If it's dripping out, then you will shorten the length of the engine
considerably. Especially run at high speed.

As others have said, poke a copper wire, or piece of weedeater line up the
hole FIRST. The rubber on the impeller may be dodgy, but it's unlikely to be
the first cause. I've pulled out almost petrified impellers from OBs that
seemed to pump water fine (except at really low revs).

DIY Water pump replacement should cost you around USD$25 and about 20
minutes. As also others have said, it's cheap insurance - but don't expect
it to solve the problem. I also pulled the cooling chambers on an outboard
with "low hours" to find it had a straw's space of circulation around the
head...


"Bob Scott" wrote in message
m...
I've got an old Evinrude 6 hp outboard which is in like new condition. It
has probably had very few hours of running time on it. I had no problem
starting it up even after it had been in storage for possibly fifteen
years! But yesterday I noticed that there wasn't very much cooling water
coming out. When I first started the motor there was a more or less
steady stream of water. But it was actually just dripping out yesterday
afternoon. I continued to run the engine at a moderate speed (I was out
on the lake when I first noticed the problem, and there was no wind) and
it performed normally and didn't seem to be overheated when I got into the
slip. Anyone have any suggestions? I don't want to ruin that little
motor!