first start up

[roffey]

My boat is new, under two years old. I had the dealer winterize it last year, a warrantee thing. He did check the out drive and winterized the motor. I pulled the boat out last week and hooked up the water mufs. First thing I noticed was there did not seem to be a lot of water coming out the exhaust. My motor is a 4.3 TKS merc. MY question is should I get water spitting out the exhaust right away or will I have to get the boat to operating temp? I did not leave the boat running for long, 1 or 2 min.

 

[dpoff]

It take a little while to fill up the block before you see it start coming out.

 

[thumpar]

When it was winterized did they pull the plugs and leave the engine open? If so did you put them back in?

 

[roffey]

When it was winterized did they pull the plugs and leave the engine open? If so did you put them back in?

I am assuming you are not talking spark plugs. I did check the drain plugs in the motor. I'll give it another try on Monday morning and see what gives. I don't think there are any thermostats in the motor? I just did not want to do any harm. I had my eye on the temp gauge and shut it off before it got hot or even warm for that mater.

Dying to get my boat in the water, LOL.

 

[thumpar]

There is a thermostat in the motor just like a road vehicle but that would not prevent water coming out. Any water that doesn't go through the motor just comes out the exhaust. You could try filling the motor with water manually but personally I would give it a minute.

 

[roffey]

I'll give it a try on Monday morning. Correct me if I am wrong but as long as I have water to the outdrive via water muffs and keep my eye on the temp I should be ok. Worst case is I have to replace my impeller.

 

[thumpar]

The water hits the impeller first so unless it is already toast it should be fine. The only thing you would need to worry about is if you don't get water at all after a minute or so. It can burn up the rubber parts in the exhaust.

 

[spoilsofwar]

I don't have a merc but on my VP as soon as water is applied (engine off) you will see it coming out the exhaust relief port on the bottom of the drive. When the motor is started, it takes a few seconds, then water comes out the exhaust thru the prop and the duckbill, but it's not steady... More like gushes of water every few seconds. The water out the relief port stays steady.

I guess it's important to distinguish that the late model VPs use a water T fitting to attach a hose, rather then muffs (though I suppose you could use them), so that may account for the different behavior. Also, of course, the water pump is on the engine rather then in the drive.

 

[thumpar]

On a Merc if the engine is drained during winterizing it takes awhile to fill it back up. They fill from the bottom up. Most of the water will come from the exhaust relief ports and almost none from the prop when on muffs.

 

[roffey]

OK so I checked and no water coming out the exhaust or the bypass on the outdrive. In the past when I hook up the water muffs I get water coming out right away even when the motor is not running. If I had winterized the motor or pulled the outdrive I would check to make sure the impeller is spinning. So I hooked up the boat and took it back to the marina to have them check. They inspected the outdrive last year on a two year inspection. Ill keep you informed, maybe its just me being to obsessive or so my wife said, lol.

 

[thumpar]

There should not be water coming from the motor if it is not running. It shouldn't get past the impeller when it is not turning.

 

[bruceb58]

Agreed, no way water can get past the impeller on a non running engine.

 

[roffey]

Great, so that part is good. I should clarify the "in the past" was other boats. This one is new and as such I have never checked the impeller so last year, first winter, I just put the muffs on and started, idled up to temp and splashed it. This year as the marina did some work I was a little more diligent in what I checked. Having said that, there is still no water coming out of the motor, just what splashes out of the muffs. I did not run the boat for more than a min or two as I was concerned about the impeller and was sceptical of the work winterizing. I should be more trusting I guess.

As a side note the oils in the boat have been checked and changed before manufactures specs, cheap insurance.

 

[thumpar]

No motor should let water past the impeller unless it is turning.

 

[roffey]

OK the word is in and the problem was owner operator. My job is computers and we have a saying, a DFU error. Not going to explain what a DFU is. LOL. As stated earlier I did not give it time to warm up. The marina tested the motor and the water is circulating and no problem found. Something I will remember for next spring. Coming to my defence, I would have thought water should spill out the over flow on the outdrive or the exhaust when warmed up.

 

[Newbie@boats]

Much better safe then sorry

 

[roffey]

Cheep insurance is the way I look at it. If I burnt the motor I would have been a unhappy camper, LOL.