SOmebody PLEASE help!!!1

A friend of mine sunk a wake boat (2009 wakestar- malibu vlx copy--with a gm 6.0 motor) at the lake Saturday 01/09/2010 in about 20 feet of water. We contactd the Salvage people and they´re comming to raise the boat on Tuesday 01/12/2010. Is there anything we can do to save the engine? The mechaninc said he´ll be here on Wednsday to take alook but once we raise the boat do we just let it sit there or is there anyway we can drain the water? I read someof the related posts here thats says that once the engine is out of the water try to start it. Well do I just change the battery and try to crank it?
We are here in Belo Horizonte Brazil and have no access to an authorized dealer so any and all suggestions are greatly apreciate it!!!!!

Do you have insurance?

unfortunetly no

I am pretty sure you are going to want to drain and flush all the fluids from the engine and transmission before you do anything. You may have to replace some of the electrical components like the ECU, gauges, lights, starter and alternator. Does he have insurance. That may be the only way to get out of this without spending a ton of dough.

DO NOT try to start it immediately!!! There are a LOT of repairs to make and simply trying to start it will ruin a lot more components. I am trying to find some useful links for you about steps to take.

Don't try and start it. If you have a mechanic coming, let him deal with it. If its just going to sit out for a day or so, wash it off with fresh water, and let it wait for him.

A day or 2 isn't going to do anything else bad.

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/268507.html

If you are going to try and salvage the engine the last thing I would do is try and crank it. If the mechanic is coming I would remove the plugs, drain the oil/water and turn the motor over (not start) to purge the water in the cylinders (spark plugs removed). It's a good starting point until the mechanic arrives.

Thanks for the help guys.
M-Dizzle (liquidmx--- I looked at that link. How can I tell if the engine is a pre computer engine or not?

+1 on not trying to start it. Get everything out of the engine you dont want to try and crank it with water inside it could do a lot more damage.

Look at this crazy pic I found while searching for what a 2009 wakestar looked like.



Hijack over

Can I ask how the hell he sunk it?

NOSSA! Eu nao sabia que tinha barcos para wakeboard no brasil! Que legal! Seriously though that sucks about sinking the boat. How did it happen?

I don't think I'd even spin the motor over with no oil in it.
Pull the spark plugs. Drain the oil & remove the oil filter. Fill it back up with oil & a new filter, THEN pull the deadman switch & turn the engine over to purge the water from the cylinders.

Bummer on sinking it. Hope it works out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_91FVsOaTSw

this boat may be more what he's talking about. That looks like an old ski or sport nautique. The one in this video looks more like a vlx, and it's made by a company called masterboat.

interesting

Sorry to be the one to ask this but how does your friend own a boat of this caliber and not have insurance on it? (Especially being a 2009) Was there even liability insurance on it?

On a different note, there is only going to be so much you can do on the engine until the mechanic gets there. I would focus on drying EVERYTHING out and checking the rest of the electrical systems. Electrical is where you will find the most problems. Let us know how it goes.

Drain all the fluids, Engine, gearbox, v drive etc. Put fresh oils in but only use cheap oil as you're going to need to do about 6 full fluid chnages before it's anywhere near ready to run properly. Pull the sprak plugs and try to crank it over either with the starter and a fresh battery or by hand using a wrench etc.

Once you have most of the water out of the bores then pour in some oil into each one and some down the intake and turn it over for another 30 secs. Spray everything in wd40 or similar (you're going to need a lot of this) and then leave it for you mechanic.

I've sunk a few boats in both fresh and saltwater and only every had a problem with the electric items, eg ecu, starter, alternator, guages etc. but it's all down to how quick you can get it lubed up before the rust sets in. Hell I've even had a boat pulled out of the water in the morning and being rode behind by mid day (old school MC with no electronics).

Oh and you've gotta love the south american hull splashes!

Another thing that no one has mentioned is pre startup: pull the distributer out and spin the oil pump shaft to prime the oil system. Starting a dry oil pump will lead to failure. No oil = Seized motor.

ur lucky it was fresh water

if salt that motor would be history