1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

[ba_50]

Hi,

This motor has been used in salt water for years. I took the back and side plate off and chipped out all the sand. For awhile, I was able to run some anti-salt solution through the motor but it eventually quit all together. I put a new impeller, gaskets, and seals in the lower unit. I used a small pressure waher to push water up the water tube and out the side plate where the water is supposed to go out. A wire was pushed through as far as I could get it. A mechanic worked on it but that didn't help.
I guess there is a grommet at the top of the water tube that can stop the flow of water.

Is there anything else I can do besides take the powerhead off? I did notice there is an O-ring listed in the parts list to go around the drive shaft, but there is no groove for one, nor did I see one when the top of the water pump came off.

If I do have to take the power head off, is it really necessary to take the starter and carburator off?

That's everything I guess. Thanks. Bob

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

The O ring is located in the top of the water pump. Right at the very top! Probably in there but you did not see it.

The grommet at the top of the water tube is very probably the cause of your problem.

Take a look at my recent post at http://forums.iboats.com/bbBoard.cgi?a=viewthread;fid=28;gtid=1173759

It may take a while to down load the photos. I should have added the as files to the post perhaps but I have never tried that.

You will have to remove the lower unit again and then the power head. You do not have to remove the carb or the starter. In the one in the pictures the clamp assembly has been removed but I did not do that. I unbolted the HT coils and left them hanging on the wiring. If you do that mark them top and bottom as I think there is a possible pitfall if you put them back in the wrong positions.

The one in the pictures has now been rebuilt and is running well on Lake Windermere UK.

 

[ba_50]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

Vic,

Thanks for the help on the 8hp Evinrude. I see you you watch Florida Sportsman too. My Dad thinks he wants a pro to do it. It doesn't look that hard to me even though I don't like working on them. I hate the starter on this motor too. He might change his mind. It would save a bunch of money even though we've put about all it's worth into it. Thanks again. Bob

 

[mikesea]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

I got a trick that might help.Take a wire clothes hanger.Cut,and Straiten it out so its long enough to go into tube and hit grommet.Now smash one end with a hammer until it makes a "blade"sharpen it up a bit. With a cordless drill ,put the unbladed side of the hanger in yhe chuck and slowly and carefully cut through the collapsed grommet.What happens is the salt buldup,chokes the gtommet closed,I have successfully done this with 9.9 and 15 hp many times. Had some failures to. But if you cant get the powerhead bolts out or want a quick fix fo a TEMP.time ,it might work

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

it might work

It might work but you would not want to wreck the grommet to the point where it no longer made a seal beteen the water pipe and the exhaust tube unit and you certainly do not want to allow the copper tube to touch the aluminum parts, esepecially in salt water, or send bits of rubber around the cooling system where they might block a small passage some where.

 

[ba_50]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

What about just pushing the wire through the tube to knock any salt loose? I would have thought using a pressure washer would have cleaned it out if that was the problem and not a grommet.

 

[mikesea]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

The problem is the outer portion of the grommet ,between the cast and the grommet gets so packed with corrosion it causes the grommet that might have a 3/8 opening to close up to a point that it is 1/8 or even less,the blockage is not salt,but the rubber from the grommet itself.This is really a temp. fix,sooner or later the powerhead needs to come off and fixed right.It's not as hard as you may think,as long as the bolts come out

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

Mikesea is absolutely right.
Starts off more like 1/4", maybe 5/16", and can eventually close over completly. It's the aluminum oxide that's formed by corrosion of the aluminum casting that causes the problem. Once the water flow is so restricted that the motor seriously overheats (see the pics in the link in my ealier post) the state of the grommet itself deteriorates as it gets cooked. In the early stages the grommet may be reuseable once the hole it sits in is cleaned up but without doubt it's best renewed except in an emergency.

You may be able tell if it is the grommet that's obstructing the flow by pushing a stout wire up the water tube. If all is well then it will eventually hit something solid but if the grommet is obstructing the flow then you feel something rubbery (the grommet!) with the wire.

 

[ba_50]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

This morning I ran a rod up through the water tube and it felt like the grommet was completely closed. The sides of the piston weren't brown and the cylinders aren't scored. When the block started getting hot I shut it off.

I will get a gasket and take the head off, then trim the grommet. The bolts came loose easily. Will miracles never cease!

 

[OBJ]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

Replace the grommet ba....most dealerships carry them as they are a common part. PN 330426.

 

[ba_50]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

Someone over at FS said to just trim the old one back so it wouldn't happen again. If it melted inward that makes sense. If it was corrosion, maybe it just needs cleaning and trimming?

 

[mikesea]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

Hey bud,you want to put a new grommet in there.In the future ,flush the engine often as possible with fresh water.The grommet wont cost you 2 bucks,shouldnt be a buck ,but its MARINE.You will need to remove the old grommet anyway to clean around it and the copper tube.Glad it will come apart OK.

 

[ba_50]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

So far I got it completely apart. The bolts took some doing. I got the grommet in but messed up the top seal so I have to wait a week to get the two seals.

There are two noise dampening discs that fell off. How do they stay on?

We do flush them but appartently not enough.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

Do you means parts # 100 in this diagram. If so glue them on. I assume when new they are self adhesive.

 

[ba_50]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

Well, I got it all back together tonight and it pumps water real good now. Sucess feels good. Thanks for your support on this one and the others. Still got 4 more to go.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

This was a good thread as I have a '89 evinrude 8hp longshaft that used to run in salt water before I got it... It ran fine for a year or 2 (as a sailboat auxilary) and then the water slowed down to a trickle and I dont use it now for fear of a major overheat... It looks like the same has happened with my engine so I'll pull the pwerhead when I get a chance and check the grommet! thx for the thread... Steve

 

[ba_50]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 8 hp won't circulate water

If you have a digital camera and computer you could take a picture for later when putting it back together. Evinrude.com has good diagrams too.