Johnson 140, after getting swamped and motor quitting, engine will not turn over.?

Question

Hello, and thanks for your time and help. Got swamped yesterday in Crestliner CXP185, motor quit. Cannot get motor running, will not turn over. Turn key and starter extends (makes click noise), but will not do any more. Don't know if water got in motor or not, but sure could have. Just want to try to find out before taking it into a shop, if there is anything I can check out........I'm a farmer with some skills, but definitely limited. Should I be able to turn motor by putting wrench on nut on top of flywheel? Tried and didn't succeed, wrench was only 12" crescent, don't know how hard or easy it should turn.

So, any suggestions for me before I haul it off to a shop?

Again, thank you for your time and help.

Steve

Answer 1

If any water got in there, you've got to get the motor running ASAP -- corrosion starts setting in right away.

plugs out, you should be able to rotate the flywheel by hand.

if you can't, drop the lower unit & try again, to rule out a seized gearbox.  still can't turn it, then the motor's seized, take it in and expect the worst.

if you can turn the flywheel, then check the battery, if it got flooded, it might've gone bad.

if the starter motor got wet, you've got to take it apart and dry it out.  WD40 helps.

if water got to the control box, don't use the key -- jump the solenoid, or connect direct to starter terminal.

if water got up to the flywheel, you've got to take it off & dry out the stator, timer base, powerpack, wiring, etc.

spin the flywheel plugs out to expel as much water as possible.

borrow or buy a portable fuel tank, fill it with 50:1 premixed fuel/oil, hook it up & do what you have to do to get it started & running up to operating temp for a good long while, to dry everything out.

do that, you should be ok.

Answer 2

remove spark plug, and see if engine will turn over.  cylinder could be filled with water.