overheating L drive

[frisky59]

If someone could help me please. Ijust purchased an L drive Bayliner. The overheat alarm keeps going off and I have already replaced the impeller in the lower unit.

 

[JustJason]

Re: overheating L drive

Can you return the boat?

If an L drive was a cocktail it would go something like this....

2 parts bad idea
1 part spirits of red headed step child
3 parts abortion
Garnish with fresh abomination

Sorry my friend... but I don't believe you'll find any L drive experts here. If your intent on keeping the boat you (which personnally I'd advise against... And i've never even seen yours) Your really going to have to buy yourself a factory service manual and follow the book on it.

I could tell you to check the normal stuff in an overheat situation... such as the raw water pump, the thermostat, etc... but I couldn't tell you what, how, or why to actually perform procedures on that rig.

Good luck!!!

And Welcome to Iboats

ps~ Don't let what I wrote turn you off to this site... There are many more people here with MUCH better attitudes than mine

 

[dubs283]

Re: overheating L drive

what year bayliner??

motor??

drive??

serial number??

 

[JustJason]

Re: overheating L drive

what year bayliner??

motor??

drive??

serial number??

That stuff doesn't matter.... it's an L drive.... that's all anybody needs to know.

 

[frisky59]

Re: overheating L drive

Its an 89 Capri, Ive only owned it a week and Im sorry I bought it. I work on cars but this engine looks Japanese. I have been considering swapping in an out board, but cant find any cheap enough so it looks as though Im stuck fixing this one. The engine runs great other than overheating after running 3/4 throttle for 5-10 minutes.

 

[JustJason]

Re: overheating L drive

If you were MY client my advice to YOU would be this....

Cut your losses and dump the boat for whatever you can get for it.... Cut your losses.
If it has an issue.... figure out if it's more cost effective to fix it and sell it in a running condition... or sell it as is. Either way... pass on your problems to somebody else.

Your not going to convert anything that was originally an L drive.... Not unless you have tons of time, tons of money, and live near oops....

 

[daydreamer1252]

Re: overheating L drive

Well frisky.......Looks like you have an interesting time ahead.

The only thing I could suggest is to get to the "Force and Chrysler outboards" forum. If memory serves the power head of that L drive is a Force/Chrysler. They may be more familiar with the workings of MOST of it over there. Hope they can help. Good luck...

 

[forceboy]

Re: overheating L drive

Wow - justjason - not a lot of help!

Frisky - I have the same boat and the same problem. I'll tell you what I have been told - #1 - check compression - bad head or exhaust gasket is always a culprit, #2 - obsrtuction somewhere in the system - try taking out thermostat and flushing with water from top down, #3 - I think this may be my problem - there should be a tube from discharge on water pump that goes up into leg to direct water into top end. Don't know what happened to mine, but was not there. I stuck a piece of PVC pipe in there a couple of weekends ago and motor ran great. Last weekend, alarm went off again - going to drop foot again and see if something happened to the tube -- I believe it should be brass - may have split PVC tube. Going to drop it tonight - I'll let you know.

 

[roscoe]

Re: overheating L drive

Forceboy, The water tube going up, from the pump, is just copper tubing. Can get at any hardware store.

Frisky, do what forceboy suggests. Backflush the system with a garden hose, just hold it up against the thermostat port after removing the thermostat.

And yes, your motor is a Force 2 stroke powerhead. If it is 3 cylinder, it is 85 hp. If a 4 cylinder, 125 hp.

All repair and tuning procedures for the outboard version apply to your powerhead,
There are only a couple internal parts that are different.

The real issue with the l-drive, is the "L". parts for the drive are extremely hard to find, but fortunately most are common auto mobile parts.

The lower unit is the same as the outboard version.

 

[forceboy]

Re: overheating L drive

Roscoe - I put a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe in my discharge - it was kind of sloppy in the water pump, but too tight to fit into leg? Does it have a step down in it or does it juast but up against leg?

 

[roscoe]

Re: overheating L drive

don't know, I've only seen one taken apart once, and I wasn't the one working on it.

 

[frisky59]

Re: overheating L drive

Unfortunately Im married to this thing, I appreciate the advice though. Also can someone tell me where the t-stat is located as it is very hard to see behind the engine. Im assuming I have the 125 HP because it is a 4 cyl.

 

[roscoe]

Re: overheating L drive

There is a small cover just above the top sparkplug, thermostat inside.

 

[frisky59]

Re: overheating L drive

Thats great thank you so much, couldnt find one anywhere. Im going out right now to take a look.

 

[frisky59]

Re: overheating L drive

Found the t-stat. Man was this thing clogged. This has to be my problem, thanks again for the info.