Clean Out plug blew/Engine wont start/HELP NEEDED!

[99MVP]

After 280+ hours of wonderful boating over two and a half summers our clean out plug ruined our August 2016 campaign. I launched my wife and 8 year old daughter just like every weekend. I can always see them as I come around the bend headed for camp. This time I noticed she was cruising slower than usual. By the time I was backing the trailer into camp when a frantic call came in "hurry get down here something's wrong with the boat" she thought the drain plug was out and was trying to keep moving to allow water to escape and not enter. When I opened the engine hatch the water was flush with the top of the valve covers. One engine was toast the other was fine. Replaced with brand new crankcase assembly and rebuilt the head. Now after 9hrs of operation the new engine won't start. Shop that pulled the engine out and installed the new says timing chain jumped a tooth. Machine shop that rebuilt head and assembled all engine components says it's electrical. Turns over fine, 195psi in all 4 cylinders, has spark, and fuel.

 

[Bruce]

@99MVP, I would like to move your post to a new thread where it will get more attention.

With 195 PSI on all four cylinders I would think it is not the timing but you really need input from more mechanically minded members.

Since it is cranking, if you had not confirmed spark, I would suggest that the lanyard switch could be the issue.

 

[99MVP]

Yes, please move.

 

[tdonoughue]

Others will hopefully chime in with more advanced knowledge, but to get us started...

I think if you have good and equal compression on all cylinders, I agree that eliminates problems with the timing chain. Along with it having run for 9 hours. Spark eliminates the lanyard; cranking eliminates the swim deck switch and throttle position sensor.

The fact that it ran for 9 hours makes me doubt fuel, but if you ran to the bottom of the tank I guess you could be hitting water in the fuel. Worth a check.

I am tending toward electrical, particularly in the ECU. Water infiltration from your flood event may have gotten water somewhere. Did you use Damp Rid or something in the engine compartment? How long ago was the flood and how long did it take you to run up the 9 hours?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

spray every electrical connection you can find in the engine compartment with silicon spray and clean every ground wire you can find , pull it clean where they attach to the engine etc and reattach them.

 

[99MVP]

Flood was beginning of August and we took the boat out twice about two weeks apart before and after Christmas with no problems. Broke the new engine in strictly by the manual. Took it out a third time and after about 2 engine hours and at least 5 starts, she just wouldn't fire up.
I went through the wiring making sure nothing came loose. I took it back to the shop and now I'm getting the run around blame game.

 

[99MVP]

spray every electrical connection you can find in the engine compartment with silicon spray and clean every ground wire you can find , pull it clean where they attach to the engine etc and reattach them.

Thanks for the tips. Any help is appreciated.

 

[tdonoughue]

Wow, that sure still sounds electrical to me. Hard to believe that the timing chain would jump on a brand new engine suddenly, while not running, after 2 outings. Could it happen? Sure, I guess. But very, very remote.

Pop some Damp Rid in the engine compartment and pull the connectors and use your WD-40 as @Cobra Jet Steering LLC suggests. I would also check the wires coming from the hatch and the throttles. I am betting something was not fully attached when they put in the new engine, or that you have leftover water somewhere that migrated and is shorting something out.

 

[Neutron]

If it jumped time it wont start because of zero to low compression. A quick compression test followed by a cylinder leak down check will confirm bad or good internal problem

 

[tdonoughue]

OP said 195 psi on all 4 cylinders... That is why I discounted the timing chain as an issue.

 

[Neutron]

OP said 195 psi on all 4 cylinders... That is why I discounted the timing chain as an issue.

I agree as far as a compression check is concerned. But i have seen a good compression reading and a failed leakdown check many times

 

[Jgorm]

I agree as far as a compression check is concerned. But i have seen a good compression reading and a failed leakdown check many times

But if you have good compression it will still run. If you're leaking enough to make it not start, then the compression well be down. Verify spark, then verify fuel flow at the injector and fuel pressure.

 

[Neutron]

But if you have good compression it will still run. If you're leaking enough to make it not start, then the compression well be down.

Not necessarily, compression gauges have check valves and can show what appears as good reading. I have diagnosed many engines with bent valves or cracked reed valves(on 2 strokes)that showed plenty of compression and it wasn't untill i did a complete leak down and verified more than a 50% leak.
I do agree that his problem is most likely electrical but i believe in checking all quick mechanical possibilities first

 

[4x15mph]

@99MVP , can you work on switching some of the electrical components and fuel components between starboard and port to isolate the problem? I am not familiar with the access in that boat but this sounds fuel related or safety/lanyard/ignition based on the engine turning over and you saying that you have spark. Also, have you tried starter fluid? Going over all electrical connections and cleaning up the connections at the battery would also be a next step. Fuses as well and although you checked that, I would concentrate on swapping the fuses that go with port/starboard (i.e. ECU fuse, i think you have one). Sorry for sounding like a 2-stroke owner. Spark, fuel, air (swap air filters)

While diagnosing, order a set of cobra ez-locks asap. Known issue with these clean out plugs and this is definitely an extra precaution.

 

[FloJet]

With him installing a new engine doesn't the ECU need to be re-flashed again for all things to properly work again?

 

[Jgorm]

With him installing a new engine doesn't the ECU need to be re-flashed again for all things to properly work again?

No. If you use the same injectors, map, sensors, etc you don't need to re-flash. I'm not even sure that anyone has access to flashing software for these ECUs. (been flashing Ford ecu's since '05)

 

[AJDerzie]

Did you check the most obvious thing? When a plug blows it can often damage the engine hatch so it doesn't close snugly. The kill switch is then activated and engine won't start.