(update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

[wildmaninal]

I got this little 1959 5.5hp Johnson (CD-16 I believe) motor back together for the 2nd time and it is not pumping water. I installed another impeller in this durring the first time I had this apart. It has spit oil out of the exaust but no water to my knowledge. When I put the foot back on both times I made sure the water pump met up with the water tube. I could blow through each hole with 120 PSI. I took a water hose to it with a nozzle, with the motor off I sprayed it up the port with the motor standing up and it will not come out the exaust port, I lay the motor down and it will come out the exaust port when spraying.

I'm running it by pooring gas and oil mixed into the carb, I don't have a tank for the motor yet.

Yes the motor does seem to get hot to the touch for what little I've had it running but it doesn't sizzle the water when I drip it on the block.

This is the motor I got freed up, it was frozen from sitting.

I have no earthly idea what the problem could be.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

just had a similar problem on a 7.5 hp 1954. If the water pump housing it not seated fully it can suck air and not water. I would check that.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Well that would sure suck . I thought I picked the better of the 2 water pump housings but I may of missed something when inspecting the housing. From what I seen the housing was in great shape but my untrained eye may not of caught any deffects or seen that it was not seated.

I had my hand under the exaust when running the motor and when it did shoot out the oil it shot out a bunch. I was thinking about building a flushing plate for the motor.

 

[boggi]

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

sometimes the water delivery tube will come loose from the head when the lower unit is removed.check that the water delivery tube hasn't come loose or is blocked from the water jacket onthe engine by simply connecting a water hose to the lower end of the tube. see if the water is coming out where its supposed to. if your able to crank the motor and verify that it is cooling properly that should help you to know it's connected , open , & the cooling channels in the block are not too badly cruded up with old dried vegetation and sand either. hope it helps

 

[F_R]

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

What brand of impeller are you using? Sierra made a bunch of them that are too thick.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

The impeller is new old stock that I got from a retired boat mechanic. I believe it is BRP.

The tube isn't clogged, I did check that. Last I checked it was still in place, what happened between that time I slide the foot in place and bolted it down I don't know anything is possible.

I have another impeller just like the one I installed and the other housing, I was thinking of installing the impeller in that housing and set it on the work bench to see if it sits tight against it without any space in between the housing and the bench.

Thanks for the help so far guys.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Re: Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Well I tested the other impeller out in the water pump housing (as I mentioned earlier) and it did seal with a little preasure put on to of the housing, I tried to slide a piece of paper under the housing and it would not go.

Thought about taking the foot loose from the lower unit and let it drop that little bit without taking the powerhead back off and see what might be going on make sure that the water pump is sealed.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Well I undone the foot and let it drop down so I could have a look see and it does look to be sealed. I put silicon on the bottom of the water pump housing the second time I had it apart and it is all squeezed out from bolting it down. I built myself a flushing device to bolt up to the foot, and it will push the water through the exaust port the motor did not overheat. After running it for a little bit on the flushing device I shut it down and put the motor back in the barrel and it would not pump the water. Thought about putting a radiator on the darn thing .

I guess I'll half to pull the powerhead once again and see what the heck might be happening

 

[jbjennings]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Hey manimal,
You did get the impeller key in, right?
Just a thought, sometimes I forget the obvious when I can't figure one out.
How high is water level in the bucket you're running it in? The higher, the better.
JBJ

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

The impeller key is in, the water level is 3 to 4 inches below the exaust port. I took the blessed motor back apart again and changed the impeller out this time and did the best I could to make sure this housing was seated correctly.

I put everything back together and put the motor in the barrel and it would not put the water out still. I have the impeller turned clock wise, when I took the housing off this time (the 3rd time) the the ears were going in different directions. Please tell me that I didn't screw up and put the impeller in wrong.

I'm about to run it again to see what happens just for the heck of it, it put just a little water out towards the end when I decided to shut her down.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

If the blades were going different directions, you turned the shaft in the wrong direction when putting the cover over the impeller. If you turned it clockwise this time, you should be in good shape. I've done it, too, so don't feel too bad. It's especially easy when you work on two brands; I think mercs are counterclockwise.
JBJ

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Well I'm glad I didn't mess the impeller direction up. I was also going by my manual for a bigger newer motor for a little help. I ran the motor again and still no water , I believe the exaust splashing the water just made it look like water was coming out.

What to do? I can't pull my hair out because it's to short . The key for the imepeller looks to be in decent shape, I don't think it is to warn to do its job. Could there be something in the power head clogged up, but running it on my flush attachment shows that water is getting through. I am puzzled...Could I have a blown head gasket? Would that cause this problem?

 

[jbjennings]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Hey Manimal,
I don't understand where you put the silicon....Is this the type of waterpump where you have the bottom plate where the driveshaft seal is, then the thin stainless plate, then the impeller, then the pump housing on top? If so, where could you have put the silicon? have you checked to be sure that the passages that allow water into the pump are not obstructed? How about a pinched grommet at the top of the water tube. A blown head gasket I wouldn't thing would be possible to stop all of the water flow.
Have you tried the drill thing with the lower unit to see if it pumps water? You know, chuck the driveshaft into the drill and spin it in a bucket to see if it shoots water out the top of the pump? At this point, I'd say that is what you should do. Myself, I think something has obstructed the inlet or outlet from the pump. Check the pump cover as well for any obstructions. I hope you find it, you've got me curious for sure now.
Good luck,
JBJ

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

I didn't bother with the silicon the last time I put it together. I know what the problem is and I can only blame myself because the impellers were just given to me (after I told the man what I needed them for), the impeller hole for the shaft is to big :redface:. Yes the one impeller is new old stock out of package. I'm pretty sure this is what the problem is, it will catch the impeller and turn it but it has to much play in it where it will not allow it to pump properly.

I talked to somebody just a few minutes ago about getting another impeller and I'm supposed to go get it tomorrow if he has one, I got to go up and see him anyhow so I'll just dig through what he has left in his stock and see what I can find.

Sorry about this thread guys I thank you for your time, it didn't dawn on me that the impeller was the wrong one all together. Live and learn the hard way.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Rats, he gave you impellers for 10, 15, and 18hp's. they have a larger shaft than the 7.5 and 5.5. That stinks to find out what the problem is and not have the part to go ahead and fix the problem. I've got a 7.5 apart that I've been waiting for over a week to get a head gasket for and I've been bragging about laing's speedy shipping. Kind of disappointed this week.
At least you found out what the prob. was.
Later,
JBJ

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: (update) Thought I had this 5.5hp fixed.

Rats, he gave you impellers for 10, 15, and 18hp's. they have a larger shaft than the 7.5 and 5.5. That stinks to find out what the problem is and not have the part to go ahead and fix the problem.
JBJ

Yep tell me about it, I'm glad I had sense enough not to run that motor for a long time, that would be a heck of a note to burn that little motor up that I had to travel nearly 400 mile for round trip. I did run it on the flushing device earlier and it does run like a top at least with the gas being fed through the carb, still got to find a tank or convert it over.