Filled engine compartment

[fairpilot]

Mistake on my part, I removed thermostats the other day to check them, I do this once a year because they are in salt water and get full of what looked like calcium build up even though I flush after every outing. Anyhow I failed to tighten the clamp on one and it blew off. We had gone about 3 miles and I decided to take a look in compartment when I opened it, it was halfway full of water. At first it did not know where it was coming from, we turned back for ramp but water kept rising, I finally had to beach it so it did not sink. When I put my hand in the water it was hot so then I knew it was coming from engine. During all this the bilge pump hose must have floated up and was rubbing the drive Shaft, almost sliced it in half.
Finally found hose that was off, Was able to rig a hose from my pump I use for floats and get enough water out to get to ramp. Took 30 Min to drain boat at ramp. Got home and flushed entire engine compartment, sprayed engines with Inox corrosion spray. Water did not enter engines thank god.
Now for my question, the bearing housing on the back wall, are they sealed from water intrusion? I am now getting a terrible noise and a poping or skipping sound that to me sounds like a bearing destroyed or being ground up. I know the normal impeller grinding sounds, this is different. Any links to replacing all the bearings back there and do engines need to move to get housings out. Sorry for the long story.

 

[buckbuck]

Ouch. I am feeling bad for ya @fairpilot . I can't help with the bearing issue as I have no experience but please consider taking pictures through the process to help the next guy.

 

[fairpilot]

I will do that for sure.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

The drive shaft bearing is sealed on both sides in the boat and out so water could not have entered if the inside seal is good You can remove the hose on the grease fitting barb at the bearing housing and slide a piece of line trimmer wire in there then remove it and take a look at the grease this will tell you if you have an issue with the bearings pretty quickly and without a lot of work.

 

[fairpilot]

Thank you Jeff, that sounds like a great easy start point

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I also posted a pic of a bad one I had from over greasing. That is posted on the other thread you were on. You may have ruined the rubber in the vibration dampener in front of the bearing as water would have been really working it over as you drove back to the ramp.

 

[fairpilot]

Yes it was like two blenders back there for while.

 

[fairpilot]

I will get into it today and and see what I can find out. I will keep you posted. Thank for the ideas to check out

Yes it was like two blenders back there for while.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

So now you have a couple things to check I know how badly the coupler vibrates when the water is up over it and it could damage the rubber between the 2 pieces or it just finished off the bearings if they were already starting to go bad. the noise.

 

[fairpilot]

The noise seem bad plus it kept making a pop sound during the grinding which made me feel like one of the ball bearings in the bearing was broken.

 

[fairpilot]

 

[fairpilot]

Grease looks ok I was able to stick a cocktail straw in there and get a sample.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Well then I would be looking at the rubber between the two halves of the vibration dampener in front of the bearing, sounds like it may have been broken and fell out

 

[fairpilot]

Damper looks good, I pulled rear off to look at impeller and ring both good, opened the cone bearing it looks fine, no water plenty of grease. I'm going to get it back into water this week I hope and run it. It ran ok on hose but just loud , bangy and clanky (sorry for those words don't know how to describe it) always has been a bit noisy but seems louder.

 

[fairpilot]

Send me an email Jeff and I will send video of it

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

it's jeff@cobrajetsteering.com can you locate where the clanking sound is emitting from using a wooden dowel or fiberglass rod up to your ear and contacting the areas of the engine?