88spl water pressure problem

[friedcola2]

1996 88 spl, J88TSLEDR. When running (on the hose), engine water pressure is very low, but does come out of tale-tell, and is gushing out from under the cowling at front of engine. alarm goes off. With the engine off, I connected the hose to each of the water hoses going into the heads and water gushes from under the cowling. I removed the lower unit and connected the hose to the pipe coming from the pump to the engine, same thing again. Had head gaskets replaced last week, new thermostats installed and oil leak at crankcase fixed. Any help is appreciated.

 

[DJ]

Re: 88spl water pressure problem

You have, in my opinion, a leak at the base engine gasket. That would be the seal between the engine block and the mid section of the leg.

 

[ob]

Re: 88spl water pressure problem

From your description ,sounds like the leak is either the thermostat housing gasket or the exhaust housing adapter gasket on the bottom of the powerhead.<br /><br />edit: ooops.DJ has you covered.

 

[DJ]

Re: 88spl water pressure problem

OB may be correct also.<br /><br />However, if your repair facility removed the powerhead to fix your oil leak, they missed something.

 

[friedcola2]

Re: 88spl water pressure problem

Thanks for the quick response...Where/how does the water flow from the pump? Through the heads then the thermostats then out the exhaust? I noticed that water is coming out through the hub, but no water at the holes at the rear above the prop (by the anode) where it usually does (and is warm).

 

[friedcola2]

Re: 88spl water pressure problem

The power head to exhaust adapter gasket is new and in place, same for the thermostat housing gaskets. When I connected the hose to the water pump inlet tube, there is very little flow going through either one of the heads and no water coming out of the inner exhaust housing. If something is restricting the flow of water through the engine where would be the best place to look with the symtoms described in my original post?