Dunked Honda 2.3hp outboard. Next steps?

[quatin]

My clamps came loose on my mounting bracket and the engine popped off the transom. Lucky I had straps on so it didn't sink, but the throttle twisted to wide open and most of the motor went under. It died quick, I'm sure it sucked water. I was in a lake and far from the ramp or else I would've paddled it back home. I let it sit for 20 minutes, and it fired back up after 10 minutes of cranking, appeared to run fine. I ran it at half throttle for a good hour back home. What should my next steps be?

 

[VicS]

My clamps came loose on my mounting bracket and the engine popped off the transom. Lucky I had straps on so it didn't sink, but the throttle twisted to wide open and most of the motor went under. It died quick, I'm sure it sucked water. I was in a lake and far from the ramp or else I would've paddled it back home. I let it sit for 20 minutes, and it fired back up after 10 minutes of cranking, appeared to run fine. I ran it at half throttle for a good hour back home. What should my next steps be?

Check the appearance of the engine oil. If it looks milky change it or change it anyway.
Make sure there is no water in the fuel system.
.

 

[snowbird30ds]

Change the oil and run it till it's proper hot and change the oil again, use cheap oil the first time, when shutting off maybe some fogging oil in the air intake.
If it's been running since dunking you've not done much damage.

 

[quatin]

Change the oil and run it till it's proper hot and change the oil again, use cheap oil the first time, when shutting off maybe some fogging oil in the air intake.
If it's been running since dunking you've not done much damage.

Will do. Think I got lucky? I thought for sure it would be a bent rod, but maybe it's such low HP. I tried listening for knocks, but didn't hear any however these little engines are loud. What about valve seals? Should I keep an eye on oil consumption?

 

[jamie N]

All of the above, plus loads of WD40 sprayed & wiped everywhere won't hurt it either. Great motors, and quite forgiving it seems also!

 

[Refueler]

One of the main points in your favour ... was in a Lake.

If it had been in seawater ... I would expect the engine to seize after a while ...

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Don't forget to spray WD40 or similar light oil on the recoil spring. It'll be a high carbon spring steel and will rust like mad, even after dunking in fresh water. I use to make spraying the recoil spring with WD40 part of the winter maintenance procedure, until I went electric last year.

 

[Stemar]

I wouldn't use WD40, I'd use ACF50, as it leaves a protective coating when it dries.

 

[Refueler]

UGH !!! WD40 !!!

Great for Water Displacement - but naff all use for anything else. One of the most widely misused products.

If you want to protect something like recoil spring ... WD40 to get rid of the water ... then blow it clear. Then a product such as Duck Oil or similar which like Stemar's ACF50 leaves a coating ...

 

[Tillana]

I dropped my Honda off the back of my tender at the end of last season. Couldn't find it for two days, but managed to recover it. I plopped it in a tank of fresh water for a while then stopped and placed all parts in petrol to displace any water. Fired up fine and ran for a while to dry out out. The only issue I had was the clutch stuck which I was able to clean up and get working again.

 

[wonkywinch]

UGH !!! WD40 !!!

Great for Water Displacement - but naff all use for anything else. One of the most widely misused products.

If you want to protect something like recoil spring ... WD40 to get rid of the water ... then blow it clear. Then a product such as Duck Oil or similar which like Stemar's ACF50 leaves a coating ...

I agree. The internet DIY forums full of recommendations to use WD40. A pet hate!

 

[fredrussell]

WD40 is used for water displacement. That’s exactly what OP is trying to do isn’t it?

 

[Stemar]

WD40 is used for water displacement. That’s exactly what OP is trying to do isn’t it?

Yes, but the need is also to provide continued protection, for which WD40 is basically useless

 

[VicS]

WD40 is used for water displacement. That’s exactly what OP is trying to do isn’t it?

If he has run it "for a good hour" then I reckon it will be pretty well dried out.

.

 

[Refueler]

If he has run it "for a good hour" then I reckon it will be pretty well dried out.

.

Hopefully and if a 2stroker ... oil in the fuel will have done its work ... etc.

But its the external bits ... throttle link - mount bolts - recoil starter etc.

 

[quatin]

Don't forget to spray WD40 or similar light oil on the recoil spring. It'll be a high carbon spring steel and will rust like mad, even after dunking in fresh water. I use to make spraying the recoil spring with WD40 part of the winter maintenance procedure, until I went electric last year.

Good call, I missed this. I have the motor mostly apart to air out, but didn't think to take apart the recoil assembly. I use a product called Corrosion-x for metal parts. Last night when I got home, I dumped the gas to be safe, but when I dunked the motor the tank was low and I had to top off with fresh gas just to make it back home. Oil level looked exactly where I left it and didn't appear foamy, but I did an oil change anyways. I'll do a more detailed break down today, see if I'm missing anything. Thanks for the tips.

 

[andyc352]

Hopefully and if a 2stroker ... oil in the fuel will have done its work ... etc.

But its the external bits ... throttle link - mount bolts - recoil starter etc.

The Honda 2.3 is an air cooled 4 stroke.

 

[fredrussell]

If he has run it "for a good hour" then I reckon it will be pretty well dried out.

.

There will be water in the darker recesses still I reckon. My pro-WD40 comment was aimed at those saying don’t use it, when, to my way of thinking, this is what it was invented for. I agree it’s not much cop as a lubricant, but I’d be wary of getting oil anywhere near the centrifugal clutch, if it’s a dry clutch (anyone know?).

 

[Refueler]

There will be water in the darker recesses still I reckon. My pro-WD40 comment was aimed at those saying don’t use it, when, to my way of thinking, this is what it was invented for. I agree it’s not much cop as a lubricant, but I’d be wary of getting oil anywhere near the centrifugal clutch, if it’s a dry clutch (anyone know?).

No-one has said don't use it .... what has been said is use it to disperse water - but then back it up with decent product !

 

[VicS]

The recommended procedures described in the owners manual:-