Water tube guide necessary?

[CheapboatKev]

Hey brothers in boats...

Yes..this may be a stupid question, I apologize for my ignorance..But you guys are curing that problem one post at a time..lol

If necessary, can a water tube guide be fab'd from anything? PVC? Copper?

I now realized my water tube guide was melted/damaged from prev owner.

I just went through an impeller change (other posts) and it really didnt hit me that the tube guide was bad as well. Damaged may be taking it easy..how bout melting away and looks like a burnt potato chip..

I assumed that when the upper and lower went together, the metal tube in the upper unit would sit down into the water housing..Is this true or will water NEVER get up into the metal tube to flow?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Water tube guide necessary?

didn't ya get one with your mercruser impeller replacement kit. i did with mine. that said, it is nothing more than a hard plastic tube (no idea what ya could fab one out of, it's kinda thin thickness wise). ya put the guide in the waterpump housing and the copper tube in the waterpocket cover. as far as i can tell. the guide does nothing more than be a guide to be sure the water pipe goes into the waterpump housing during assembly. yep, they melt pretty bad with an overheat don't they... i know too....
if ya still got yer two halves on the bench, i' wouldn't think ya'd even need it as ya can see the water pipe during assembly. the waterpump housing is harder to see, but i beleive you could help guide the pipe with your fingers into the waterpump housing. but that's pure speculation as i've always used the guide that comes with the oem kit.

yes, the pipe fits into the waterpump housing on one end. the water pocket cover on the other. it's the the route water takes between the lower and upper on it's way towards the engine...

 

[Don S]

Re: Water tube guide necessary?

I assumed that when the upper and lower went together, the metal tube in the upper unit would sit down into the water housing..Is this true or will water NEVER get up into the metal tube to flow?

That's all the tube does, it makes it easier to line up the tube where it goes into the water pump. It's not needed once the tube is in the pump. Just be sure to look in through the front of the drive and make sure the tube actually is in the pump, and not beside it.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Water tube guide necessary?

Thanks guys.
One less thing to worry about

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Water tube guide necessary?

It makes me wonder however if that doesn't explain the difficulty you were having joining the two halves in your other post. Without the tube, it would be very difficult to line up the water pipe.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Water tube guide necessary?

i think it's hard to line up the water tube even with the guide in place. especially when your putting the lower back on the upper with the upper still on the boat.. all the times i've tried and failed on the boat i've always felt it was the watertube and guide that prevented me from mating the two halve. just the way i feel about it.. i just put mine back together a day or two ago on the bench again. man, that is as easy as it gets... 1st try....