25 Merc - Water Tube Question

[Cordovakid]

I have replaced my impeller on my 1980 25hp Merc....the copper water tube has an enlarged fitting which fits snugly over the water pump housing on the lower unit. However, before trying to install the lower unit, I took the copper tube and fed it up into the powerhead. It goes all the way in, but does not seem to stay in very snug...it just goes in, brushes by a piece of rubber (ie. the grommet) and goes in until it feels like it touches a piece of metal. Should this copper water tube stay in the powerhead snugly, or does it just feed into the grommet and stay a bit loose? I have made sure I fed the tube all the way in as far as it goes, and I can feel it brushing and passing by what feels like a rubber edge, presumably of the grommet edge.

 

[Texasmark]

No way one can get inside the engine and answer that question. One (I..that's I like in me, not the number 1) can only speculate that if the tube is straight when you stab it, the outlet of the water pump will exert adequate pressure to keep it pressed in the hole once you seat the LU.