Ericson 39B with Perkins 4.108 engine stared and ran fine 2 weeks ago after winter layup. Today I connected a garden hose to the raw water intake hose to start the engine again and noticed water in the air intake under the air filter. The water filled right to the top of the intake. I suctioned out everything I could, and sprayed it with WD40. The engine won't budge. If anyone knows how water could have possibly gotten into the air system? Wondering what to do next.
PERKINS 4.108 with water in the air intake
- Thread starter Offshore1
- Start date
Dave G.
1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
Did you connect the hose directly to the intake ? If so that's why it's full of water. Proper procedure is to to put intake hose in a bucket and keep bucket full with the hose. The engine has to suck water at its own rate and if you force it in there it will.....well you know.
Dave G.
1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
It's "hydrolocked" from water in the cylinders. It can't compress water so it won't turn over. You'll have to get all the water out, drain the oil, remove the injectors. Ugh, sorry but it will be a chore for sure.
Well then. I thought had about that possibility. I've been using this method for years with zero issues on this boat and others. Would there be another reason this may have happened? When we started it a couple weeks ago and it ran fine, but the Oil Pressure gauge was pinned all the way up. Also the coolant in the top tank lost a bit. Wondering if there is another underlying issue. I really appreciate the advice! We will be turning wrenches all day.... supposed to launch in 4 days.
Dave G.
1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
The oil pressure issue may just be a bad sender or gauge ? What happens when you put pressured water into the raw water intake is it tries to get out the exhaust but volume/pressure is too much. The muffler fills, then it backs up into the engine exhaust system and goes through the exhaust valves into the cylinders then it pushes it out through the intake valves into the air intake system. I am not a mechanic so I would at the very least get a professional opinion on how to remedy your current situation. Water in the engine is obviously a serious problem and needs to be completely evacuated before it is turned over again IMHO.
Pete the Cat
Sustaining Member
Do not try to start or crank this engine. What Dave outlined above explains what likely happened. I am going to guess that you got away with this garden hose process when your raw water pump had all its vanes and held back the pressure from the faucet when you did this risky process in the past. That is very risky. Once one of those vanes failed, the sequence likely started as Dave described. I think you will find your engine hydrolocked and perhaps your rods are already bent and you might also have cracked the head. I would guess that your engine is full of water. You may have already bent rods or broken the head. This engine needs to be immediately dismantled and serviced. If the rods are are OK and the head is OK you might be able to save it. Folks: use a bucket not a garden hose under pressure.
Thanks for all the info guys. Hydrolock has been rectified. Took out the injectors and hand turned motor one revolution and a bunch of water came out. Then bumped the starter a few times to clear the balance. Siphoned almost a gallon of water out of the oil along with 4 quarts of old oil. Poured some MMO and some fresh oil in and evacuated that as well. Changed the oil filter and filled with fresh oil and reinstalled freshly cleaned injectors and fuel lines. Did the bucket and hose method to intake water. Damn thing started right up. Ran it for about 30 minutes and all sounds fine. Temp normal, battery normal, Oil Pressure gauge is still pegged. Shut it down and let sit for a couple hours and it started right up again and ran fine again. I love my Perkins. I'm going to sign up for Sea Tow just to be safe, launching in 5 days. I had watched Lauren Landers sailing on Youtube deal with a hydrolock twice and saw her dive right in and solve the issue, so we did to. Fingers crossed.
Dave G.
1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
Check & clean the wire connections that runs from the pressure sensor to the gauge. If that doesn't work my guess would be the sensor. Quite impressive work getting it back so fast ! Also put your boat & engine info in your signature line. It helps get answers from owners with like boat and or engine model.
Pete the Cat
Sustaining Member
Those 4-108 engines are hard to kill and fabulous. You did the right things. I would probably change the oil and filter a couple of times to get the salt out. And I second Dave's advice on the oil pressure gauge problem. If you have to replace it, I have had bad luck with E Bay oil pressure sensors--you need a good one.
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Bravo! I'm so impressed that you fixed it. I'd still be nursing a hangover from the drinking binge I chose instead of tackling the project.
Pete the Cat
Sustaining Member
You might check your raw water pump to see if all the vanes are there while you are at it. I would have expected the vanes to actually hold back the pressure of the garden hose, but it is also possible that the pump stopped at a point where incoming water could easily get passed through the system. Just to confirm.... Anyway congratulations on solving your problem.
The impeller is definitely a suspect here. It's time to put a new one in anyway. The water was fresh - not salt so hopefully that is a positive. Two days until the truck picks us up to bring us to step the mast. I'll change the oil and filter again after our 20 mile trip up to our mooring. There was no evidence of white in it after running for 30 minutes. I thought our summer sailing season was over... Thanks for the help and encouragement!
1977 Ericson 39B hull #11
1969 Morgan 41 Rear cockpit
Both w/ 4.108
Kennebunk Maine
@sailingchandelle
1977 Ericson 39B hull #11
1969 Morgan 41 Rear cockpit
Both w/ 4.108
Kennebunk Maine
@sailingchandelle