1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

[anzomcik]

I have a 1996 faststrike 115 (60 degree v4) , I just repowered with it. When I got it, it has a weak pee stream. So I changed the impeller, not much of a difference. So I change the whole housing and plates, gaskets... not much change.

I had been running it a fair amount and never had an issue.

Tonight I put it on the ear muffs and was thinking of why the stream was still weak. I fired it up and just by chance I had my infrared thermometer handy. I checked the motor after 30 seconds of running it was at 110 degrees. I thought it was kind quick, so I let it idle a little more and I shut the motor off at 210 degrees. I got no warning beeps at all.

So I let it cool and I opened the screw cap a on the top of each block and come to find out, this motor didn't have thermostats in it.

Was this a trick to keep the motor cooler at high speeds? or what logical reason could this be done?

1. Do you think getting thermostats in the motor will solve my weak pee stream? (I couldn't find a flow diagram for the motor to see for myself)
2. The motor still runs good and have gone long distance with out them, but is there a reason to do this.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

Get some thermos in it and your pee stream may get better. Also you shouldn't run the mtr without them.

 

[Abomb27]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

From what I have read in forums the only reason someone would pull the thermostats is because they had overheating issues. I had an overheating issues on my 115 turbojet and it turned out I had some debris in the water jacket causing a restriction giving me a slow overheat.

 

[anzomcik]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

I got my parts on order, they will be here in a day or two.

Since I got some time I was monkeying around testing different things.

I removed the plugs that hold in the thermostats in place and hooked up the muffs and started the motor, i hoped to see water fill up in the cylinder. No water what so ever got anywhere near the upper part of the cylinders. I even plugged up the tattle stream trying to fill up the motor. it made no difference.

I also tried to fill the cylinder water jacket with the hose direct to see if maybe there was a blockage, the hose couldn't fill it as it was coming out the prop and small holes in the forward part of the LU.

When I replaced the water pump a few weeks ago, I removed the tattle stream plug, it has the same thread as a garden hose. So I screwed in the garden hose and turned it on, water shot out the tube that water pump connects to (the LU was removed at that time)

I may have a blockage? Any ideas or any one with a water flow diagram for this motor? My manual falls short in that area, well the manual is barely adequate over all

I hope, but find it hard to believe that Thermostats will be cure all answer with what I am faceing.

I might pull the LU again and take a look from the bottom up.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

FWIW, I have the V6 version of that motor. I have 20 PSI of water pressure at planing speed and it pegs the pressure gauge at high speed. I also do not have any faith that installing thermostats will fix it.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

Better look at your water pump and water tube again. With the thermo covers off and the mtr running the water should have gushed out of them.

 

[anzomcik]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

I pulled the LU and tube and water pump and all the water channels in the LU good look and clear.

This is leading me to believe that I have a blockage.

Anyone with advise on removing or diagnosing obstructions?

 

[Fed]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

Did you check the impeller key was in there?

 

[anzomcik]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

Yes it is in place, I had to remove it to see if I had junk blocking the intake.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

If your LU is still off slip the hose onto the water intake pipe that feeds up into the motor

 

[anzomcik]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

Update, I removed the cylinder head so I can change out the thermostat seal. Everything looks good I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I poked around with a flash light looking in the water jacket, from what little I could see nothing stood out

My new O-rings for the head and thermostats will be here tomorrow. Once I button the head back on I will give the water tube that runs up the mid section a hose out and hope I can get water to come out the thermostat plugs.

I hope I don't have to pull the power head to find a clog.

 

[Fed]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

So I let it cool and I opened the screw cap a on the top of each block and come to find out, this motor didn't have thermostats in it.

Aren't your thermostats at the bottom of the block like normal?

 

[anzomcik]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

No they are at the very top of the cylinders, one on each side (one for each pair of cylinders).

 

[anzomcik]

Re: 1996 faststrike 115 Thermostat question

Ok, I got the new orings and bolted the heads back on. Then I did what Bosonsmate asked. I stuck the garden hose tight to the water pick up tube, the LU was removed.

It took at least a minute before I had any water up near the thermostat plugs, also I had to keep my thumb over the tattle stream hole for it to get that much water (I had the tattle stream plug removed so it was really the size of the garden hose that's why I needed to plug it)

Once the water got to the top of the thermostat holes it was a small trickle and there was a ton of pressure on my thumb holding back the water from tattle stream and like wise with holding the hose to the water pick up pipe.

So my thought is now I must have a blockage?

What is baffling me, is when I pour water in the thermostat plug hole (either pour or stick the hose in it and let it run) that water runs out like there's no tomorrow, but it takes a lot of pressure and some time to get water up in the motor. I understand gravity is playing a part but even still it isn't even close.

So unless somebody has a recommendation on what to do I think the next thing is to pull the power head, which I didn't want to do.

Does it sound like I have junk blocking my water at the top of the midsection/base of powerhead?