Can I start my engine dry? (out of the water)
 

I don't use my boat very often and always worry about flat batteries. Volt gauge is only an indicator, the only way I know for sure my engine will start is by hitting the switch.

Can I start it totally dry (no hose) and run for a 4-5 seconds just to be satisfied it will fire up when she goes down the ramp? How long is it ok to run before damaging the impeller, water pump and anything else.
It's a 496HO with Bravo One X sterndrive.

(I know a battery charger would solve the problem but where I store the boat, I can't hook up to mains power)

Thank for any answers,
RR

I would say no. Dry impellers can be ruined in short order. I've heard people say they have done it. That's a chance I'm not willing to take. Lol

If you have a separate water pump belt from alternator belt, you could leave pump belt off. Let engine fire and give the alternator 10 seconds to replace the electricity you burned starting it. It entails a few minutes doing belt R&R, but spinning a dry impeller is a bad idea. If it is serpentine belt and you pull it, you don't get the quick recharge. Maybe buy a jump box and bring it to the boat fully charged?

That's something like what I expected to read, thank you.
Jumper box vs dual batteries was another thread I started. I went with dual batteries - and still worry she may fail on 'boating day'. I just don't use it often enough.... :)

RR

I always crank it till the motor catches before going to the launch. less than 1 second of run time. No issues with the impeller-

Going with dual batteries was a smart thing to do . Personally I'd never start the engine dry unless you had somehow disabled the water pump . Is your boat stored in such a way that a small solar panel battery charger could be utilized ? (That's a subtle reference , I didn't want to ask , 'Is your nice new boat outside in the scorching sun all the time ?' )
Also on another thread I spoke of the importance of making sure that your Mercathode was also disabled if the boat is out of the water . I'm sure that some are rigged so that when the power switches are 'off' the cathode is off as well but many boats (like mine) have the thing hard wired to the battery so that when the boat is in the water it's always active. You'd be amazed the drain that that thing can have on the battery after 2 weeks . The first thing I do when the thing comes of of the water is to pull the fuse on the Mercathode.

Solar charger or take one battery home and put on charger.

I know people that start it before launching but I figure I am not that lucky. LOL
Just back the trailer in deep enough to get water and start it up on the trailer. If for some strange reason your battery is dead....just pull it back up. Also check your battery voltage gauge before launching. Should be some where near 12 volts.

Padraig

IF you have a fresh water flush connection that goes directly to the sea water pump, you could do this while "rural" with a winterization jug setup and 5 gallons of water.

You boat in Salt water do you not? then you should have a flush setup. Run water to that and you can start it all you want. If your running a high idle to charge just keep an eye on it. hose pressure will run the motor all day long but does not supply the volume of water needed to run significant rpm.

no water start up
 

I personally would Never Start an engine without coolant of some kind, Period. It does not take too many seconds to heat a cylinder and remove tension from rings. Cylinders, Pistons, Rings, all need to be lubricated and cooled properly. Temp Does shorten engine life drastically. Not to mention the sea pump commonly has a plastic housing, with the rubber impeller. That will get hot instantly and start to melt the plastic, tear the impeller. Just my .02 I share this info weekly with my customers.

Good info, here's a few of the above suggestions answered. (sorry if it sounds negative)

Dont want to carry a battery home after every use or carry a booster pack, that's why I went with the dual batteries.
Boat is stored under cover so a solar panel/charger might help, something to look into.
I'll check for the Mercathode wiring.
The marina staff launch and retrieve (Marina policy) so backing her in and out on the ramp is messy.

I'm having her moved to a spot right next to a tap so I'll probably go with a quick flush the day before I want to take her out. Might look into a flush kit, a lot easier than the ear muffs. It's salt water use and flushed every time so a flush kit wouldn't go to waste.

Cheers,
RR

We always fire the engines in the shop before we go boating. They both run for about 5 sec. We have never had any issues with impellers. Last thing you want is to tow to the launch ramp and find out you have an issue.

I would look into adding a sea strainer they usually hold enough water in them to fire it and run it for tat short of period.And could save your impeller if you ever suck up some trash

I would not do this.

When you back her down a steep ramp and start her up, chances are the impeller is dry anyway when it first starts to spin - unless you float the boat off so it's sitting lower than the waterline.

Correct?

Same here with no issues although I do change the water pump every year. If the batteries seem fresh enough I won't even wait for it to fire. It pukes a good deal of water out of the pipes on that split second burp so it's good to know that it's not dry for that moment of movement.

Hey RAK, Surprised nobody else stated the obvious but here goes.................. USE IT MORE OFTEN ! :))

I just watched a guy do it yesterday and let it run for like 10 seconds. Personally, not something I would ever do. Only takes like 20 seconds to burn up the impeller. Like others have said, Keep in on a trickle charge at home and if it's dead at the ramp, pull back up and deal with it then. I happen to have a spare battery that I keep on a trickle charge at home. I throw it in the truck every time I head to the lake just in case. Either that or I also have a jumper box that I keep in my truck.

Have done it for years with no issues on mine. Always start, run for a second or 2, then shut off.

Yes, but you have the drives fairly deep in the water pushing water up the sea strainer toward the pump. They would not be dry for long. Water does not evaporate out of your SWP. But I still wouldn't start it even briefly without water applied in the direction of the SWP; and definitely not regularly.

Is it really worth it considering the hassle a blown impeller can cause when you're out on the water?

If your luck is anything like mine, In 5 seconds you will toast an impeller. At an idle a 5 gal. bucket will let you run for about 3-5 mins. The solar panel kit from Harbor Freight ($129) will keep the batteries up. With all that said, you can eliminate your dead batteries by just using it more.

There is enough water in the engine, hoses, sea strainer, block, etc to run an engine for 10 seconds. Not something I'd do on a weekly basis but it's doable. We do it often to burp entrapped water during winterization before running anti freeze thru.

Why? Really why! I do bump my starter to test my battery an have done so sence the first bravo came out in 1988. I did it to test more than a battery back then. Replaced the water pump every year. Live in Louisiana an ran to Florida a few times a year.

Get some good AGM batteries and you wont ever have to worry. A few winters ago I forgot to plug the shore power in up at our storage and the batteries were perfect and fired right up 6 months later.

So what happens when you pull a boat out? All of the water suddenly drains out of the blocks, all hoses, pumps, strainers?
What happens when people like me winterize and drain the blocks or rebuild engines , meaning no water anywhere and then the engines get stated and the impeller run dry till water makes it to them?
What happens when a boat leaves the water at 5000+ rpm? Am I supposed to shut the engines off till I re-enter? :whistle:

The impeller doesn`t explode that fast everyone just calm down :D
With water in my strainers never been a problem for a quick start.

Raukua , You don`t have battery gauges? I used to have a digital battery monitor in my other boat. That`ll tell ya if they`ll start or not .


Lots of hangtime ( daughters pony tail going straight up we were coming down for a while) still plenty of water coming out the exhaust and side discharge. :riding:

Already got 'em! Two new ones a couple of months ago when the boat arrived here.

I've got to check on the Mercathode wiring, it may be pulling current all the time. It may sound stupid but do all 496/Bravos from around 2007 have a Mercathode? I haven't noticed. (Not that I've been looking) Didn't have many options from the factory so it might not have one......

RR

Mines a 496 so closed cooling, but the water pump/impeller would be dry.

Only got a volt gauge, God knows how accurate it is, usually shows 11.5 volts and just barely started last time out. Shows 13 plus when running so I assume everything's charging.

Nice pics BTW but I've only got a little Donzi....... :)

RR

Mercathode is not an option. Every Merc engine I've had has had it. If you have good batteries that are being properly charged and you turn your battery switch off every time you are done boating there is no reason the boat should not fire even with infrequent use. My standard 24 series Interstate XDM's will fire my 496 off in the spring after sitting 6 months in the cold with no charger on them. I cringe whenever I hear a dry start at the ramp. That;s just me, though. Plenty do it.

Buy a battery tender and leave it hooked up while storing the boat.

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