98 XP Engine FULL OF WATER HELP!!

[swatace23]

hey guys,
i was out on the lake and she was running fine as usual. then my wife and i took a break and just let it float around while we swam for about 30 mins. we then tried to start it and it would barely turn over. i assumed it was a dead battery, but now i discovered that isnt the case. we had to tow it with our other ski all the way across the lake and onto the trailer. i pulled the spark plugs and its full of water. i hit the starter and got out as much water as i could, then reinstalled the spark plugs and water was pouring out of the back by the gallon. it appeared to be coming out of the exhaust. i stopped cranking it to grab a trashcan to collect the water (they are in my garage) and now it barely turns over with the plugs installed, and sometimes i hear a noise like the bendix is freely spinning. any help would be much appreciated, and how can i prevent this in the future?

 

[Dr Honda]

The original prob could have been a starter or battery that was getting weak. But the water was from you towing it. If you don't pinch off the feed hose... you will fill your engine with water. You need to get it started before the engine starts to rust internally.

Make sure you battery has a good strong charge... and get it started.

 

[swatace23]

thank god. i got it started today and it runs fine. ill be taking it out tomorrow, hopefully without issues!

BTW: which line do you pinch, and what do you pinch it with? vise grips or something?

 

[Bills86e]

water entered engine

Between the jetpump impeller and nozzel is the Venturi pressure area, that has three
holes where the high pressure starts its way routeing through the engine via a hose.
anywhere in that hose you can clamp, to keep the non-running/Tow pressure from
routeting the cooling system. Remember, the running engine's out-going exhaust is
what keeps the water from entering the engine, thats why you also start an engine
before turning on the garden hose, and you shut off the garden hose before you shut
the engine off. Towing more than 2-3 mph is like turning on the garden hose. Bills86e

Always Bip the throttle a few times after shutting the garden hose off to direct out as much water in the exhaust system out as possible. Any water in there will turn to steam pressure and find its way INTO the lower cases where
raw steel is exposed, so Also spray FOGGING OIL into the airbox plug hole after you shut garden hose off and are Bipping the throttle at Shut-down to
coat the engine internal parts with a protective film to prevent rust and storeing seizure from occureing.

AS in your case, water is hideing still in lower cases, so you must ride at least a half hour to burn that moisture out of the engine, Immediatly after getting the engine re-started. This is a must-do to protect your investment!