Engine shut off over waves

[Nate Fallow]

So I was coming in fast to avoid a storm on our new boat and the Port side engine shut off. I'm confident that it is the kill switch on the clean out deck as the they screwed up at the factory and didn't install a long enough latch to catch the lock on the deck. I've been running it the meantime anyhow and it hasn't been a problem but I was going WOT's and hitting waves this time which lifted the lid just enough to kill one of the engines...I've already scheduled it to go in for service but they were way backed up and the boating season in Ohio is pretty short so we have been running it without issues until today. My question is when the Port engine shut down we were going 45 mph and it took me about 20 seconds to figure out what happened....did I water log the the stopped engine? I stopped once I figured it out and started the port and it fired right back up....I did about 30mph back to the dock which was only a couple of minutes away...I idled into the slip which took another ten minutes or so and everything seemed ok...no error codes or anything. What, if anything should I check out before I get back on the water tomorrow. Thanks in advance for any advice...

 

[mark_m]

So I was coming in fast to avoid a storm on our new boat and the Port side engine shut off. I'm confident that it is the kill switch on the clean out deck as the they screwed up at the factory and didn't install a long enough latch to catch the lock on the deck. I've been running it the meantime anyhow and it hasn't been a problem but I was going WOT's and hitting waves this time which lifted the lid just enough to kill one of the engines...I've already scheduled it to go in for service but they were way backed up and the boating season in Ohio is pretty short so we have been running it without issues until today. My question is when the Port engine shut down we were going 45 mph and it took me about 20 seconds to figure out what happened....did I water log the the stopped engine? I stopped once I figured it out and started the port and it fired right back up....I did about 30mph back to the dock which was only a couple of minutes away...I idled into the slip which took another ten minutes or so and everything seemed ok...no error codes or anything. What, if anything should I check out before I get back on the water tomorrow. Thanks in advance for any advice...

Check your oil. If it looks normal (not milky) you’re good to go! If you’re handy you can set the height of that cleanout hatch switch yourself by working the nuts. I think they are 22mm or 7/8 inch.

edit: misread the cause the latch isn’t engaging. That may not be able to be influenced by playing with the switches below the cleanout hatch.

 

[Dixie Highway]

The damage would have been immediate upon restarting. What happens is the water is forced into the cooling system and backs up through open exhaust valves. Then when you try to restart, engine becomes hydrolocked as liquid will not compress in the cylinder like air does. This can happen during flushing as well, so always start motor then start water, kill water then kill engine. Super important. I’d just check your oil and make sure it’s good, then off you go.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Check your oil. If it looks normal (not milky) you’re good to go! If you’re handy you can set the height of that cleanout hatch switch yourself by working the nuts. I think they are 22mm or 7/8 inch.

edit: misread the cause the latch isn’t engaging. That may not be able to be influenced by playing with the switches below the cleanout hatch.

So I was coming in fast to avoid a storm on our new boat and the Port side engine shut off. I'm confident that it is the kill switch on the clean out deck as the they screwed up at the factory and didn't install a long enough latch to catch the lock on the deck. I've been running it the meantime anyhow and it hasn't been a problem but I was going WOT's and hitting waves this time which lifted the lid just enough to kill one of the engines...I've already scheduled it to go in for service but they were way backed up and the boating season in Ohio is pretty short so we have been running it without issues until today. My question is when the Port engine shut down we were going 45 mph and it took me about 20 seconds to figure out what happened....did I water log the the stopped engine? I stopped once I figured it out and started the port and it fired right back up....I did about 30mph back to the dock which was only a couple of minutes away...I idled into the slip which took another ten minutes or so and everything seemed ok...no error codes or anything. What, if anything should I check out before I get back on the water tomorrow. Thanks in advance for any advice...

@Nate Fallow ......from what you say you should be fine. Significant water into your engine would likely hydro lock it possibly/probably causing internal damage. Good suggestion from @mark_m to check your oil on the off-chance that a small amount of water got in - although it doesn't sound like it. I'd get that deck fixed and until then if I ever had to run like that again I'd put some tape over the kill switch to hold it down until I got to port. Also put a piece if tape on the steering wheel to to remind me to remove the tape from the kill switch.