Submerged outboard recovery?

P

peterandjeanette

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 Jun 2001
Messages
1,176
Location
Stratford upon Avon/Sant Carles
Visit site
We were fixed to a buoy recently with the dinghy and outboard (Suzuki 2.5 mounted on the back) tethered to the stern. During the night we were hit by a sudden and very strong wind. This flipped the dinghy over - outboard and all. I managed to right the dinghy and secure it tight up against the stern for the rest of the night.

The following morning I removed the spark plug and squirted WD 40 down the cylinder. I also drained the carburettor and fuel line, and got the motor going again. The rest of the motor was sprayed with WD40. It worked well for the rest of the holiday.

So what else should I do now I've got the time? Drain all oil and replace? Take it for a full service and admit its dunking? Or just carry on?
 
If its seawater your mechanical bits will probably survive OK, but the electricary bits wont,

The corrosion has started and given a season or two it will fail.

Better to strip it down sooner and replace those parts at your convenience rather than its.

Plank
 
Can't speak for an outboard, but my wind generator went for a swim, and then lasted the rest of the season before corrosion killed it.
 
The recommended treatment, I believe, for an outboard that has been dunked in seawater is to dunk it in fresh water as soon as it is recovered.
Then drain dry out etc etc.

Sell it on eBay while it still looks good and runs well.... say nothing about the dunking.
 
Change the engine oil as well...

My Honda has been for three swims in it's 12 or so years in my tender loving care....a good rinse in fresh water ASAP and a change of fluids plus the essential WD40 keeps it running sweetly.
 
uxb said:
Change the engine oil as well...

My Honda has been for three swims in it's 12 or so years in my tender loving care....a good rinse in fresh water ASAP and a change of fluids plus the essential WD40 keeps it running sweetly.
Click to expand...
two stroke
 
My Tohatsu 2.5 drowned when our dinghy overturned. I got it home and disassembled all the easily removable bits such as carb, fuel tank and cleaned them up. I then flushed the engine with fresh water through the spark plug hole rotating the piston via the prop for 5 mins. I then set up a heat gun to blow down the spark plug hole for 10 mins whilst occasionally turning the engine over. Finally followed it with a small amount of 2 stroke oil down the plug hole. I would have done a proper job by taking the head off but couldn't undo the bolts.
I also flushed the exposed electrics which were in the flywheel. Nearly everything is coated or sealed so the freshwater doesn't damage it but it gets rid of the salt off all the metal bit to stop corrosion.
Probably all a bit Heath Robinson but it is still fine 3 years later.
 
A good friends mariners 3.3 has flipped on his dinghy 3 times in the last 5 years. Each time it was simply rinsed with fresh water, pulled over with the choke on ignition off 10 or so times and then started and run for half an hour. It's not the best looking engine but it appears to be running fine still.
 
I have followed the advice given by uxb in the past:

"....a good rinse in fresh water ASAP and a change of fluids plus the essential WD40 keeps it running.. "

My previous two stroke was swamped three times over 14 years and still ran fine when I sold it. Do not leave it over the winter without the above treatment plus running it long and hard. Give it an extra blast of oil in the fuel as well.
 
VicS said:
The recommended treatment, I believe, for an outboard that has been dunked in seawater is to dunk it in fresh water as soon as it is recovered.
Then drain dry out etc etc.

Sell it on eBay while it still looks good and runs well.... say nothing about the dunking.
Click to expand...

Extremely irresponsible - and not good form. "Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself".
'nuff said.
 
peterandjeanette said:
We were fixed to a buoy recently with the dinghy and outboard (Suzuki 2.5 mounted on the back) tethered to the stern. During the night we were hit by a sudden and very strong wind. This flipped the dinghy over - outboard and all. I managed to right the dinghy and secure it tight up against the stern for the rest of the night.

The following morning I removed the spark plug and squirted WD 40 down the cylinder. I also drained the carburettor and fuel line, and got the motor going again. The rest of the motor was sprayed with WD40. It worked well for the rest of the holiday.

So what else should I do now I've got the time? Drain all oil and replace? Take it for a full service and admit its dunking? Or just carry on?
Click to expand...

Simple answer "DON'T do it again - EVER. ALWAYS remove the outboard and bring it aboard." Apart from anything else it removes the temptation/opportunity from "those toe-rags of the night" who would permanently (and inconveniently) deprive you of your property and an essential piece of kit.
 
I drowned my 2 stroker once / replaced the fuel, washed it down and a good spray of WD40, added rather more oil to the next tank of fuel and ran her for a couple of hours. No more problems and was still going strong a decade later when I sold it
 
Davy_S said:
Read post No7
Click to expand...

The OP has a 2.5 Suzuki... He says so in post#1 but he does not actually say if its a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke.

UXB has a Honda , which as we all know will be a 4 stroke.

Post #7 merely says "2 stroke", but quotes UXB's post about his Honda.
I'd have thought Stu Davies knew that Hondas were 4 strokes ... Maybe not.
 
Last edited:
VicS said:
The OP has a 2.5 Suzuki... He says so in post#1 but he does not actually say if its a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke.

UXB has a Honda , which as we all know will be a 4 stroke.

Post #7 merely says "2 stroke", but quotes UXB's post about his Honda.
I'd have thought Stu Davies knew that Hondas were 4 strokes ... Maybe not.
Click to expand...
Vic
I answered uxb with 2t to inform, I couldnt be ars ed typing it all out!
S
 
skipper_stu said:
Vic
I answered uxb with 2t to inform, I couldnt be ars ed typing it all out!
S
Click to expand...

But the Op did not say he had a two stroke. He mentions draining the oil, which implies 4 stroke . Your post is the first to mention two stroke.

Not informing anybody of any known fact..... might just as well have said bollox
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top