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First time out, first time experiencing limp mode


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So after having the boat for 8 years, I finally had my first outing where I had to limp back to the marina and put it on the trailer. I just changed the impeller this morning, and noticed one of the 4 screws from the cover was missing when I took it off. I figured it was working like that last year and it would be ok for a hick ride today until I could pick up a new one this week. I was wrong.

After about 10 minutes on the water, I noticed the bilge was on so I opened the center floor hatch and there was a lot of water. Went to the back and saw water coming out the impeller housing, engine started to overheat. Went into limp mode and idled back to the dock and got it on the trailer. By the time I got back to the dock about 10 minutes of idling, the three screws had all come off and the cover was completely off.

Got new screws and new gasket on order from Bakes. There's not a big risk of damaging the engine idling with the temp up over 200 is there? It was around 205-210 for a little while and the overheat alarm went off a few times. Lesson learned today...need all four impeller housing screws!!

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If it was truly not over 210, I don't think you would have a problem. Chevy V-8 engines run there all day long in automobiles...

BUT, how accurate is the gauge. Was the sensor only measuring the temperature of steam, 212 degrees? What was the actual temperature in other parts of the engine away from the temp sensor that were being denied cooling water?

Those are the things that would worry me. But I am not an expert...

Not sure how long 'a little while' was, but in the future I would suggest shutting down completely and getting a tow into the dock....unless there was some emergency that you simply had to get to the dock.

Hopefully, things will be OK.

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It was about 10 minutes that it was running that hot. The area that we boat in is on a river and not many other boats were out today because the weather wasn't great, only saw one other boat while we were out so getting a tow in wasn't a very easy option. We were about 1/2 mile or less from the dock when it started to get hot.

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I think the exhaust is ok, I checked out inside the engine bay when we got back and all seemed ok other than it was hot and steaming from the water splashed on it.

It shouldn't have been completely dry, the impeller was still circulating water, just most of it was going out the pump and into the bilge instead of through the engine.

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ahopkins22LSV

I would probably take them off and inspect them. Might be worth the few bucks to just replace them though.

You should carry zip ties with you. I have a screw break earlier this year and cover was leaking pretty bad. We were able to zip tie around the cover and housing to reduce the leak to very little and were able to get back safely without the temp rising.

Edited by ahopkinsTXi
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If it was truly not over 210, I don't think you would have a problem. Chevy V-8 engines run there all day long in automobiles...

This statement is only partly correct. Automobile engines have anti-freeze which raises the boiling point of the coolant and protects the engine. If your engine was running at 210-212, that is boiling and could cause damage to the engine. I would agree with above poster that your exhaust risers, manifolds, and hosed, not to mention the water jackets of the actual engine are prob going to be damaged first.

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my guess is worst case senario is you would blow head gaskets..did u smell burnt rubber? if not then ur fine... i did this on my old v8

i bet u just got hot enough to alarm and its fine... next time shut her down and call a tow.

I would replace the impeller (again) and reattach the cover/gasket with loctite ...run it out on the lake with the engine cover open to watch for water leaking and just keep an eye on things

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  • 2 weeks later...

UPDATE: Got the new screws and a new gasket from Bakes and put everything back together last weekend and went out and had no issues. Inspected the manifolds, muffler, and exhaust hoses and couldn't find any heat damage. The vRide lives to see another season!

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