1976 Johnson 115ELS76G not cooling

[Mikelowesilhouette]

First of all thank you for the add I’ve been reading a lot on what I’m working on. On this forum. Anyways, I got into some weeds with this motor. It ran hot. Got it home changed the water pump. The old one looked fine. Took it up to the lake almost instantly ran hot. Found a blown head gasket replaced both head gaskets deflectors looked good. The starboard head was a little warped. while running it in the driveway, I noticed very little water coming out of the to tell tale exhaust ports. I pulled the hoses off the ones that run to the Vernatherm. I noticed exhaust gases coming from the two hoses at the vernatherm. I adjusted the ears on the water pick up and got better water flow coming out of the bottom of the heads. thought it would be fine took her to the lake and instantly overheated. pulled the hoses off at the lake same thing poor water, flow coming out of the bottom of the heads and exhaust gases, coming up through the tubes or rubber hoses. so, got it home pulled the lower unit water pump looked OK although there was not a gasket under the water pump. Bottom plate looked at a parts diagram, and it did not show one. I noticed a rubber seal around an exhaust tube coming from the top was burnt and deteriorated right next to the water pump, thinking this may have been blowing exhaust under my water pump and causing poor flow and air bubbles in my cooling system. I pulled the Verna Therm and the small plate. It bolts too and found that there are pieces missing. I’m going to try to repair this back to OEM and see what happens. My question is why couldn’t I plug the copper cooling tube going back to the water pump and put a washer 5/16 or so, and do away with the vernatherm system? I live in Florida. The water is 80+ degrees here. i’m gonna try to load some pictures of what I have.