SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

[flyingdoc1]

I bought a pair of 94 SL750's last spring ('06) to take to Lake Powell. They ran great but we left them tied off to the back of the house boat one night and the next morning one of them was partially swamped. The water level in the engine compartment was up to but not over the top of the cylinder heads.

We hoisted the ski and drained the water but it would not turn over. I thought that is was due to the battery getting water in it. I brought the skiis home and parked them for the last year and am just now getting to work on them. The one that did not swamp started-up like a champ. The swamped one, did partially turn over but that was it.

I pulled the plugs and there appeared to be water in the chamber. So I cranked the starter and large amounts of water gushed out. I think that most of it is now out.

Questions:
Why/where would the ski leak to take on water like that (there is no obvious damage)?

How could water have gotten inside the engine if everything is supposed to be sealed?

What else should I do to rehab this engine given that there has been water sitting in it for the better part of a year?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[Technical Support]

Re: SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

It can leak in a variety of places - you'll just need to inspect everything to find it.

No one ever said the egnine was sealed. in fact it's completely open, and water simply flows in if you sink the ski.

You need to replace or completely rebuild the engine.

[flyingdoc1]

Re: SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

That is what I was afraid of. Just for grins and gigles (and because the ski is so old and probably not worth fixing), is there anything to do to try to get it to run? Or just dry it out, put new plugs in it and pray?

If I decide to get an engine from you guys, what other items am I looking at rebuilding/replacing due to the water? At least I know the starer works.

Thanks!

[Technical Support]

Re: SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

The carbs probably need to be rebuilt as well. If you try and run it don't be surprised if you blow out the cases.

[flyingdoc1]

Re: SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

Not to beat a dead horse, but I have been doing some reading in the forums and I think that the water may have entered the engine when I towed it from out in the lake to the ramp (1/2 mile). I did not plug the cooling line.

Would this make a difference in your assesment that the engine is trashed? The water that came out was very clean (not rusty) and the engine turns over very easily.

Thanks.

[Technical Support]

Re: SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

That floods the engine, not the hull.

[flyingdoc1]

Re: SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

I understand. The the water in the engine compartment was not over the air intake of the carb so I don't know how else the water could have got into the engine.

The towing occured the next day when I had to off load the ski from the houseboat and take it to shore.

So, I think that the water got into the engine not by the water getting in the hull but rather when I towed it incorrectly to shore. If that is the case, is there the possibility that the water did not get all the way into the case/crank/bearings?

Thanks.

[Technical Support]

Re: SL 750 w/ water in cylinders

Through the exhaust pipe, which uses open cooling.