I returned today at low tide and my 1997 Yamaha 200s began dredging up silt. I tilted the engines up, but the water coming out of the telltales was brownish. Upon returning, I hooked up rabbit ears to the port engine and and flushed it and the water seemed to come out in several places, as it always did. This seemed normal. The water out of the telltale cleared up.<br /><br />The starboard engine did not seem to take in water with the rabbit ears. Water did not come out of the same areas as the port engine and the telltale did not flow. I immediately turned off the engine, checked the telltale hose, removed the rabbit ears and ran the engine directly in the water. Flowed out of the telltale just fine. At this point, I noticed that the starboard engine is missing the little, plastic guard over the water intake.<br /><br />My question is is the telltale a reliable indicator that water is circulating throughout the engine? Could there be an obstruction? And, if so, how can I verify this and clean it?<br /><br />Thanks
