Bought a 97 Challenger 1800 without taking on it out on the water first. Engines started though. Took it to a shop for tune-up but they said they started the engines and then ran water to them (so they could keep running) and the engines filled with water and died. Shop said could just be the freeze plugs in the exhaust (weld-shop fix) or the engines themselves (deal-breaker, I'll cut my losses and sell the thing for parts). I'm confused though, I get that the engines are liquid cooled and that a leaky exhaust could let in water, but how would the engine let in water? If the engine itself was leaky then wouldn't it not start in the first place, due to inability to get compression? Looking for guidance as to if I pay more $$ to chase this problem or not.
97 Challenger engines take on water
- Thread starter Atingau
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Going by first impressions it sounds like the shop trashed your engines.
If you turn the water on, on these with the engines off it will push water through the exhaust and then fill the engines with water. If this is what happened then the shop just ruined your engines from their stupidity. These are not like an inboard boat where you can have the water on without the engine on.
Also these exhausts don't have freeze plugs. They have a casting plug that is welded on that can corrode and leak water but it will leak into the bilge and in no way can get water into the engines. This dealer is full of crap.
If you immediately get all the water out of the engine and get them running they will be fine. But you have to get them running and run them hard on the lake for about 40 minutes to burn out all the moisture. If you let the water sit it will ruin internal engine parts form rust.
This was an issue caused by the shop so they need to fix it on their dime, not yours.
If you turn the water on, on these with the engines off it will push water through the exhaust and then fill the engines with water. If this is what happened then the shop just ruined your engines from their stupidity. These are not like an inboard boat where you can have the water on without the engine on.
Also these exhausts don't have freeze plugs. They have a casting plug that is welded on that can corrode and leak water but it will leak into the bilge and in no way can get water into the engines. This dealer is full of crap.
If you immediately get all the water out of the engine and get them running they will be fine. But you have to get them running and run them hard on the lake for about 40 minutes to burn out all the moisture. If you let the water sit it will ruin internal engine parts form rust.
This was an issue caused by the shop so they need to fix it on their dime, not yours.
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jts32
Active Member
Absolutely the fault of the repair shop. As Miki stated, water should never be on unless the motor is running.
You are dealing with a shop that doesn't know what they are doing. Out of the water, these motors shouldn't be run more than 30 seconds, even when hooked to the hose. The carbon ring that seals the impeller shaft isn't being cooled unless it's in the water, and will be ruined. The hose connection is only for back flushing to help remove sand/mud that has been sucked into the cooling circuit, and not for long periods of running.
Hopefully you can get them to admit what they did and make repairs at no cost to you. Good luck.
You are dealing with a shop that doesn't know what they are doing. Out of the water, these motors shouldn't be run more than 30 seconds, even when hooked to the hose. The carbon ring that seals the impeller shaft isn't being cooled unless it's in the water, and will be ruined. The hose connection is only for back flushing to help remove sand/mud that has been sucked into the cooling circuit, and not for long periods of running.
Hopefully you can get them to admit what they did and make repairs at no cost to you. Good luck.
JeremyD615
Well-Known Member
Good luck! This is a terrible situation, but it’s painfully obvious that the shop fed water to the motors before they were running. There is really no other way to explain BOTH motors filling with water after start up. If it was one motor, I guess it would be possible for a cracked head to cause water ingestion, but it’s HIGHLY unlikely that both would have the same issue.
If you haven’t confronted the shop yet, my suggestion would be to ask that they run you through the exact procedure they used, rather than start throwing accusations out immediately. Let them tell you they turned the water on and then started the engines, and then you can start a conversation about how they’re at fault. These things can get ugly in a hurry, but it’s hard for them to backtrack once they’ve inadvertently told you how they did the damage...
If you haven’t confronted the shop yet, my suggestion would be to ask that they run you through the exact procedure they used, rather than start throwing accusations out immediately. Let them tell you they turned the water on and then started the engines, and then you can start a conversation about how they’re at fault. These things can get ugly in a hurry, but it’s hard for them to backtrack once they’ve inadvertently told you how they did the damage...
Appreciate the advice. I'll have them walk me through their start-up. However I know they started the engines up first, then started the water (they explained this to me when i brought the boat in, that these motors need to run prior to turning on the hose), so the question is what would cause water intrusion when the engine is running. Sounds like the casting plugs or a cracked head. Casting plugs would be a welding fix, as I understand it, and I would pay for that easy enough. But a cracked head sounds like bigger problems (are parts even available for this fix, or am I shopping ebay and paying outrageous prices)? The guy that had the boat before me did have the hull full of water over winter, but would that cause the cracked head?
If this doesn't work out I may have a parts boat for sale for all of you
If this doesn't work out I may have a parts boat for sale for all of you
No, there’s no way for both engines to fill with water unless they had the hose on and the engines off, no possible way.
A cracked head would let a little water in an steam clean the combination chamber and wouldn’t flood the engine with the engines running so that excuse wouldn’t work and I doubt both engines would have cracked heads.
The pipes have casting plugs that can rot but the leak to the outside of the engine not the inside so again that’s not a possible excuse.
Read what I am saying, the only way to flood both engines is to have the water on and the engines off. And if they didn’t get the water out and engines running immediately your engines are trashed.
Even using their excuses, all they had to do was get the water out and running immediately and no damage would have been done so obviously this shop knows absolutely nothing and are total hacks.
A cracked head would let a little water in an steam clean the combination chamber and wouldn’t flood the engine with the engines running so that excuse wouldn’t work and I doubt both engines would have cracked heads.
The pipes have casting plugs that can rot but the leak to the outside of the engine not the inside so again that’s not a possible excuse.
Read what I am saying, the only way to flood both engines is to have the water on and the engines off. And if they didn’t get the water out and engines running immediately your engines are trashed.
Even using their excuses, all they had to do was get the water out and running immediately and no damage would have been done so obviously this shop knows absolutely nothing and are total hacks.
JeremyD615
Well-Known Member
There really isn’t anything like that which would happen to both motors simultaneously is what we are getting at. Any bad gaskets, cracks, or leaks would be contained in one motor, and the few things that could cause water ingestion like that are highly unlikely...
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