Trouble Peeing

[CalicoKid]

Hello All, I'm in the process of adding a water pressure gauge and fixing other things on my 1988 110hp Johnson this winter. I'm stuck now because it's just too cold even in the boathouse, and I'd like to introduce a problem I've been having for discussion.<br /><br />The Johnson has always worked well for me, but sometimes when I start it up there is no water coming from the indicator. While this is going on I can see water coming from the exhaust bypass on the back of the leg so I know its pumping, and I've even run it 10 minutes or so with no indicator stream. If I shut down and pull the hose from the cowling nozzle and blow in it then re-start I immediately get a good stream.<br /><br />I replaced the impeller this summer, the old one was in great shape. The motor never runs hot or otherwise badly. When pulling the old impeller I removed a lot of sand from passages and voids in the leg that appear to go nowhere. It was really packed in there. Most of my operating is on a shallow sandy river.<br /><br />Since I have to tee into the indicator plumbing for the water pressure gauge I'm thinking it won't be too accurate if there is a problem with the indicator itself. Any suggestions on detecting and clearing any blockages? I don't think I have any fittings for flushing the motor out other than with muffs. I'd think a good back-flushing would do the trick but how? Would I do damage if I temporarily threaded a fitting with a bigger ID into the motor and ran the motor with no cowl to let the water really gush out of the back of the motor? Or maybe no fitting at all?<br /><br />Thanks for reading, Think Spring!

 

[OBJ]

Re: Trouble Peeing

What ya' can try is blowing back with some compressed air. Sometimes that's enough to get rid of or break up any clot. If that don't work, unscrew the little plastic elbow from the exhaust housing and run the engine. Yeah the water will fly so you may want to cover the area with something. Let it flush for a few minutes. Won't hurt the engine. Then put the elbow back in and make sure it's open as well as the tell tale hose and see if that fixes the pee stream.<br /><br />Keep us posted.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Trouble Peeing

Thanks OBJ, I wasn't sure if I would do damage or not with the lack of backpressure from pulling the elbow off. I'll start with compressed air but won't be running the engine until the weather gets warmer. That could be a few months. I've got a couple of other uprades going on this boat this winter. I'll be posting when she's back on the river this spring!<br /><br />Oh, would I get beter results flushing with the engine hot? Does it matter whether the thermostats are open or closed?

 

[OBJ]

Re: Trouble Peeing

Most of the time it's something right there at the pee hole connection...a chunk of crude or corrosion. You'll be getting the water directly from the pump so I don't think the t-stat being open would make any difference.<br /><br />Keep us up to date. Thanks.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Trouble Peeing

OK, Thanks again. I'll not be running the engine until spring since its drained down and in a dry building for winter. I will post once I get her cleaned out and running this spring.<br /><br />As always, I really appreciate the help!<br />Calico

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Trouble Peeing

hello<br /> we also flush sand here sometime by removing the hoses from the heads and placing longer pieces to the heads and direct them out of the cowl then run the engine for a few min on the flusher lets the sand get stirred up and out. but sometimes after running aground ya just have to pull the heads and clean it.<br /> good luck and keep posting

 

[Solittle]

Re: Trouble Peeing

Make sure that you replace any of the tie wraps that secure the hoses - preferably with the marine variety. Water spurtin around under an engine cover gets sucked into the carbs which ain't good.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Trouble Peeing

Yeah sand is great! I'm glad I'm getting some more good suggestions. I'm waiting for a February thaw when I can stand to work on the boat and I'll check out all the passages I can get to from the outside of the motor. I don't want to pull the heads if I don't have to! If I'm finding lots of sand in the pasages I can get to I'll explore that option though.<br /><br />Is there any reason I can't use stainless hoseclamps for my cooling hoses? I've replaced a couple of broken tie wraps with them already.<br /><br />Thanks much!<br />Calico

 

[OBJ]

Re: Trouble Peeing

Just don't over tighten the clamps to the point of squeezing rubber out the little slots in the clamps. Lots of people do this and end up ruining the hose ends.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Trouble Peeing

Gotcha, Treat them like heater hoses (in a car) right?<br /><br />Thanks!