HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

[CarolinaRaider]

so....I was out riding and was swamped by a larger boat and the engine compartment was completely flooded. I drained the water out of the hull and now the engine won't start. Turns over, but won't fire. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to fix it! We still have a lot of summer left and I want to ride! Thanks....CarolinaRaider

[sadchapter]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

Secure the battery and make sure the battery canīt leak or remove it while doing the next thing.

Get help from some friends and the remove sparkplugs and turn the ski upside down and drain the engine of water. A couple of turns with starter ( connect the plug cap to ground on hull ) .
Then get some new sparkplugs or dry/heat the old ones.

Connect one plug to cylinder and ground the other and start.
Might help with starter-gas or adding few drops of fuel in the carburator tower.
This may have to be tried sometimes but when it starts , press throttle quickly to halfway 2-3 times and kill engine. Connect the other plug and try to take it for a spinn on the water or sea . Important to get rid of as much water as possible or you might face a major crankcase rebuild.

A desperate way to reduse the damage is to flush engine with tap-water.
Salt kills steal...

SBT also have some great tech videos on swamped engines on their tech-pages under videos.

Hope this helps.

[yamahawaverunner56]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

first what i would do is get all the water out of the ski then check spark, make sure your getting fuel to the cylinder, then check compression

[skraggy]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

http://www.sbtontheweb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19182

segment 10.......do it now....asap or it will be too late if not already

[CarolinaRaider]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

alright guys.....I appreciate all the help. I have pulled out the plugs and there isn't any water in the cylinders. I went ahead and decided to replace the plugs while I had them out, however I don't know the plug gaps. Anyone know what the plugs should be gapped at for a 95 Yamaha Waveraider 1100? Thanks!!

[uncle-buck]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

I don't know the precise plug gap, but .025" should work for now. You need to get that motor running and dry out the internal parts ASAP!

[CarolinaRaider]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

So...this is what happened so far. Nothing this morning....it wouldn't run at all. So I pulled the plugs out and turned the engine over and no water came out of the top of the cylinders. So I went and bought some new plugs and I actually got it running this afternoon until I turned it off. While it was running (for about 15 minutes) it idled perfectly and reved up beautifuly! Then I shut it off and hooked the trailer up to my jeep (So it changed the angle of the waveraider a bit) then it wouldn't crank! Nothing....back to just turning over. So, I took the plugs out and turned the engine over a few time and some water spewed out of the cylinders. So, now I am back at square one. There doesn't seem to be anymore water in it, but I don't really know for sure unless I turn the whole ski over and dump the water out manually? Is there another way to tell? Is there another way to get the water out? I mean that is a heavy ski!! Any help would be most appreciated. I might just take it to the local ski repair guy! :emoticonr

Thanks for all the direction you guys have given....its been real help!

[leon phelps]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

Did you shut the water off before shutting the ski off? You are supposed to shut off water first or water can leak into cylinders through the exhaust.

I am guessing that is what you did.

I put a garden hose cheap ball valve on my intake so I can shut the water off while at the ski before shutting it off.

[uncle-buck]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

Again, you need to get that ski running and ride it for about 30 minutes ASAP - or you will be buying a new motor!

[CarolinaRaider]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

Great news guys! It is back up and operational thanks to your help! It was the weirdest thing, maybe you guys can tell me if this is how is goes. So this morning it still wasn't running. So without any water running to it, I took the plugs out and cleaned them off and turned the engine over a few times. Nothing came out of the cylinders. So I put the plugs back in with a bit of starting fluid and turned it over and it fired a bit, but wouldn't start. So, I just kept trying to start it because it really wanted to start. Then, all of a sudden all this water poured out of the exhaust and it fired right up!! (The water from the motor flush still wasn't running through the ski) I then turned on the water to flush the ski and it has been running great ever since! It was kinda neat! Anyway, thanks again to all who posted advice! See you on the water!! :emoticont

[leon phelps]

Re: HELP! My waveraider flooded and now won't start!

Make sure it is shut the water off then shut the motor off.