Help! A newbie forgot the drain plugs!!!

[joto1973]

Just bought a 97 Challenger. Took it out for the first time and made the obvious dumbest mistake by not making sure the drain plugs were in. I noticed before getting too far and took it back to the ramp, got it on the trailer and drained it, but it won't start now. Only took on about 4-5 inches of water and the starter still works, gas is on, choke being used, but it won't turn over. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

A New (frustrated) boater.

 

[kustomkarl]

Welcome to the seadoo forum joto1973. Be sure there is no water in the cylinders. Remove the spark plugs and put the plug caps on the grounding stud. Now hit the start button If it squirts water you need to get it out. Spray a little wd-40 in the spark plug hles to displace the water and lube the cylinders. Keep turning it over in like 15 seconds bursts till it squirts no more. Install new gaped spark plugs...NGK BR8ES gaped to.020-.024".
It should fire up, Choke it and besure the fuel is in the on position. If it runs the battery down, charge it back up, disconected from the seadoo wireing, so it won't surge the elelctonics and cause more peoblems.
You also need to add you year and model to you avatar.

Karl

 

[joto1973]

Thanks for the quick reply, Karl, much appreciated. I'll check those things first, although the water didn't get up to the plugs, is it still possible they were affected? I left it open with a fan blowing in to dry it out. I'll give it another try today after following your suggestions.

 

[kustomkarl]

It has nothing to do with the water height not touching the spark plugs. If it got to the water box height, it got inside and water flooded the engine. The fan is a waste of time. You need to get the engine started up so it won't corrode the internals of the engine. Time is of the essence. The longer you wait with water inside, the more damage it will do. Get it started A.S.A.P. or the engine might be junk.

Karl

 

[joto1973]

Thanks for the heads up, Karl. I got it started and ran it with the hose for a couple of minutes with some throttle. I can't say it sounded very good, but it was running at least. From here, I'll go ahead and change the plugs like you said. Is there anywhere else I should look for possible damage or something I should be doing?

 

[kustomkarl]

You really need to get it running on the water if you can, so it will get all the water out of the engine. I would spray everything down in the engine compartment with wd-40 to displace the water and protect it also...

Karl

 

[joto1973]

Argghhh...Replaced the plugs and took it down to the water but couldn't get it to start again. The starter worked a few tries and it was trying to turn over. After a few attempts, I just got a mechanical clicking when I pressed the ignition. It sounds worse now than a couple of days ago.

 

[kustomkarl]

Fire it up on the trailer but not too long...say 20 seconds or so Then dump it in the water and run it....You need to get it running so it won't turn into an expensive flower pot.:ack:

Karl

 

[joto1973]

Ok. I charged the battery, changed the plugs and got it running. Had it out on the water for about an hour, even had it wide open. (Real fun, by the way!) On the way back in to the ramp, in the no wake zone, just running on idle, it stalled and I couldn't get it running again. Had to get towed. Earlier in the run, from a dead stop, it stalled twice. I got it going by easing really slowly into the throttle, but couldn't get it going at the end.