Outboard not cooling

[brackish]

Ok, you outboard experts.  My very low hour 2005 Suzuki 9.9 four stroke is not cooling properly.  Some facts:  It did sit up for two years while I built the Bateau FS14 skiff.  I recently did a complete service, changed the oil, plugs, cleaned the carb completely, greased the fittings, changed the gear oil in the transmission, and installed a new water pump impeller with wear plate.  I'm positive I got the water pump installed correctly and the gear case reinstalled with the tube matching up.  I've tested the thermostat and it is opening and closing at the specified temperature.  However, no water is coming out of the indicator hole and I've checked it for blockage but even if it was blocked the motor should still cool and it doesn't seem to be.  Is there something I may have missed.  Don't want to overlook something simple because the next step is to drop the gear case again and check the water pump.  I have not used any temp sticks on the head to see if it is going over temp, may do that next but it feels hot quick and there didn't seem to be any water in the T-stat area when I pulled it.  Thoughts?

[Shawn]

Does that version have a freah water flush plug on it? If it does hook up a garden hose to it and pressure the line. If you have a clog in a passage that might free it up.

Shawn

[brackish]

Does that version have a freah water flush plug on it? If it does hook up a garden hose to it and pressure the line. If you have a clog in a passage that might free it up.

Shawn

Good thought, it does have a fitting that screws in, however they tell you to put a piece of duct tape over the intake grill.  Any pressure will blow that off, so I'll have to devise a clamp plate to seal it off more securely.  Also thought about back blasting the pee hole to see if there is a deep blockage that is plugging it.  Don't guess there is something that can be harmed by doing that.

[Citi853]

It's a stretch but maybe the impeller is in backwards.   I've done that before. (among other things)

Joe Burns
Lewis Center, OH

[Salty19]

I agree it's probably blocked passages, but if that checks out, checking to make sue the thermostat is installed correctly would be on the list to look into.

I'm thinking remove the thermos and pump about 8,000psi of compressed air up the pee hole. OK, not that much pressure.   Then reinstall the thermostat cover, but not the thermostat itself and put more air down the hole.  I am not sure what pressure is safe here? 20-30psi seems reasonable, but again I don't know what is safe.

Running the engine with a vinegar/water mix in a bucket might help loosen things up too.  Or stronger stuff, but I wouldn't use something like drain without checking into it more.    Remember to flush with fresh water if you use chemical cleaners.

Another item is the water line from impeller to engine.  Sometimes these are tricky install correctly.  Also is the drive shaft connected to the engine correctly? The pump won't spin with it disconnected. If it shifts into gear, it's installed correctly, but if it won't that's probably it. 

Could also be something easy like the lower end strainer is installed backwards, possibly blocking flow.

Ah the joys of outboards....so much for SAIL boats, huh?!?!

[brackish]

Well it's fixed and what it was will remain a mystery to me.  I took the gearcase off and started over.  Disassembled the water pump and reassembled it.  Took off the T-stat cover and removed the T-stat.  While everything was off, blew out and probed everything I could get to.  Nothing came out.  Put the gearcase back on making absolutely sure the water line went through the pump bushing (almost impossible to not have that happen), put a water barrel under it filled it up, started it and a perfectly operating cooling system. 

The only thing I noticed during this process is that one of the vanes on the impeller was bent the wrong way.  Normally that won't stop it from pumping, only wear that vane out more quickly.  So when reassembling, I put the impeller in the housing first then lined up the key.  That's the harder way and not the manual directions, but it will insure you will have the vanes bent right.  Might take several shots to get the key lined up.

So back to the lake tomorrow for more trials.  Hopefully this time it will be more than 300 yards.

[Potcake boy]

Good news