Marcus Matos
New Member
- Apr 13, 2020
- 24
- Boat Info
- 2016 SeaRay 19SPX
- Engines
- Mercury Mercruiser 4.5L 200 w/Alpha Drive
I'm in Dallas and though I got away unscathed after the deep freeze in February. No power outages at home, I was able to keep my pipes thawed and heat on. Well...it turns out I had a big surprise waiting for me when I pulled out my 2017 Sea Ray 19 SPX yesterday...
Even though we don't typically get that kind of crazy weather, I winterized my boat with antifreeze in December (using Mercury's recommended ethylene glycol (EDIT: SORRY, I MEANT PROPELYNE GLYCOL (pink))). Yesterday I went to de-winterize it and it started up just fine. I took it out on the water and within about 45 seconds the engine went in to "limp" / "self protect" mode. I shut it off, opened up the engine bay, and notice a bit of smoke coming off the undersides of the engine, and that my bilge pump was pumping a good amount of water out. My first reaction was to check that I didn't leave the seawater drain open - I had not.
Long story short, when the engine is running, it's pumping water into the bilge. My theory is that the deep freeze in the middle of February caused something to crack. My questions are:
I got a tow back to the marina and the boat is back on the lift until I hear back from Progressive. I'm incredibly stressed out and not sure what to expect - I'm scared that I'm about to be on the hook for a $30K engine repair.
(Side Note: This engine was replaced once about 2 years ago due to a fire shortly after the boat was purchased - a leak in the power steering system caused a pump to seize, leading to a fire in the engine bay.)
Even though we don't typically get that kind of crazy weather, I winterized my boat with antifreeze in December (using Mercury's recommended ethylene glycol (EDIT: SORRY, I MEANT PROPELYNE GLYCOL (pink))). Yesterday I went to de-winterize it and it started up just fine. I took it out on the water and within about 45 seconds the engine went in to "limp" / "self protect" mode. I shut it off, opened up the engine bay, and notice a bit of smoke coming off the undersides of the engine, and that my bilge pump was pumping a good amount of water out. My first reaction was to check that I didn't leave the seawater drain open - I had not.
Long story short, when the engine is running, it's pumping water into the bilge. My theory is that the deep freeze in the middle of February caused something to crack. My questions are:
- I have comprehensive and propulsion plus coverage with Progressive, but reading through the material I'm unsure whether this is a covered event. I'm thinking that since this was a historic storm/state emergency that I should expect some help. Any opinions on this?
- Anyone here have any experience with this kind of issue on this engine and have thoughts on what to expect? 2016 Mercury 4.5L 200HP Alpha Drive
- Last year, I installed the RideSteady (Cruise Control) system. While I'm sure this has absolutely nothing to do with anything, would you recommend that I de-install it prior to taking it to a Mercury Dealer/Mechanic? I expect the first step will be to pull the engine out, and I'd like to avoid issues with any claims I might actually be entitled to.
I got a tow back to the marina and the boat is back on the lift until I hear back from Progressive. I'm incredibly stressed out and not sure what to expect - I'm scared that I'm about to be on the hook for a $30K engine repair.
(Side Note: This engine was replaced once about 2 years ago due to a fire shortly after the boat was purchased - a leak in the power steering system caused a pump to seize, leading to a fire in the engine bay.)
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