What NOT to do in the water...

[Silverbullet75]

Today we went to the river to play a bit. At one point, I dropped my wife off at the shore of the cove and I played on my own while she took pictures. After going around for a while, I saw a rock jetting out from the side that looked like fun. So, I headed toward it, climbed a bit and slid off.. sideways. Not to be discouraged, I circled around to the other side of the rock, found an entry point and climbed… oh so effortlessly. Once I reached the top, I moved toward the edge and prepared for re-entry. In front of me was: (Right-ish) a 2 foot drop into deep water… or (left-ish) a gradual decline into the water, with some challenge. So, I creeped to the edge, and when I tried to turn left, I started sliding RIGHT instead! I couldn’t hit the brakes fast enough, so I just gassed it. BAD.. BAD. I nose-dived into the water, submerging the front up to the cupholders.
It rebounded, and I thought, “Oh, cool… It’s all good”… WRONG. A second later, I hear: “Rrrrrrrrrrr… plup…plup.. bluhhhp… silence.”
The motor sucked water and hydro-locked. Wouldn’t even turn over.
Thank the Lord I brought along the collapsible paddle. Otherwise, I’d be in the middle of the river, waving my hands, frantically, at any passing boats.
Instead, I made it back to the shore and pulled the air cleaner off. Sure enough.. water up to the top of the carb. So, I winched it back onto the trailer and headed home.
This does have a happy ending though… After pulling the spark plugs out, I cranked the motor over, shooting (quite comically I must add) water out the spark plug holes. I put the plugs back in, and cranked, cranked, cranked. Nothing. I took some raw fuel and poured it into the carb barrel… and… It started right up… sputtered, and farted… but ran great after a few seconds. I then let it run for about 15 minutes. All good. I hope.
I just pray this didn’t affect anything internally that will surface in the future… like a broken rod.
I’m going to go for a ride tomorrow to test it out.
By the way… does anyone know a FRAM or other brand part number for the Air Filter on a 23hp Vanguard? Mine is a little, well, water-logged.
Thanks!
---JIM---

[jpswift1]

Jim, that is a really wild experience you had there. I would have been a nervous wreck the entire drive home knowing how much water got in that engine. I'm glad you got it running again without any major issues! Thanks for sharing the story. As for part numbers for the air filter, I dont know off hand, but you might be able to cross reference something at Autozone possibly.

[mudslinger]

It would probably be a good idea to change the oil too since water might have gotten down into the crankcase from the cylinders, you don't want to wear out the bottom end of the engine due to water diluted oil.

[Silverbullet75]

good idea! I'll do that today.

[Roger S]

Yes check the oil! The crankcase vents into the air cleaner. Happend to a friends Bigfoot.. hydro locked, had water in the oil too. Well you have a 2 year warranty on the briggs Don't know an air filter #, I bought a NAPA and it was more $ than briggs.

Think what happens when you dunk them is, there's a rubber boot in the flywheel/fan shroud that directs some air into the air cleaner. So it pumps the air cleaner full of water via the cooling fan on the flywheel.

Great article and photography

[Robio_8x8]

This is a little off topic but we do something with snowmobiles that you should probably not try called puddle Jumping. This is were we remove a section of ice over 100 ft and back up 100ft and try to drive our sleds over the ice then water. After you make it you then shorten the ice distance until no body makes it across. The record in my area for such an event is only 3ft of ice take off to go across 100ft of water . When the sleds sink we quickly pull them out and immediately try to start them and flush them with gas .We do not wait until we get home ! Wait time can cause problems .Now these machines are two cycle ( or at least the ones that make it are ) but, similar principals apply . You may want to try some methalhydrate or gas line antifreeze even though it is not cold were you are it will help take the water out of your engine and fuel tank. As above mentioned changing you oil and checking you fluids is a great idea .


Nice adventure I wish I had seen that .

I guess people from Vegas are gamblers LOL

[xrover]

In the future you may want to pull the plugs right away and pump the water out. Then spray WD49 into the sparkplug holes liberally and crank the engine again. This should get all your water out. Replace the plugs and left it run. Some quickstart spray may be safer than pouring fuel in the future.
And then get that oil changes, and hit every grease nipple on the bearings to ensure there is water out of there, and then spray those chains.
Keeping on Argo'ing.

[Silverbullet75]

LOL.. yup. I really got lucky on this time. I just finished changing the oil, filter, and air filter (found one at Sears!).
The oil was creamed coffee... I even did a flush with extra oil.

Only thing that sucked was the dang oil drain method!!! By the time I was done I had 2-3 qts of oil in the hull! I've got to get a dipstick tube suction system.

So far, so good... runs great!
Spent about 2 hrs doing a full degrease/cleanup on the hull, chains, etc. Now I just need some more chain wax.

[Robio_8x8]

This sounds more like how to have allot of fun!!

Why is this "what not to do???”

Your are uninjured and your machine is ok

Win Win!

[lager99]

Your wife caught all the pics. I've actually wondered if that would happen in the same situation. I guess I won't try it.

Changing the oil is a pita, glad all is good.