Engine over heat after tow rope caught

[Jmpicking]

We were out Wakeboarding and the current was strong , the line got caught in I think what’s called the impeller or the shaft, used the clean out plugs to get it out. Finally got it out after an hour. After about 10 minutes of running on the water, engine overheat alert came on!
I’ve already double check plugs and the area underneath plugs, there is nothing stuck. I dont know what else could be if it had to do with getting the line caught!?

Any ideas?

 

[Cambo]

Bent impeller causing cavitation ?
Some of the rope still attached up by the bearing again causing cavitation?

The aerated water does not cool like a solid stream

Sorry to hear that you sucked up a rope the boats move quickly over the rope with a slight breeze or current . If you know that you stopped and could potentially drift over the rope pull it in and throw away from the direction the boat is moving even if the motors are off it tends to hang up on the jet pumps and rudder and could easily be sucked in when the boat is started

 

[sunbyrned]

Even though you cleaned the rope from the clean-out access port, if it were me, I would take the impeller out once you get it trailered and see if any more rope is in there or perhaps melted onto the blades. It’s not difficult to do.

 

[Jmpicking]

If it is a bent impeller, how much is it gonna cost me?

 

[Jmpicking]

I opened the clean out plugs and watched the rod spin, they both looked the same, spinning what looked to be perfectly, no wobbly spin, making me think it’s not bent. I also put it up on a air dock and went underneath, it looked like there was nothing on the prop blades in there.

 

[Scottintexas]

I opened the clean out plugs and watched the rod spin, they both looked the same, spinning what looked to be perfectly, no wobbly spin, making me think it’s not bent. I also put it up on a air dock and went underneath, it looked like there was nothing on the prop blades in there.

This has me confused, are you actually seeing the engine spin the shaft or are you moving it by hand?
You have safety switches that should prevent the engine from turning while the cleanout hatch is open, this is important and should only be disabled under the most dire of circumstances,

I agree with the others, I think you should pull the impeller/shaft out (how to is in the FAQ tab at the top of the page) and should only take about 30 minutes,

It will allow you to view the impellers and make sure that no more rope is attached at the housing at the hull (if you run with rope still attached it will melt onto the shaft )

I doubt you will suffer any monetary damage from this, pull the shaft/impeller, make sure it's clear and then go run the boat in the water again, I'll be surprised if your not OK,



.

 

[Weeb]

Are you getting a steady stream out the pissers? I’m just wondering if some chopped up rope got sucked into the cooling intake.

 

[Jmpicking]

I pushed the emergency shutoff buttons down manually so I could watch the shaft spin. Didn’t look bent. Also had the boat on the lift and gear in forward to look through the jet pump, the propellers looked good.

Steady equal stream out of the pissers comparing the two engines to each other

 

[Scottintexas]

The shaft being bent is an extreme that I've only seen maybe once in 10 years here,
more common is the impeller blades being chipped but that caused by "sucking up a rope",

pull your shaft/impeller (even if it's not needed it will be good practice),

probably whatever caused your blockage has long passed and you'll never know, that's what we normally see,

 

[Scottintexas]

also,
in the FAQ is a video about "how the cooling water flows" it's very informative,


.

 

[Jmpicking]

So if it’s not the shaft or impeller, any other reason it could be overheating. Could there Be cavitation even though there is good stream from pisser

 

[Scottintexas]

you need to get it back on the water and test it again,
one overheat after a rope is not a concern,

you could have easily picked up a twig or something while floating and it caused the overheat, it either finally was diced by the impeller or just washed out when the engine was turned off,

I've sucked up at least 3 ropes, once tight as a guitar string attached to the tower, another leftover remains melted onto the shaft (found the next year).

pull your impeller/shaft to make sure it's clear or just go back and run it to see if the overheat returns,


.

 

[Jmpicking]

Oohkay I’m gonna run it for a bit, and then pull it if it overheats

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Ok running on a hose bypasses the water intake portion of the jet pump, however if you run on the hose and do not see water exiting the pump itself or only a small amount as opposed to what you usually see, you probably have a clogged water port on the side of the pump.
Follow the hose to the raised portion of the pump where it attaches, this is where the cooling water flows to the engine ,as for cavitation any small piece of rope up in between the impellers where you can not see it can cause this problem. out of the water the air is in no way going to have the same effect or resistance that water has so unless it is catastrophic damage it probably won't be visible that way. Picture shows a square raised section on the main pump housing this is where the water is forced from the pump to the engine.

 

[Jmpicking]

you need to get it back on the water and test it again,
one overheat after a rope is not a concern,

you could have easily picked up a twig or something while floating and it caused the overheat, it either finally was diced by the impeller or just washed out when the engine was turned off,

I've sucked up at least 3 ropes, once tight as a guitar string attached to the tower, another leftover remains melted onto the shaft (found the next year).

pull your impeller/shaft to make sure it's clear or just go back and run it to see if the overheat returns,


.

The overheat won’t stop after running it longer

 

[Jmpicking]

Ok running on a hose bypasses the water intake portion of the jet pump, however if you run on the hose and do not see water exiting the pump itself or only a small amount as opposed to what you usually see, you probably have a clogged water port on the side of the pump.
Follow the hose to the raised portion of the pump where it attaches, this is where the cooling water flows to the engine ,as for cavitation any small piece of rope up in between the impellers where you can not see it can cause this problem. out of the water the air is in no way going to have the same effect or resistance that water has so unless it is catastrophic damage it probably won't be visible that way. Picture shows a square raised section on the main pump housing this is where the water is forced from the pump to the engine.

I ran on a hose last night , and water seemed to come out equally with the other engine out of the jet. I stuck my hand in there and felt the impeller/propeller, they both felt the same on both sides

 

[Andy NJ]

You haven’t had a lot of good luck with this boat eh? Clean out hatch, the rectifier, now the tow rope. I’ll wish you some good luck. Sorry.

 

[tdonoughue]

Yep. Time to pull the pumps... It sounds much worse to do so than it actually is.

 

[djetok]

I ran on a hose last night , and water seemed to come out equally with the other engine out of the jet. I stuck my hand in there and felt the impeller/propeller, they both felt the same on both sides

Did you look at the screen to see if it has a clog before pull the pump? Cooling intake screen that is

https://jetboaters.net/threads/how-to-clean-the-cooling-water-intake-strainer.1011/

 

[Jmpicking]

So I went to pour the cooling intake great but the bolt head up snapped off so before I spend all day extracting it I’m testing it out on the water again. It’s seem to do fine last night for some reason. Then this morning it over heated.. it’s peeing fine and shaft isn’t bent, jet pumps are clear and intact.