Help, engine seized 12 Yamaha 242

[Guy in a Boat]

Got in the lake yesterday and the engine compartment flooded and cut out the port side engine. Totally my fault, I have a really bad habit of pulling my jet clean out plugs to drain the water off the top and not installing them right away and I forget, which dumps a TON of water in my boat. Usually we dock on lake 1 and I catch it very quickly. This time we docked at lake 2 and took the channel over to lake one which takes longer at low wake speed. When it cut out I had the family and 4 small children. I opened the hatch and seen water to the valve covers so we all kind of freaked out just a bit. The starboard motor turning made it look as if a lot of water was coming in so we took off back to the dock on one motor. I didnt event think about the port side air box being lower and sucking in water. Anyway, the boat is home and all checked out. My port starter will engage the flywheel and tries to spin up but the motor will not move even with plugs removed. I put a fan on it all night and will check it again shortly. I have scanned through the forums and most I find people have flooded the compartment and things end up ok, I hope this is the case for me lol

 

[Guy in a Boat]

Update. Port engine starter checks out to be bad. Had to pull the exhaust manifold and some lines to make it easier. Laying a 3/4 piece of plywood across the engines makes it a little more comfortable. I’ve been chasing an oil leak for months as well. Finally found it to be the oil sending unit. It has a very nice form fitting boot over it which made it almost impossible to detect. It was finger tight with no thread seal. I am taking the starter in to be rebuilt tomorrow and hopefully find out if my motor is actually seized or not.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

Update, starter turns out to be good. Oriellys tested the starter on their machine and it tested bad, I took it to a alternator and starter rebuild shop and it tested good. I then used vice grips and clamped it to the engine for ground and tested it on its own ignition source, all checked out. I put it back in and it just gave a grunt. I pulled the starboard side manifold and swapped the starters, both checked out and worked just fine. I was hoping it was a weak starter but its not. I got down and pulled the plastic shaft covers and used a pipe wrench and the starboard engine spun freely with little effort on the pipe wrench. Port side wouldnt budge with my foot on it. I was able to spin the port engine in reverse and it had a grind to it and about a half turn I heard a clunk which sounds like a rod falling against the wall of the block. So I will be posting a thread apparently on a 1.8 tear down and rebuild if I can remember to keep track of it all. Im an old hotrodder and am quite comfortable around the internals of a motor. With all this I will be doing what ever rigging needed to move the port engine air box to the port wall and mounting it higher.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

I will add that this thread is also in another "Starter relay from sucking up rocks on a 2018 Yamaha 242". I dont have the manual so I am the manual and I needed help with locating the solenoid. It is on the back firewall, two black boxes that house the fuses for a 2012 242LS. This has to be the biggest F@#k up Yamaha has ever done. To get to the relay it is a two man job, you have to pull the big center section out of your clean out area which also means the loosening of the 6" hose clamps that seal your clean out ports and the drain hose. Then remove the plugs and all the screws on that cover. One person on the back with a 17mm playing back up and one person in the engine bay with a 17mm socket to remove the nuts. Then you can gain access to the six 10mm bolts that will open up the solenoid for the starter. Has to be a better way, I can just imagine being 20 miles off the coast and needing to do a emergency starter solenoid jump with pliers and not being able to do that.

 

[Acard7]

What a fiasco you are going through, that sucks man. I’m assuming your port engine oil was pretty milky from sucking in water? Or from running on one engine and not having a tow valve for the port engine. I’m still not 100% convinced you blew a rod, only 90ish%.. Since the engine cut out and you’re definitely experienced with engines I figured you would hear the moment it blew the rod but you were also trying not to sink at the time so hearing that would be less of a priority. I assumed it would be as loud as doing it in a car, blew the engine up in my first vehicle anyways .. I’ll be watching your thread and rooting for you to find that you didn’t blow a rod and maybe there was something caught in the impeller instead that made the clank.. Good luck!

 

[Cambo]

Sorry to hear about this but it could have been avoided with an item that is only $7.00 and takes 2 minutes to install these engine bay floods happen almost weekly during the boating season. Every jet boater should have some type of water alarm installed

Amazon.com

hang the sensor about 2'' off the engine bay floor if it sounds you will have time to inspect for problems

 

[johhnyboat]

Honestly, why Yamaha puts a bilge pump in the engine compartment and not the actual bilge confounds me. Do yourself a favor and install one. The bilge alarm is great, but that doesn't remove water.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

What a fiasco you are going through, that sucks man. I’m assuming your port engine oil was pretty milky from sucking in water? Or from running on one engine and not having a tow valve for the port engine. I’m still not 100% convinced you blew a rod, only 90ish%.. Since the engine cut out and you’re definitely experienced with engines I figured you would hear the moment it blew the rod but you were also trying not to sink at the time so hearing that would be less of a priority. I assumed it would be as loud as doing it in a car, blew the engine up in my first vehicle anyways .. I’ll be watching your thread and rooting for you to find that you didn’t blow a rod and maybe there was something caught in the impeller instead that made the clank.. Good luck!

There was a pop, with the hatch closed and water up to the valve cover it wasn't a loud pop. Engine oil is not milky yet, I assume from the motor not turning enough to mix it. There was water in the cylinders. I appreciate the support, Ill keep you updated.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

Sorry to hear about this but it could have been avoided with an item that is only $7.00 and takes 2 minutes to install these engine bay floods happen almost weekly during the boating season. Every jet boater should have some type of water alarm installed

Amazon.com

hang the sensor about 2'' off the engine bay floor if it sounds you will have time to inspect for problems

Thanks for the info, I will pick up an alarm for sure. I pulled out the 500gph sense pump and installed a 1500gph float switch pump yesterday while I was in there.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

Honestly, why Yamaha puts a bilge pump in the engine compartment and not the actual bilge confounds me. Do yourself a favor and install one. The bilge alarm is great, but that doesn't remove water.

I agree, I have had 3 jet boats but I am still learning A LOT! My new 2019 AR210 had an alarm, I guess I got spoiled. I like most of what Yamaha does but sometimes I have to sit back and say why did they do that.

 

[Acard7]

Post pictures as you go along, it will be super helpful if someone comes across the same issue in the future!

 

[Guy in a Boat]

Will do.

 

[Julian]

@Guy in a Boat was the bilge pump not turned on or operational? How did all the water get in - did you blow a clean out plug?

#1 thing you want to be doing is getting that motor operational ASAP! As in, take the day off work and keep at it. Water inside the engine is BAD.
You also want to unplug all the ECUs connections and blast them dry with an air compressor ASAP.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

@Guy in a Boat was the bilge pump not turned on or operational? How did all the water get in - did you blow a clean out plug?

#1 thing you want to be doing is getting that motor operational ASAP! As in, take the day off work and keep at it. Water inside the engine is BAD.
You also want to unplug all the ECUs connections and blast them dry with an air compressor ASAP.

I am bad at pulling my plugs after each use and not installing them right there on the spot. I left them out and it pushed the water in the boat. bilge pump did work only with the switch. I have never had issues where I needed a bilge. I had a 19 AR210 with a float switch and just got spoiled never needed to turn the switch on. I installed a new bilge with a float, I am going to wire it direct (not to the switch). Old sensor bilge would work for about 30 seconds then kick off and not come back on. The water is out and I did blow everything out but the motor is still locked up, fresh water by the way. So the boat is down until I get that motor out and tore down.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

Any advice on a reputable short block reman or new would be great. Yamaha 1.8

 

[adrianp89]

I am bad at pulling my plugs after each use and not installing them right there on the spot. I left them out and it pushed the water in the boat. bilge pump did work only with the switch. I have never had issues where I needed a bilge. I had a 19 AR210 with a float switch and just got spoiled never needed to turn the switch on. I installed a new bilge with a float, I am going to wire it direct (not to the switch). Old sensor bilge would work for about 30 seconds then kick off and not come back on. The water is out and I did blow everything out but the motor is still locked up, fresh water by the way. So the boat is down until I get that motor out and tore down.

Why even pull plugs on fresh water?

 

[Guy in a Boat]

Why even pull plugs on fresh water?

Two reasons I pull my plugs. Lake water sits in it all week and develops a slime on the inside and I just dont like water to sit on top of my plugs. The other reason is this boat came from Florida and the plugs were seized, I had to use bars and go from the bottom side to get them out, the aluminum side walls are corroded and I have to keep a film of grease on them every few weeks to keep them working properly.

 

[Guy in a Boat]

My local dealer will rebuild the engine, left in the boat or pulled and delivered to them. I also got a quote from SBT for a long block 1.8HO. The price on their site is $3495.00 core first without shipping to and from. I must pull my engine and all components that are not delivered on the new long block and ship to them in Florida, 7-10 weeks later I will get a new long block with warranty. I will update once I decide what to do, either way my boating season is over.

 

[Acard7]

My local dealer will rebuild the engine, left in the boat or pulled and delivered to them. I also got a quote from SBT for a long block 1.8HO. The price on their site is $3495.00 core first without shipping to and from. I must pull my engine and all components that are not delivered on the new long block and ship to them in Florida, 7-10 weeks later I will get a new long block with warranty. I will update once I decide what to do, either way my boating season is over.

SBT hasn't been too reliable lately, if you do go with them get the extended warranty!

 

[Guy in a Boat]

SBT hasn't been too reliable lately, if you do go with them get the extended warranty!

Thats really good informations, thank you. Is there another shop that is reputable? Whats the issue with SBT?