Tilt/Trim Problems from being underwater

[My4winnsLost]

HELP!!! I have an '88 4winns Freedom 160 with an OMC cobra outdrive and a GM 3.0 engine. This past winter, the bilge plug was left in and the pole fell over on the cover....water got i the boat and sat there for a week until the old owner realized it. The water level was about half way up the side of the engine, so asides from all the water in engine problems, there's also tilt/trim problems. I think all 3 solenoids were completely under water, along with the motor/pump. I'm new to boats so I don't really know what to check or how to check it. I have a clymer's manual and am trying to work my way through it. <br />Where would you guys start checking first? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

 

[My4winnsLost]

Re: Tilt/Trim Problems from being underwater

I tested the motor/pump with a battery charger...it seems to be working okay. <br />When I bypass the switch on the dash, the solenoids click but nothing happens. As I type this, I'm wondering if the battery is dead. Wouldn't I feel like a dumbass? Oh well, better to feel like a dumbass then to have real problems that cost money to fix. <br /><br />I'd still like to know a way to bench test the solenoids though if anyone knows of one.

 

[Don S]

Re: Tilt/Trim Problems from being underwater

Get the battery charged up, and make sure all the terminals are clean. Then see if it works. But being full of water can't be good for anything electrical.

 

[My4winnsLost]

Re: Tilt/Trim Problems from being underwater

I have the charger on the battery, which is helping greatly! ...the birdie on my shoulder says, "go buy a new battery." <br /><br />I've traced the problem to one of two things, or both. All have to do with the trim/tilt switch. <br /><br />The first is the plug back by the motor. If I unplug it and run a jumper wire on the motor side of it, everything works great. The terminals were pretty corroded, so I cleaned them up the baking soda and water, sprayed them out with WD-40, blew that out with compressed air, then put terminal grease on them. I plugged it back together and NOTHING! Could the wires be corroded inside the plug (where they are incased in rubber)??? <br /><br />My switch is in the gear selecter throttle control, so how do I test it? <br /><br />Thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: Tilt/Trim Problems from being underwater

The connections are in rubber yes, but not for being submerged in water.<br />Water will also get into the solenoids, relays, fuses, switches and electric motors. <br />Basically, your boat sank on land. Therefore it must be treated as such. The starter was probably under water and will likely go bad, along with everything else electrical unless it's disassembled, dried, cleaned and lubed. The water and air will cause corrosion.<br />The good news, is the water didn't get into the crankcase of the engine. Depending on how deep the water is and where the alternator is located, it may have gotten submerged also.

 

[My4winnsLost]

Re: Tilt/Trim Problems from being underwater

I think I got it fixed. <br /><br />For the engine, as well as the excuse for the drain plug being left in the bilge, the boat was never winterized. The owner of the place that did it appearantly never did, and died this spring. That beign said, water was left in the engine and cracked the head. That, along with the mess from water sitting in the boat, is what landed me with a free boat from a family friend. For him to replace the head/engine, it would have been 3 grand at least, which he didn't want to spend. I got a new head and rebuilt the engine, cleaned it up, and hopefully will be boating soon. While I had the engine out I rebuilt the starter and alternater, put a new bilge pump in, etc.