Sucked up alot of gravel

« **on:** April 21, 2014, 08:04:36 PM »

After running aground on a rock bar in the dark Saturday night, my wife (her hands are small enough to get into the nozzle) and I spent 4 hours digging gravel out of the pump (enough to fill a small bucket). Checked the impeller and luckily didn't find any chips or cracks. Ran the boat and everything seemed to be running great. No vibration, water temp was normal no signs of any damage.
My questions are:
Is there a chance some of the gravel ended up in the cooling system and possibly the engine cooling jackets? If so, what's the best way to flush it out? How can I be sure that I get it all out?
Is there anything else I should check out?
Any help will really be appreciated!

« **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2014, 08:10:20 PM »

Quote from: lifesadvantages on April 21, 2014, 08:04:36 PM

After running aground on a rock bar in the dark Saturday night, my wife (her hands are small enough to get into the nozzle) and I spent 4 hours digging gravel out of the pump (enough to fill a small bucket). Checked the impeller and luckily didn't find any chips or cracks. Ran the boat and everything seemed to be running great. No vibration, water temp was normal no signs of any damage.
My questions are:
Is there a chance some of the gravel ended up in the cooling system and possibly the engine cooling jackets? If so, what's the best way to flush it out? How can I be sure that I get it all out?
Is there anything else I should check out?
Any help will really be appreciated!

Absolutely possible.

Sort of depends how small and the quantity of gravel that was pumped into the motor.

I have run across a gravel bar at about 40 MPH and literally filled the pump, the engine and the bowl with rocks, sand, silt and twigs.... I think I invented a few new swear words that day...

You should really pull the drain plugs on the motor and attempt to flush it out... There could also be some rocks stuck in the bowl depending on the size.

GT

« **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2014, 08:50:11 PM »

Thanks GT.
The gravel was as big as my thumb and as small as a grain of sand and the bottom of the bucket was full. It's a Marine Power bbc. Do you know how big of a rock can get into the cooling system?
Thanks

« **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2014, 08:58:30 PM »

It's crazy how the smallest thing can get into the pump and cause so much trouble. I once sucked up a freshwater clam shell, and it lodged itself in the impeller. My boat would not move over 5mph and started to overheat. I had to get towed back to the boat ramp, and when I got back home I had to pull the bowl and take a punch and bust it out. I recommend trying to back flush your system, at least to flush out some of the gravel and sand.

« **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2014, 09:04:09 PM »

Quote from: lifesadvantages on April 21, 2014, 08:50:11 PM

Thanks GT.
The gravel was as big as my thumb and as small as a grain of sand and the bottom of the bucket was full. It's a Marine Power bbc. Do you know how big of a rock can get into the cooling system?
Thanks

Probably 1/4" and smaller can make its way virtually all the way to the block, after that is drops down to about 3/16"... So it's tough to say.

The chances of the larger crap making the dramatic maneuvers into the hole in the jet pump would shock the snot out of me, sand on the other hand, that sh!t is frikken magic.

Silt is another subject all together.

Good luck... I say you should be able to get 99% out through the drain holes... Grab a piece of coat hanger and run some water through it.

GT

« **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2014, 09:13:06 PM »

Cool, Thanks for the info!

lifesadvantages

Sucked up alot of gravel

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