1989 merc 115 outboard cooling system help

[fireguyfire]

Hey guys; I have a 89 merc 115 outboard that I put away for the winter last year, and it was running like a top. Fired it up a couple of days ago with the water muffs on it to make sure things were a go before putting it in the lake, and I had no water coming out the nozzle from the cooling system. Pulled her apart, replaced all gaskets and new impeller, fired her up again today, and still no water. Now I am at a loss; it looks like water is trickling out of the nuts that attach the gear box back onto the engine, and I dont think water should get there. I have a couple of thoughts; a) something is plugged above the impeller, b) the housing from the impeller is not properly aligned with the pipe above to get water to the top of the engine.
Can I fish with a wire up the pipe? I have disconnected the ejection hose from the top of the engine (where it goes down to the side nozzle where you can see it) and I have no water there, so I know the ejection line is not plugged.
Any ideas or things I have overlooked?

 

[Iceman66]

Re: 1989 merc 115 outboard cooling system help

You may have an amount of salt somewhere under the exhaust plate cover, that stops the water from flowing trough the cooling chanels.
Have you tried with some pressure air into the ejection hose,could just be a little restriction there.

I recommend testing in water tank, have different experience with muffs.

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: 1989 merc 115 outboard cooling system help

you can pull it apart again make a tool out of rubber cuppling 3/4 inch with two clamps ...put a socket drive adapter with a 3/4 inch socket or a lil smaller in a drill attach it to the rubber attach the rubber to your driveshaft,with clamps and spin the driveshaft and see if u have any water coming out of water tube it wont be a strong stream but at least you can see if pump is working ??? Then use air preassure to blow out lines real good first n check then if no water take it apart and test water pump ....

 

[fireguyfire]

Re: 1989 merc 115 outboard cooling system help

OK; I pulled out the thermostat, and blew air through from the pee hole; no blockage. Then I ran water into the thermostat housing and it came out the tube in the bottom( where it would go into the impeller housing). So it seems I have no blockages.
I am assuming I put the impeller on the shaft correctly? I have it so that the impeller pushes water when the shaft rotates clockwise.
The drive shaft does turn clockwise correct? Silly question but I am running out of options!

 

[schematic]

Re: 1989 merc 115 outboard cooling system help

I have it so that the impeller pushes water when the shaft rotates clockwise.

Best recheck your impeller. The veins should not be pointing in the direction of rotation.

 

[fireguyfire]

Re: 1989 merc 115 outboard cooling system help

Whew; took everything back apart again, and the impeller does spin clockwise as it should. I had to rubber "O" rings that came with the impeller rebuild kit that I didnt know where they went; they obviously were the same size as the drive shaft, but there were nothing like them that came out of the water pump when I took the old impeller out, and the rebuild kit covers several different engines so I thought they were for a different engine. Anyway, I put one below the impeller, and one above in the impeller housing, put her all back together, fired her up and I have great flow out of the pee tube now! It does take about 20-30 seconds before it starts flowing, but I'm happy.