Highmaster2
Active Member
Recently had an "interesting" day. I was about 30 miles upriver when my GTX starting acting weird. I assumed that it had sucked something up around the shaft or into the pump because the engine, while still running smooth, acted like it pulling under a lot of resistance. I stopped and put it in reverse a couple of times on the slight chance that it might dislodge something. No go. I was afraid to try and limp it home due to the distance, so I found the nearest concrete launching pad and went ashore.
I finally found someone that could go by the house, get a trailer and come to my location. When I attempted to put it on the trailer, the Doo wouldn't start. Finally had to just get it on the trailer by hand and with the winch.
When I pulled the pump, there was some sort of thick twine wrapped around the drive shaft but it had not gotten to the pump and it wasn't enough that it was rubbing the hull, so I'm not sure why it was creating such a drag on the engine. I was surprised, though, when the shaft came out when I pulled the pump. When I took the seats off, the seal carrier was loose in the hull and the hull was half full of water. It must have happened just before I "beached" it on the ramp because it was not riding low in the water prior to that. However, the reason it wouldn't start was due to water in the engine.
I finally got enough water out of the engine to get it started and then ran it on the lake for about an hour. One thing that really concerns me is that, trying to figure out a good way to get water out of the crankcase, I took the hose loose at the carb pump and removed the hose that goes to the RAVE solenoid. I then applied air pressure to the carb pump hose hoping it would force water out. All I got was a trace of white sludge (oil & water mixed). I was wondering if, once everything dried out, that sludge would turn back to oil, or if the sludge is just there from now on?
I am at a loss as to how the seal carrier could come loose - the bellows holding the carbon ring is very stiff and so was the half-moon clip. I was mostly just curious if anyone had ever had the seal carrier come loose on its own before?
I finally found someone that could go by the house, get a trailer and come to my location. When I attempted to put it on the trailer, the Doo wouldn't start. Finally had to just get it on the trailer by hand and with the winch.
When I pulled the pump, there was some sort of thick twine wrapped around the drive shaft but it had not gotten to the pump and it wasn't enough that it was rubbing the hull, so I'm not sure why it was creating such a drag on the engine. I was surprised, though, when the shaft came out when I pulled the pump. When I took the seats off, the seal carrier was loose in the hull and the hull was half full of water. It must have happened just before I "beached" it on the ramp because it was not riding low in the water prior to that. However, the reason it wouldn't start was due to water in the engine.
I finally got enough water out of the engine to get it started and then ran it on the lake for about an hour. One thing that really concerns me is that, trying to figure out a good way to get water out of the crankcase, I took the hose loose at the carb pump and removed the hose that goes to the RAVE solenoid. I then applied air pressure to the carb pump hose hoping it would force water out. All I got was a trace of white sludge (oil & water mixed). I was wondering if, once everything dried out, that sludge would turn back to oil, or if the sludge is just there from now on?
I am at a loss as to how the seal carrier could come loose - the bellows holding the carbon ring is very stiff and so was the half-moon clip. I was mostly just curious if anyone had ever had the seal carrier come loose on its own before?
