Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

Calif Bill wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
I left the boat in the driveway for one year without starting the
motor. Today, I put the lower unit into a bucket of water, and start
the motor to winterize it. After trying to start it for a couple
times, I finally manage to start it. Unfortunately, I cannot see the
telltail water stream coming out from the motor cooling system. All I
see is some smoke coming from the hole where the water stream is
supposed to come out from. Despite the fact that the motor temperature
was not overheating (only run it for 30 seconds or so), I decided to
turn off the motor just to be in the safe side.

My question is:

Should I expect to see the telltail water stream coming out from the
motor as soon as I start the motor? Does the motor need to reach a
certain temperature before the water stream coming out? The boatowner
manual said this:

"2. If engine is cold, run engine for 1 or 2 minutes ...
3. After engine has warmed up, check water temperature
gauge to ensure that engine temperature is not
abnormally high... Check that water is running from
the tell-tail on the back of the engine..."

This seems to suggest that the telltail water stream may not come out
if the engine is not warm enough. Considering the fact that the
overheating warning horn doesn't sound, the cooling system may not
really have a problem.

However, the Mercury Operation & Maintenance Manual for my 1995 Mercury
115hp outboard said this differently:

"10 Turn ignition key to START ...re-prime until engine
is running smoothly.
11 Check for a steady stream of water flowing out
of the water pump indicator hole.
IMPORTANT: If no water is coming out of the water
pump indicator hole, stop engine..."

This surely seems like I should expect to see telltail water stream
coming out as soon as I start the engine.

Now, I am really confused with this conflicting info. Obviously, I
don't want to risk overheating the motor. Can someone help me with
this?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan


Pull off the hose to the tell tale from inside the cowling. See if water
comes out. Lots of times a bug builds a nest in the hole, or some other
dirt plugs it up. Is a small orifice.

I didn't remove the telltail hose. I ran a stiff wire up the hose and
I didn't feel any blockage. I doubt the telltail hose is being blocked
because I can see smoke coming from the telltail hole. I have a
feeling that if the telltail hose wass blocked, I should not see any
smoke coming out.

Jay Chan

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
wrote:
On 9 Oct 2006 08:14:03 -0700, "
wrote:

Thanks for pointing out that I likely need to replace the impeller.
And also thanks for the link to the impeller kit; I quite likely need
to order one.

Make sure you get some anti-sieze compound (I llike a brand called
Neversieze) and work it into the threads of the bolts when you put
things back together. It is messy stuff but it will make it easierr to
get apart next time.
Now pray that the last guy did!
Basically 4 bolts right at the cavitation plate and one nut up in a
hole near the little fin in back will drop the foot. It helps to have
a helper but usually it will be stuck enough so it won't just fall.
Put some grease on the shaft splines when you go back together too.
The impeller is under that little can on top of the foot. (a couple
small bolts)

Thanks for the tip of using the anti-sieze compound. The chance is
good that the ex-owner didn't apply any anti-sieze compound in the
lower unit based on the fact that the propeller was/is really stuck
from day-one when I bought the boat.

I would like to ask you one question: Does replacing the impeller
involve removing the propeller as a part of the process? As I said
above, the propeller is really stuck.

Jay Chan


Whether it's part of the job or not, you may as well get the prop UNstuck.
It's a good idea to check for fishing line wound behind it, or so sayeth my
owner's manual.

OK. If I need to remove the propeller in order to replace the
impeller, I will have to find a way to remove the propeller. I was
thinking of asking a marine mechanic to unstuck the propeller along
with checking a few things in the motor next spring (instead of doing
this myself). I guess I will have to move this up the schedule and
find a way to remove the propeller now, oh well...

Jay Chan

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

wrote:
I left the boat in the driveway for one year without starting the
motor. Today, I put the lower unit into a bucket of water, and start
the motor to winterize it.

Jay, just out of curiosity, if you haven't used the boat in a year,
then why are you deciding to winterize it at this time?

According to what yoyu say, it must have sat all through the colder
winter months of last year,a nd the first part of this year.

why now?

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

"Don White" wrote in message
news:OgEWg.3103$cz.46967@ursa- Yup. A local dealer at a boat show told me
it should be done every
second year (depending on use).

Every second year at MOST. Every year to be really safe.

I killed a new impeller this year from April to Sept. I mean killed dead,
as it it stopped peeing at low RPM and the impeller was toast. A lot of
sandy / silty water will wear one out FAST.

-W

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

Clams Canino wrote:
"Don White" wrote in message
news:OgEWg.3103$cz.46967@ursa- Yup. A local dealer at a boat show told me
it should be done every

second year (depending on use).


Every second year at MOST. Every year to be really safe.

I killed a new impeller this year from April to Sept. I mean killed dead,
as it it stopped peeing at low RPM and the impeller was toast. A lot of
sandy / silty water will wear one out FAST.

-W



In my area it's mostly salt water.... plus a good measure of sewage in
the city's harbour. On a sailboat the outboard will most likely rust
out before wearing out.

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor
 

Gene wrote:
On 9 Oct 2006 08:17:13 -0700, "
wrote:

Make sure ity isn't just a plugged up pee hole. Some bugs like that
size hole to lay an egg in and they mortar it shut. Run a stiff wire
up there and try it.

Thanks for the tip. This should be easy to try, and I will try this
when I get back home today. But I have a feeling that the telltale
hole is probably not plugged; otherwise, I should not see smoke coming
out from the telltail hole.



Considering this whole scenario.... you really shouldn't have seen
smoke... regardless.... unless you didn't have a high enough water
level in your "bucket."

I'm betting that your pump impeller is toast. Once you get this damage
repaired...... Forget the bucket and get some muffs that fit your
motor.
--


Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC. http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/
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I am wondering may be the smoke is coming from the fogging oil that I
sprayed inside motor cylinders last fall, and that was the last time I
started the motor.

But you are probably right to say that the impeller is a goner. I have
already counted the impeller as a loss.

Jay Chan

Cannot See the Telltail Water Stream from the Motor