Hello,

I've recently started into a new project on an older boat, and have been
examining the motor. Today I had it started and running briefly when I
noticed that from the pee hole where water is suppose to shoot out, instead
it was just dripping ever so slow.

This motor has been out of water, and sitting for much of the last 8 or so
years. Its a 72 80hp 4 cylinder. The guy I bought it from says that likely
the impeller needs to be changed as it would have dried out... Would that be
correct? Any ideas? The motor was perfect when it was last used 8+ years
ago...

I don't want to run it too much until the water gets figured out. From what
I'm guessing without looking into too much detail yet, I have to take the
lower end (gearcase) off to get to this impeller.



Cheers

Change the impeller AND check the pee hole for any blockages. You must
change an impeller that old.

-W

"Chris" wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

I've recently started into a new project on an older boat, and have been
examining the motor. Today I had it started and running briefly when I
noticed that from the pee hole where water is suppose to shoot out,
instead
it was just dripping ever so slow.

This motor has been out of water, and sitting for much of the last 8 or so
years. Its a 72 80hp 4 cylinder. The guy I bought it from says that
likely
the impeller needs to be changed as it would have dried out... Would that
be
correct? Any ideas? The motor was perfect when it was last used 8+ years
ago...

I don't want to run it too much until the water gets figured out. From
what
I'm guessing without looking into too much detail yet, I have to take the
lower end (gearcase) off to get to this impeller.



Cheers

On Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:50:32 -0400, something compelled "Chris"
, to say:

I've recently started into a new project on an older boat, and have been
examining the motor. Today I had it started and running briefly when I
noticed that from the pee hole where water is suppose to shoot out, instead
it was just dripping ever so slow.

Sounds like an enlarged prostate.

I wish I'd thought to say that....

-W

"Steve Daniels, Seek of Spam" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:50:32 -0400, something compelled "Chris"
, to say:

I've recently started into a new project on an older boat, and have been
examining the motor. Today I had it started and running briefly when I
noticed that from the pee hole where water is suppose to shoot out,
instead
it was just dripping ever so slow.

Sounds like an enlarged prostate.

Hi Chris,

I inherited a 1972 20hp Merc a few years ago.

I took it to a local Merc dealer that is noted for the fine mechanics. I had
them check it all out. They tuned the motor, put in an entire water pump
unit ($120) and service the lower end. It ran perfect after all that. ~$300
total.

Something like a spider had made a nest up in my water spout on another old
motor so I put a small piece of wire up there while it was running and it
all blew out.

--
Bill Kiene

Kiene's Fly Shop
Sacramento, CA, USA

Web site: www.kiene.com


"Chris" wrote in message
.. .

Hello,

I've recently started into a new project on an older boat, and have been
examining the motor. Today I had it started and running briefly when I
noticed that from the pee hole where water is suppose to shoot out,
instead
it was just dripping ever so slow.

This motor has been out of water, and sitting for much of the last 8 or so
years. Its a 72 80hp 4 cylinder. The guy I bought it from says that
likely
the impeller needs to be changed as it would have dried out... Would that
be
correct? Any ideas? The motor was perfect when it was last used 8+ years
ago...

I don't want to run it too much until the water gets figured out. From
what
I'm guessing without looking into too much detail yet, I have to take the
lower end (gearcase) off to get to this impeller.



Cheers

Bill I don't know if you saw my overheating update topic but my new merc 4
stroke 60 had a bad grommet at the base of the power head, Since finding this
my dealer has found 2 more, different size big foots. It may be a design
problem with the big foot 4 strokes.
I seem to remember you had a couple.
It may just be a salt water problem tho. It is caused by corrosion at the
powerhead to water tube joint.

"Chris" wrote

This motor has been out of water, and sitting for much of the last 8 or so
years. Its a 72 80hp 4 cylinder. The guy I bought it from says that
likely
the impeller needs to be changed as it would have dried out... Would that
be
correct? Any ideas? The motor was perfect when it was last used 8+ years
ago...

I don't want to run it too much until the water gets figured out. From
what
I'm guessing without looking into too much detail yet, I have to take the
lower end (gearcase) off to get to this impeller.

My take would be to change the impellor and check over the water pump,
regardless of what the tell tale was doing - just an important routine thing
to do, especially with an older motor. So do that regardless. Buy yourself
a shop manual to guide you. I did my first impellor this spring with a
Clymer's generic Merc manual and it went fine. A real merc shop manual
might be better. If you're not into it, it's not an expensive (in boating
terms!) thing for a mechanic to do - if you can get them to get to it this
time of year!

On the other hand, my big outboard has constant tell tale issues -
intermittent clogging. At first, it freaked me out and I'd always stop and
trouble shoot to make sure the water was cooling the engine. It always
involved just blowing (by mouth) out the tell tale line or reaming it with a
thin wire. But it was a hassle. Then I installed a pressure gauge - it was
fairly easy and I just don't worry about the tell tale anymore. That could
be an option for the longer term if you have chronic tell tale issues.

Cam

I have become a big fan of a water pressure guage. I would have seen my
overheating problem coming on long before the beeper went off.

believe it or not, I do have an old merc manual that will cover this. Weird
how they made these original books.. all colourful.

"Camilo" wrote in message
...
"Chris" wrote

This motor has been out of water, and sitting for much of the last 8 or
so
years. Its a 72 80hp 4 cylinder. The guy I bought it from says that
likely
the impeller needs to be changed as it would have dried out... Would
that
be
correct? Any ideas? The motor was perfect when it was last used 8+
years
ago...

I don't want to run it too much until the water gets figured out. From
what
I'm guessing without looking into too much detail yet, I have to take
the
lower end (gearcase) off to get to this impeller.

My take would be to change the impellor and check over the water pump,
regardless of what the tell tale was doing - just an important routine
thing
to do, especially with an older motor. So do that regardless. Buy
yourself
a shop manual to guide you. I did my first impellor this spring with a
Clymer's generic Merc manual and it went fine. A real merc shop manual
might be better. If you're not into it, it's not an expensive (in boating
terms!) thing for a mechanic to do - if you can get them to get to it this
time of year!

On the other hand, my big outboard has constant tell tale issues -
intermittent clogging. At first, it freaked me out and I'd always stop
and
trouble shoot to make sure the water was cooling the engine. It always
involved just blowing (by mouth) out the tell tale line or reaming it with
a
thin wire. But it was a hassle. Then I installed a pressure gauge - it
was
fairly easy and I just don't worry about the tell tale anymore. That
could
be an option for the longer term if you have chronic tell tale issues.

Cam

"Greg" wrote in message
...
I have become a big fan of a water pressure guage. I would have seen my
overheating problem coming on long before the beeper went off.

Yea same here Greg - it can help you the other way too - it can reassure you
that the water circulation is adequate when you otherwise might not be able
to tell.

Recently, I was "kind of stuck" in some shallow mucky water with the wind
picking up and being against us as we tried to get back into the channel.
We weren't getting the job done pushing and delay would make the situation
worse - not dangerous, but just more and more difficult to remedy,
eventually impossible. Really had no choice but to use the motor in a
situation where we normally wouldn't. Luckily, the bottom was marshy mud
stuff, nothing that would cause damage. I did however get an over heat
alarm and when it sounded I saw the pressure was very low, nearly 0. So I
quickly shut down and cleared the intake as best I could (this was an
exciting time - wind getting stronger, situation getting worse, wife
excited, trying to get into deeper water). I started and really had to run
the motor in spite of the alarm continuing. But I saw that the pressure
gauge was indicating normal pressure, so I took the leap of faith that
circulating water was the best remedy for a hot engine - and ran the engine
in order to get out of the shallows.

Within a few very short moments (less than a minute), the alarm quit. This
was the greatest feeling - the pressure gauge really paid off in a real life
situation where I otherwise would have just had to shut down for fear of
serious overheat. Also, a situation where the pressure gauge was probably
more useful than a temp gauge would have been.

For some reason, even though the pressure gauge is T-d off the same water
source as the tell tale, it hasn't gotten clogged like the tell tale and has
been much more reliable.