Aw crap, guys please help

[chris in va]

94 Volvo 302/SX. Took it out for a couple hours, no real problems save for a blown fuse on the trailer. Get halfway to the fireworks, throttle powers down slowly, then sits at idle. I brought it to neutral and the engine stalls, wheezing a couple times (sounds like sucking gas).<br /><br />A *very* good samaritan pulls up and finds the throttle cable has snapped internally next to the carb. We try to start it again, but the engine just kicks once then WHAM...nothing. Try again...crank WHUMP. The guy (a mechanic) says it may be gasoline hydrolocked (?) and probably won't start again. He tows me 6 miles to the nearest marina.<br /><br />Now that I have it home, I pulled the spark plugs and see that they are very wet, maybe water. Worst case scenerio...did I throw a rod and need $$$ to fix, or can I pull all the plugs and force the water/whatever out then take it to a mechanic?

 

[chris in va]

Re: Aw crap, guys please help

Update: I spent 5 hours working on this boat. Pulled the plugs and the cylinders were full of water. Sucked out all the engine oil (had about 2 quarts of water), squirted each cylinder with some oil, and voila...the starter works again! Talk about a serious mess in the engine bay now.<br /><br />When it turned over, I didn't hear any weird knocking, so hopefully no damage was done. The cable wasn't snapped after all, just a retainer clip at the throttle lever had fallen off. I'm still concerned about the flapper valve, if I have one...

 

[JasonB]

Re: Aw crap, guys please help

I wonder if you just inhaled some water when the boat suddenly powered down. May have been a fluke, I think mine may have done something similar yesterday, but it restarted after a minute and was good to go again. I don't know if Volvo's have flappers.

 

[zzzzz]

Re: Aw crap, guys please help

Chris-have the manifolds and risers checked

 

[chris in va]

Re: Aw crap, guys please help

I called about the flapper, they have to order it in on monday. I guess I could take off the risers and see if there's any residual water in there (probably is) and check the flapper valve for operation. <br /><br />I'll be glad when working on this boat will just be a semi-monthly occurance.

 

[flashback]

Re: Aw crap, guys please help

chris , water in the crankcase is not good, water inversion is not good, but water inversion does not fill the crankcase with water... you have a cracked block or intake manifold if you are getting water in the crankcase........water inversion will let a little water into the block but not much........good luck..........unless you have a major hole in a piston or extemely bad rings, you will not get that much water into the crankcase.........................

 

[anesthes]

Re: Aw crap, guys please help

Flashback,<br /><br />Water doesnt compress. If he sucked it in, he prolly forced it past the rings at best. Could have blown the head gasket immediately, and ran it down the oil return.<br /><br />Or, he coulda just blown a hole right through the piston..<br /><br />Also, a little bit of water in oil looks like a huge mess.<br /><br />What he SHOULD do is do a compression check on all cyls first. Change oil,and fire it up. Run it for a 1/2 hour on the ears (assuming it has compression, and starts) then check the oil again.<br /><br />-- Joe

 

[rabidfish]

Re: Aw crap, guys please help

FYI Some of the Volvo engines did have flappers. There is no replacement. Volvo does not make them anymore, nor do they put them in current products. The likely-hood of the engine being "freeze cracked" is very good. The most important isssue now is TIME! get the water out & get the new oil in! Get it running & fog the engine just as you would for winterization. Try to protect whatever is left of the engine. If you have water in the crankcase oil again, then get the heads removed & checked for cracks. Inspect the gaskets & block also. If there is a crack, cough up for a replacement. DO NOT TRY TO REPAIR A CRACKED BLOCK! Good luck! You're gonna need it... PS... Please dont forget to clean out the bilge properly..