Question about running motor out of water
 

I have a 2001 Shabah 182 with a 4.3 liter V6 with a alpha 1 stern drive. I keep the boat in a storage yard and wanted to know what everyone thinks about starting it without water for a minute or so to make sure it will start before I leave for the lake. I take it home after the lake to rinse it out with muffs, I would like to pick it up at the yard and make sure it will start before I get to the lake and not go back home to use the muffs. I want to avoid driving to the lake and needing to jump the battery or something else.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

Following

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

It is fine to try to start it for a few seconds. Once it starts you really only have less then a couple of seconds before the engine overheats. Just see if it will turn over and as soon as it does shut it off.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

Actually the engine's coolant thermostat won't even open until a few minutes after starting, so the engine won't overheat in that time. There will be residual water in the engine block and heads that will circulate in the meantime. My concern would be for the drive's water pump and that could be damaged by more than a few seconds of dry operation. Is there no running water at the storage yard?

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

On my boat it will burn out the impeller in a few seconds if it doesn't have water. And my coolant temperature seems to open right up as it starts.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

If your thermostat is opening right up then there is something wrong with it. It should not open until maybe 180 degrees (some are 160) and that would take at least two minutes to occur with a cold engine. Don't confuse the engine coolant circulation with the external one that merges with it before the thermostat. You will get normal flow from the water discharge at a cold start but most of that bypasses the engine until the thermostat opens.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

Oops! I thought you ment when it would start reading a temperature. Yeah it takes like 5 mins of idling for it to get up to operating temperature

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

I don't run the impeller even with the muffs just let it idle in neutral.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

Also on mine there is no engine coolant but the lake water.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

What! The water pump impeller in the lower unit is always turning anytime the engine is running. Otherwise the engine would eventually overheat. Are you thinking of the bilge pump? In an Alpha drive, the shifting is done in the lowest part of the unit just ahead of the propeller.

The lake water IS the engine coolant. That water stays in the engine until it is flushed out by the external water pump in the drive. When the thermostat opens, the external water then flows thorough the engine.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

Sorry meant the prop not impeller

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

If your impeller doesn't move then you got bigger issues. It should always be moving even at idle. Imagine it like a car fan on a radiator. It always spins really fast and long. Now just scale it down alot in sizes and put in in the water.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

Please, do not run your engine for even a few seconds without water to lubricate the rubber impeller in your outdrive. It will burn up or break some of the wipers off causing you grief, money and lost time on the pond.
If there is no water at the storage facility for you to use you can bring your own. Use your winterizing bucket, short length of hose and muffs with about 5 - 10 gallons of water. When the water level gets to the bottom of the bucket shut er down. Hope this helps.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

Thanks ruining a rubber part was something I did not think about. I will just have to pick it up and run home and start it before going out.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

If your boat is good shape electrically wise and good battery it should be able to sit for weeks with no problems. If needed install battery cut off switch and then you know you will always have good full battery.

Re: Question about running motor out of water
 

But the batteries sitting unused will naturally discharge over time. It might seem prudent to invest in a marine battery trickle charger/tender. The difference between a car charger and a marine charger is that the marine charger runs through three distinct phases. They are the Bulk phase, the Acceptance phase, and the Float phase. This is known as the Ideal Charge Curve and is recommended by most marine battery manufacturers.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk