As a final point, if it's still difficult to start, put a new plug in it, or clean plug with very fine emery paper and reset the gap. The plug can become glazed which makes it hard for the spark to jump the gap.

 

[MagicIsland]

I've had the same thing happen to my Suzuki DF2.5. In addition to cleaning off the salt water, changing oil and turning it over with the plug out, draining and refilling the fuel tank. You my find it necessary to strip the carb' and blow out the jets, water can get into the jets and prevent it from starting. Stripping the carb' is quite easy but be very careful when taking the main jet out, you need a flat bladed screwdriver with parallel sides that will locate snugly in the slot in the brass jet. It's very easy to damage both the slot in the jet, and the tread in the aluminium casting.

I managed to damage both, and couldn't find anywhere to buy a new jet, I ended up putting a new carb' on it.

It's also worth liberally spraying the recoil start spring with WD40 or similar, to stop it rusting, it's made of ordinary spring steel.

As a final point, if it's still difficult to start, put a new plug in it, or clean plug with very fine emery paper and reset the gap. The plug can become glazed which makes it hard for the spark to jump the gap.

Thanks for the extra advice, hope i don't need to touch the carb but nice to know what to do if it still doesn't start.

 

[chewi]

Thanks for the extra advice, hope i don't need to touch the carb but nice to know what to do if it still doesn't start.

Similar experience last year but due to scrotes that tried to nick it off my rubadub, got disturbed and left o/b immersed.

I had to replace the coil due to shortcircuit/ingress, as well as the plug/oil etc and thoroughly dismante & rinse in f/w.

Most of that (apart from first aid rinse & WD40) was done by Kevin Mole in Cowes.
cost £140 but has been OK since.

 

[lustyd]

It's also worth liberally spraying the recoil start spring with WD40 or similar, to stop it rusting, it's made of ordinary spring steel.

Wd40 does not stop rusting, it displaces water. It will also strip off any oil present and therefore promote rust unless you do something afterwards to protect the metal. It's a good first step but anything exposed should then be cleaned up properly.

 

[lustyd]

Last night during the gale force winds in wells our dingy flipped right over, it had the outboard still on it as we thought it would help keep it upright and balanced. It can only have been inverted for around 2hrs before the tide went out with just the cowel part under the water. I have rinsed of with fresh water but not tried to start it, what should I do next ?

For future reference, all the weight in an outboard is at the top - this won't stop anything flipping over, possibly the reverse since you move the CG above and behind the transom.
Cheers
Dave

 

[pagoda]

For future reference, all the weight in an outboard is at the top - this won't stop anything flipping over, possibly the reverse since you move the CG above and behind the transom.
Cheers
Dave

+1 .... Won't EVER tow dinghy - or leave astern tied off again with the OB.

Ancient 2HP (2 stroke ) Yamaha flipped in a big gust (30 Kts?) last year. Did we have fun recovering the seat & floor !!
I tried drying it all out (oven.. ) No go.
I replaced JUST the points eventually..(having checked the coil) It has been running better since being ducked! after changing the points!
It is unlikely to be the end of the world .

Graeme

 

[MagicIsland]

+1 .... Won't EVER tow dinghy - or leave astern tied off again with the OB.

Ancient 2HP (2 stroke ) Yamaha flipped in a big gust (30 Kts?) last year. Did we have fun recovering the seat & floor !!
I tried drying it all out (oven.. ) No go.
I replaced JUST the points eventually..(having checked the coil) It has been running better since being ducked! after changing the points!
It is unlikely to be the end of the world .

Graeme

Thanks , makes sence ,didn't managed to find the seat,after I removed the outboard I placed a bucket full of sand as far forward as it could go and still sitting on the floor planks, despite several 35+ gusts it never lifted and stayed put. Every weekend, something new learned........

 

[MagicIsland]

All Working

Thanks for the advice everyone, the outboard is now fixed and ticking over like she did before her dunking. Took the plig out and cracked several times, was amazed how much came out of the cylinder !
Changed the fuel, oil twice,drained the carb and cleaned the plug.

 

[jubro]

Long term effects of dunking

All the advice given is good for getting the motor up and running again. Something to watch if you dunk a Honda BF2 with a centrifugal clutch - salt water gets into the previously dry bell housing for the clutch and corrodes both the plates surfaces (so it slips) then the roller bearing at the base (so it jams). It took mine a couple of weeks to exhibit the first symptom, then several months for the second (though I'd stopped using it long before then). It's a b*gger to get into the clutch, but not impossible, and all it needs is the plates rubbing down and the bearing freed off. It's not a perfect fix, but it's cheap. The other thing that will tend to go prematurely on any dunked motor is the coil, despite them being 'sealed'.