2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

[KCLOST]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

Did you fix the impeller, the direction of installation? The blades should bend in the opposite direction of turn. They bend counter-clockwise the impeller turns clockwise...<br /><br />An easy test for the poppet valve (you must make sure it is closed at idle and rpms below 3000). Is to first remove the poppet valve assembly.<br /><br />Start up the engine on the muffs, now you need to find something that will plug the hole that the poppet valve seats into. Use the end of a broom stick or something to seal off the water from exiting the block. Now when you do that take a look at your pressure guage, note the pressure, now remove the broom stick and note the pressure again... If you see a signifigant change, that is your problem.. The poppet is not closed and sealing off the water at lower rpms. Was the spring and diaphram ok? Was the grommet and carrier in place? It could be any of those parts that could allow water to bypass before it should.<br /><br />Another thing on the water pump, The pickup tube slides into the exit of the pump housing.. Did you used the guide tube also, and if so, did you use the rubber grommet or washer ring to go around the pick-up tube...<br /><br />Let us know...

 

[ronnieboy]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

poppet spring pressure should be between 5 to 9 pounds of preload pressure, should feel poppet seat while installing mounting bolts. also, main thing is to use new seal at top of water tube, could alow exaust gas to contaminate water jackets. andy knows bout poppets, believe me! good luck ron

 

[180combo]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

Thanks for the replies. <br />Yes, I installed the impeller in a ccw direction which was noted as the direction the old one came out. Testing the poppet assy I actually used the poppet to plug the hole and it does not leak. It fits perfectly and appears to not have anything that would be obstructing it. Now I did not note my water pressure at the time but I did note there was water coming down to the poppet assy from the top of the block, appears an overflow hose. Wouldn't this mean the block is filling? While installing the lower unit back on the motor it seemed the pickup tube seated tightly into the water pump housing. I am really stumped about why I am getting less than 1 psi on a brand new impeller. Something is not adding up.

 

[andy6374]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

New waterpump, new tstats, new poppet assembly???<br /><br />Are you sure the gauge is accurate? Try using a known working gauge and see if you get > 1 psi at idle.<br /><br />If that checks out...<br /><br />Now we are getting into the nitty gritty.<br /><br />Have you removed the cylinder heads to check for blockage in the water jacket?<br /><br />You have a blockage or an air leak somewhere. <br /><br />Could be the the grommet where the watertube enters the powerhead, I dunno.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

Did you install the grommet/rubber band like thing on the water pick-up tube?????<br /><br />Check the damn water pressure with the poppet test... What you do not understand is that water that exits the poppet does not mean that it came from the top of the block. And even it it did it may not reach the water pressure guage fitting depending on where yours is at.. Water exiting the poppet at idle is not what that engine is designed to do... You need to make sure that the poppet is closing when it is assembled (hence my test procedure for water pressure readings that I mentioned earlier).<br /><br />And you need to twist the impeller into the water pump housing in a "clockwise" direction (as looking at it from above).. You have me worried about your statement about "ccw".... That is incorrect!!! The blades should point in a ccw direction only, but the impeller should be installed in a clockwise direction as the driveshaft turns in operation....(AS LOOKING FROM THE TOP OF THE WATER PUMP) And is the impeller key installed????<br /><br />This is driving me nuts....<br /><br />Listen and read Carefully!!!!<br /><br />Let us know...

 

[180combo]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

KC, again thank you for your time and patience. I am doing my very best to work this issue out. To address your questions directly. <br />I did install a new rubber cap seal btwn the pump housing and the water pickup tube, supplied in the repair kit.<br />The poppet assy looks like a dumbell, one end larger diameter than the other. The larger end is the poppet, the smaller end is a hose fitting with a hose coming from the top of the block. water from this hose is also released into the exhaust port. That is all that appears common between them. When I held the poppet valve in place (no water leaking from poppet) water flowed from the hose on the small end of the poppet assembly until I released the poppet valve. then water drained from the poppet and stopped flowing from the top hose. I will do the pressure test as you suggested. <br />The impeller blades are pointing in the ccw direction which was the same direction the old impeller was facing. Yes the impeller key is installed.

 

[andy6374]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

Ok ok...<br /><br />There are a couple different type of poppet setups. Lets figure out which one you have. Do you have a hose coming from the top of the block which goes to the poppet housing? If so... Plug up this hose, put a bolt in it for now and then tighten a hose clamp around it. Just to clarify or if you didn't know...the water coming from this hose doesn't force the poppet open or closed and its actually a vent for air bubbles to escape. The water (or more specific the water pressure) that forces the poppet open or closed comes from within the block aka behind the poppet.<br /><br />So plug up that hose like I said, put the poppet in place and start the engine up. Put the engine in a tank to ensure this isn't a city water pressure problem. If nothing is leaking and the psi gauge is still reading low values your gauge is wrong or you have an air leak somewhere. Did you use any liquid gasket to seal the waterpump housing to the metal wear plate. Sometimes there are air gaps between the two surfaces and this can lead to problems.<br /><br />Good luck and keep posting. We will nail this one

 

[KCLOST]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

That hose coming from the top of the block is used for exactly as Andy mentioned, for air to escape from the top of the block.<br /><br />On my engine, my poppet assembly does not have that hose. I actually have my water pressure guage hose connected there (at the top of the block)...<br /><br />Where is your water pressure hose connected on your engine?<br /><br />And how strong was the flow out of the hose?<br /><br />And Andy also has a good thought on the water pump housing possibly leaking water between it and the wear plate... I had that gasket blow out on my motor once while on the lake. And it was a very small area only 1 inch of gasket lost. I lost almost all water pressure (only read 1-2psi). Had to limp back to the ramp.

 

[180combo]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

Andy, yes that is the type of poppet I have. So closing off this hose is for testing purposes? Yes, I realized this water had nothing to do with the poppet valve. I think of it as kinda an overflow.<br /><br />I did not use any liquid gaskets. I used the two new gaskets supplied in the rebuild kit. Metal wear plate between the 2 new gaskets.<br /><br />KC, I am not sure where my pressure gauge is located, i will see if I can find it on the parts drawings. The water volume out of this vent tube was seemed pretty good, hard to say what kind of rate it flowed.<br /><br />Could have have messed up putting the new parts of the water pump back together and have a leak somewhere? Sure I could have but the old impeller did not appear very badly worn and the pressures did not change at all with the new stuff. I am going to open everything back up this weekend and have another look. Hey, before it's all over I will be pretty confortable removing things on this engine. <br />Thanks again guy's for your help.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

A couple of things to look at on the water pump. Make sure that the metal plate is not upside down. Make sure that there isn't any gasket damage. And make sure you torque all the screws/nuts to the proper level as indicated in the manual. <br /><br />Question, does your water pump have a pickup guide tube on it. It would be a tube about 4-5 inches long, white in color that helps you line up the pickup tube into the water pump housing exit?<br /><br />You can also test the water pump housing after you take the lower unit off.<br /><br />Hook up the muffs to the lower unit tightly, turn on the water hose as high as it will go. Now put your hand over the water pump it and see if you have any water leaks around the housing.

 

[180combo]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

The metal plate has a sort of a ramp, that if turn over would shred the impeller if I remember it correctly, so I am pretty sure it is correctly installed. <br />It does have a guide tube but for the life of me could not figure out how it was really helping me. Could you discribe how it actually is supposed to work?<br />Great idea for testing the housing for leaks... will definitley do that as well.

 

[180combo]

Re: 2001 135 Optimax overheating at idle

OK guys I found it!<br />Thank you goes out to everyone for the time it took you to read and post here. The knowledge and willingness to share it was awesome. Thanks again. <br />So here is the deal. summation of what I did.<br />Replaced t-stats, no change. <br />replaced poppet, no change.<br />Installed a new impeller housing/impeller. No change. <br />So on the suggestions of those on this forum I removed the lower unit again to do some testing. Once the lower unit was removed I backflushed the engine from the t-stats, capturing the water in a bucket to see if anything was discharged during the flushing. Nothing, just clean water. So I moved over to the lower unit, to put the muffs on it to test for any leaks in the impeller housing. While setting up for this test I looked down the throat of the housing I noticed what appears to be blockage. So guess what it is? Appears the new impeller housing already had a gromet seal installed and I installed a second one on top of the 1st. Both were in the new kit. So when I installed the lower unit I caused the bottom gromet to collapse and block the flow of water. With only one gromet I installed the lower unit and started the motor on the muffs. 2 PSI !!!! before was only getting .5 PSI. Once the t-stats opened the pressure fell to 1.3 PSI at idle. MUch better. Took the boat to the lake, in the water over 2PSI. Ran up the lake and back at WOT, nearly 20 PSI at WOT. Then extended idle would get the temp only to about 158 degrees. <br />So it was the impeller after all. Would have been an easy fix had I installed the lower unit correctly. (with only one grommet)<br />Thanks again guys!

 

[Paul LSkog]

Iam pretty confused about the block vent line on top of the motor i have 2 lines comming off top of my block one is small anout 1/4 inch line and the other line is maybe 1/2 inch looks like it might go to popitt valve are both these lines air vent lines to vent air from the block .

 

[GA_Boater]

Iam pretty confused about the block vent line on top of the motor i have 2 lines comming off top of my block one is small anout 1/4 inch line and the other line is maybe 1/2 inch looks like it might go to popitt valve are both these lines air vent lines to vent air from the block .

This thread is from 2006. You should start a new thread to get some help. Old and inactive threads are usually ignored by our members.

Closed.