www.iFourWinns.com

Took the boat out with a group of people. Rushing, forget the plug. Discover it as we are idling out. Run to shore and jump out and put it in. Bildge has water to about the very bottom of the engine if that, the alarm actually did not sound until after the plug was in. Had to bail it out as I discovered the bildge pump was not working.

All was fine the rest of the day. Start and shut off, ran smooth.

Put the boat on the trailer for the night. Next day go get it put it in the water (PLUG IN!) and head out of the marina and out of no wake, run for about 5 minutes at 30 - 35 then another no wake. As soon as I throttle down, we hear this loud metal on metal sound clanging in the engine compartment. Put in neutral and turn the key. Engine will not shut off. All gauges are normal (oil and temp), but sound going. Pull the lanyard cut off and still will not go off. Turn the battery off, nothing. Finally disconnect the fuel and it eventually sputters out.

Poke around the engine compartment and nothing. Oil full and clean. Not hot, no smoke or heat. Restart the engine, sound is there and we cannot cut it off.

Decide to head back to the marina at idle. Boating buddy thinks the starter is not disengaging and thats the noise. Make it almost there and the engine dies and we cannot restart. Not even a click.

Get it on the trailer take it to an auto mechanic. He looks around and says check the fuse. Sure enough, the ignition fuse (15) is blown. No extra's so I pull the radio (10). Put it in and the engine fires. No noise or anything. Run it a while and then go back put it in the water (picked up extra fuses). Ran fine the rest of the day and the following day.

Anyone have any thoughts? I am thinking that maybe the starter got wet and sort of got stuck, heated up and blew the fuse, but in the process freed itself.

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

I think your theory is likely.

But I have to say, with the plug out, how did you get out of the boat, back to shore, back to the boat, and get the plug in, and only have water up to the bottom of the engine? Seems like there would've been more water than that by then (which IMO makes your theory more likely).

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

plug was on the boat. I keep it in the rear cupholder starboard side.

Pulled away from the dock and as we were idling, son opens the center floor hatch and sees the water. I realize the plug is not in, yell hold on, and blow the no wake at full throtle to a litte beach across from the marina. About 3 ft of water. Jump in the water and put the plug in. Then see no water coming out from the bildge exhaust hole.

Think I should change out the starter to be safe? Anything else I should do having had the salt water in there? I ran water in the boat to let it drain through the bidge but was afraid to put water in the engine area.

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Oh, salt water. Yes, I'd say if the starter got wet, replace it. Sounds like you may have to do so anyway. If anything else in, on, or around the engine got wet, give careful consideration to how critical it is and whether it should be serviced, inspected, and/or replaced.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Starter is down on the side near the bottom. Do you know if it can be accessed ? Seems tight to get to. What else might be down at the bottom?

Someone suggested using some sort of "salt away" or similar named cleaning.

Thanks

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Sorry, I do not know about starter access on the 4.3/your boat. It may be a job for a contortionist; some folks have to have the engine pulled to get to it. I hope you don't!

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Yeah my buddy (who preached the benefits of an OB) mentioned that. I can see the starter. So hopefully I can get my hands and arms in there.

Do you know if the starters made by Volvo or can you use other brands?

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

I assume it's a marinized GM starter. You certainly don't have to buy a brand-new Volvo starter, but you absolutely should go with a fully marinized starter from a trusted source. Also, if the project/timing works out, it might be a good idea to get the old one off first and get it tested/checked out before you go to any more trouble. It's a bit hard to make a recommendation since I don't know how wet it got or if it got salt water inside the case.

BTW - does anyone know if these newer GM starters/blocks still use one metric and one standard bolt like they did years ago?

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Howdy,


You know, I have NEVER left the plug out when I launched the boat (KNOCK ON WOOD!!)

BUT to prevent that I installed the following in the transom.




It has a check ball in it....



Cheers,

Rick

_________________
1987 Four Winns Liberator 211, formerly OMC 460 King Kobra powered, replaced in 2006 by a 1997 Mercruiser 454/Bravo III

How does the check ball work? I could probably go without the boat, but still boating season here and boat work and boating are on the weekend. If the cost is not too much, I'll just replace. I assume they rebuild them.

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Any automotive starter for your specific GM engine will work, it doesn't need to be a Marine starter, I would pull the old one off and spray G5 Pro Gold all over it and the solenoid and put it back in, what sound like happened is the starter hung for whatever reason and heated the start circuit and popped the fuse which is a good thing.


Mike

_________________
Mike
2007 Horizon 200 SS
5.0 GXi SX drive.

Just got time to go on the boat. Fuse popped again. Replaced. Starter would not turn over. Tapped with hammer and it worked. I think the shaft got salt water and rusted a little and unless staring daily is freezing up

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

OK, now this is something I really like! I too, have never made the plug mistake (knock,knock) and I have promised myself I never would but this little item would be great to have. With our 235 Sundowner there would be no way I could scramble out of the boat and get the plug in before we sank to the bottom of the ramp! I think I understand how the check ball keeps water from coming in without the plug but how does it let the water out when you pull the plug?

_________________
Jon & Rhonda

'88 235 Sundowner
5.7L OMC Cobra
'01 F150 4.2L

The ball only seats when water is trying to come in. Outgoing water can flow around the ball. See the little metal bar that keeps the ball from falling out? There is an inward taper that forces the opening shut when water tries to enter the hull.

_________________

H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

would the ball fail ever???

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4