Clogged water pump? 2 questions

[Grant Brown]

1987 70 Merc 3 Cyl.<br />I had my boat out today doing some crabbing and I ran through some eel grass (sea weed). I picked up a bunch on the prop and leg, cleaned it off and then continued the run back home. A couple of minutes later I noticed hardly any water was coming out of the tell tale. I replaced the water pump last year, and it normally pees like crazy. <br />I think I've drawn some sea weed into the cooling system.<br />The boat is still in the water due to a very low tide so I couldn't really inspect it very well, but where should I look first? <br />Also, is there an alarm for over heating on this year/model? As soon as I noticed it I shut it down and chugged back to land on the kicker.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Grant

 

[Laddies]

Re: Clogged water pump? 2 questions

The telltale could be plugged, but if the water was restricted it also might have burn the impeller. Yes there is a warning horn on the system

 

[Perfidiajoe]

Re: Clogged water pump? 2 questions

Flush the motor, run a wire through tell-tail, rinse out the water intake. Happens here a lot. Did the engine overheat? If not don't worry, most of the time the boat will lose speed as a result of grass on the prop, first warning, stop, go to reverse, rev a little, which throws off the grass. Procede as normal, 'til next time. Good Luck, Joe

 

[Grant Brown]

Re: Clogged water pump? 2 questions

I pulled the tell tale off and found it clogged with sea weed. Fired her up and it ran like a dream, lots of water out of the tell tale.<br />Funny thing is that the inlet for the tell tale is 15/64 and the outlet is only 7/64. <br />I almost bored it out with a drill to prevent this happening again but thought I'd ask the group if anything negative can come from the slight loss of back presure in the cooling circiut.<br /><br />Grant

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Clogged water pump? 2 questions

The outlet size is restricted to maintain pressure in the cooling system. I wouldn't drill it out.

 

[Grant Brown]

Re: Clogged water pump? 2 questions

I guess I just better stay away from the eel grass - too bad cause that's where the coho salmon hide...<br /><br />Thanks again to everyone, I don't know what I'd do without this group.<br /><br />Grant