Spring start up, no pee hole water...

cj5jeep80

Cadet
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
16
Good morning, I bought this old boat last September, motor is J70TLESB, 1990 Johnson 70 hp

This old thing runs great! I drove it around in the month of September and it really did well for an old motor. Plenty of water coming from the tell tale.

At the end of the year I attempted to run anti-freeze through it using the bucket gravity method (although I had read somewhere it is not so important to use anti-freeze to winterize due to the fact that the motor drains itself when put in the upright position) If I remember correctly it didn't go that well, nothing was exiting the tell tale as I attempted to run anti-freeze through, while injecting some fogging oil into the carbs. It did however drink a bit of the juice so I left it at that for the winter.

I hooked it up to my garden hose this morning and it fired up right away. It ran for about 30 secs or more when I realized no water coming from the tell tale
I shut the motor off and made sure my hose and fittings where free of debris, fired it up again, let it run for aprox 30 seconds and no water, how ever I did notice a small amount of smoke coming from my pee tube(so it's not clogged) maybe a bad thing? I repeated this a couple more times starting and stopping it worried that it might overheat if I continued, I assume the smoke from the pee hole has to do with the fogging oil cause there was a heck of a lot of smoke when the motor started up

From what I have read, sounds like I might need a water pump rebuild kit, I would like to get the thoughts of a knowledgeable person(s), as I am no outboard specialist.

Thank you Rick
 

jakedaawg

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
4,275
Yep pull the lower, Dont forget the bolt under the trim tab or the shift shaft pin under the bottom carb. remove four bolts holding water pump housing and lift off. Replace those parts. Backflush motor through t-stat housing. Reinstall all the pieces and the lower and go boating.
 

cj5jeep80

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Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
16
Hey thanks for such a quick response.

I feel comfortable with all the steps to rebuild the water pump accept the shift shaft pin removal has got me worried. How the heck do I get at it?
I had a look see at it this morning, not sure how to disengage it and hook it back together in the end. Any tips?
 

flyingscott

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
8,234
On the shifting arm by carbs is a clevis pin pull that out. Then push in on the shifting arm and it will release the shift rod.
 

cj5jeep80

Cadet
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
16
Okay I get it. one more thing, should I keep the motor in forward gear? neutral? What's the best position for the shifter to be in?

Thank you very much for your advice, I will attempt this in a few days when the parts arrive
U da greatest!
 

cj5jeep80

Cadet
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
16
Also, should I be buying my replacement kit from Johnson or is there a more affordable source for parts I should know about?. Thanks again
 

jakedaawg

Rear Admiral
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Jun 26, 2012
Messages
4,275
Also, should I be buying my replacement kit from Johnson or is there a more affordable source for parts I should know about?. Thanks again

"Boating is Cheap"; Said NO one ever! Buy OEM in my humble opinion. They are always the right part for the right job with good fit and finish.
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
The antifreeze thing is useless, but it may have been what destroyed your water pump impeller. The bucket would have needed to be deep enough for the entire lower unit to be submerged to a point above the water pump, which it probably wasn't due to the fact that nothing came out of the pee tube while you were doing it. Running it dry like this while trying to fog it probably overheated the rubber impeller and melted it, hopefully bits of the impeller didn't break off and get lodged in the cooling water passage ways.
 

cj5jeep80

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Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
16
Hello Ondarvr I used a bucket full of antifreeze with a hose attachment to my muffs, lifted the bucket 5 ft of the ground and opened the valve to allow it to flow into the muffs....Far from ideal....I must agree with you, this was the end of my impeller. Thx to everyone for all the help
 

jakedaawg

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
4,275
Hello Ondarvr I used a bucket full of antifreeze with a hose attachment to my muffs, lifted the bucket 5 ft of the ground and opened the valve to allow it to flow into the muffs....Far from ideal....I must agree with you, this was the end of my impeller. Thx to everyone for all the help

Yes, all that will do is cause problems. No benefits. Live and learn. I see those kits for sale.and chuckle. It means some wrench will get some work on the spring.
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
38,962
Does the tell tale hose come off the side of the block or off the top ?----There may be a waterpump kit that will solve persistant overheat / center cylinder issues.--See a dealer on that.
 

cj5jeep80

Cadet
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
16
Hello, I just put in my new water pump and I have a couple of questions...First, the existing pump I removed didn't seem to have any O rings yet the kit I received came with 2 rings. After reading the important notice in the instructions it says this pump installs without O rings so I did just that. just wonder why it came with two?

Secondly, I fired up the motor and it began peeing water right away from the tell tale, but I began to see water spitting from the front of the foot where it had not in the past, is that not right or maybe its because my water pump is now working properly

And one last thing, I am having trouble getting the shift rod to hook back up. I removed the foot a couple of times to line it up correctly yet I can't get it to latch for the life of me. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanking you in advance Rick
 

jakedaawg

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
4,275
Water out of various places is usually normal.

To aid installation of shift pin:
Sometimes it is easier to remove the cotter key and pin that holds the plastic linkage on to the metal shift linkage that slides and rotates. This allows you to slide it in further and rotate along it's arc more to aid in engaging the pin. A pair of suitable pliers just under the cowl can also aid in aiming the shift rod to it's best place for engagement with the shift pin and shaft.
 

cj5jeep80

Cadet
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
16
Well I went out this morning and it latch on the first try, I think the shift rod was turning to some degree when I would insert it, so I put a sharpie mark at the bottom of the shaft to align it correctly and the link just popped right in.

You guys have been a ton of help...I think it's great what you do to help people...Can't thank you enough!

Rick
 
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