Can a jet ski start and run if water has entered the engine?

Question

We had a 2002 honda aquatrax turbo flip in the ocean and immediately be righted - within seconds. Very little water entered the hull, but i chose to tow it rather than attempt to start it. My intention was to remove the plugs, turn the engine over, and check for water - but my son was so used to blowing out the water after riding that he cranked it by accicent along with our other jet ski. It started up fine! I assumed it wouldn't start if water had entered the engine, so I thought it was fine. I hooked it to a hose and ran it to flush the salt water after the ride and it ran just fine on the hose. When we got home from the beach today, I wiped the engine down and sprayed them both with fogging oil and went to crank them. The one that flipped will not turn over. Is it possible that a little water was in there and I ruined the engine? Of course it is Saturday night and I can't get to a mechanic to ask until Monday. I am worried sick.

Answer 1

you r TOTALLY ok if it won't turnover at all i'd say there's a bad connection somewhere, as in the battery or something.

the engine is completely fine, even totally submerged with water in it !!!!!

what needs to be worried about is the electronics box that houses all the vital electrical components.........it is watertight to an extent but it is not waterproof........especially to SALT water.

Answer 2

water wont ruin the engine. while water will eventually rust your engine(which it wont do if you've had it running and purged the water) it wont do it overnight. the most likely problem in that your spark plugs are wet. remove them and give them a wipe down, then try it.

Answer 3

Salt water can make the piston rings  rust. That will make the pistons sieze.

It is not what is in the hull, but what got into the cyclinder that counts.

Answer 4

its fine it shouldnt hurt it

Answer 5

I sank a jetski once all but the very front of it was under water for a good 10 minutes- took me that long to swim it back to shore and pull it of the water. Needless to say the motor was filled with water. I took out the spark plugs and clicked the starter a few times to get all the water out of the motor wipe the plugs down and put them back in and it started and ran just fine for yrs. So you should be fine, jetski are made to withstand a few flips in it's lifetime.