2014 Mag350 300HP w/ Bravo I

[bajaunderground]

Couple of questions regarding my buddies 2014 (motor and outdrive above).

Is it normal for one side to show more water when running on muffs?

Is it normal for one side to get warmer?

Does the Bravo I have a "low water pick-up" on the nose cone like a Mercury/Mariner Sportmaster Case?

Because of local lake's requirements about the invasive zebra mussel; any boat not tagged for the lake you're putting into (he won't allow them to place a tag on his boat, as it might scratch his trailer) the boat must be purged on ear muffs with 140˚ water showing out the exhaust. His concern is the his impeller might have been damaged when the parks department used their ear muffs without anything on the low water pick-ups. I was there when this was completed last (so I could clamp the ear muffs on, not slide them on, to avoid scratching) I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, water seemed to flow out the exhaust (he also has a captains call type as well). He claims less water flows out (not sure if happened before, due to never run on muffs?)

Boat doesn't overheat and runs around 140˚?

Thanks,

~Brett

 

[BrianNJ]

As long as there is water flowing, it should keep the impeller sufficiently cool and shouldn't be damaged. However, if there isn't good water flow, it wouldn't surprise me if there is better flow and cooling on one side of the engine. As I understand it, a low water pickup is an option. I hope this helps a bit.

 

[Fun Times]

Most of the newer Bravo ones do have the low water pickup at the nose. If the drive has both side pickups and nose pickups and you use the side pickups, then you "need" to block the lower nose pickup with something like duct tape. By not blocking the lower holes, you're doing damage to your impeller each time you run it. From my past experience of asking customers with worn impellers that run a B1 drive, usually within the 8th run on the garden hose without plugging the lower pickup, they had an early severe impeller failure while boating.

It's not uncommon for one side to run a little warmer than the other or show a little difference in water flow volume.

Being an 2014, dose he have the catalyst exhaust system?

While 140 is a little on the cool side since he should have 160 degree thermostat, being your running in Colorado your lake water temps are probably still on the cooler side? 50ish degrees?

 

[bajaunderground]

Most of the newer Bravo ones do have the low water pickup at the nose. If the drive has both side pickups and nose pickups and you use the side pickups, then you "need" to block the lower nose pickup with something like duct tape. By not blocking the lower holes, you're doing damage to your impeller each time you run it. From my past experience of asking customers with worn impellers that run a B1 drive, usually within the 8th run on the garden hose without plugging the lower pickup, they had an early severe impeller failure while boating. We're replacing this weekend just to be sure? Any future ear muff testing the LWP will be taped!

It's not uncommon for one side to run a little warmer than the other or show a little difference in water flow volume.

Being an 2014, dose he have the catalyst exhaust system? Yes

While 140 is a little on the cool side since he should have 160 degree thermostat, being your running in Colorado your lake water temps are probably still on the cooler side? 50ish degrees? I'm not sure what size, I will defer to your knowledge about the temp?

Thanks for the good response!!!

~Brett

 

[Fun Times]

Honestly if he's only ran it the one time for a short amount of time, and he just bought the boat late last year, then a new impeller may be a little over kill right now if everything appears to be fine. While he was sucking "some air", he was also having a decent amount of water mixing in as well.

I've heard of the new 140 degree water to help kill the mussels, I'm just not sure (if any?) what damage/effect 140* would/could do to a rubber impeller. Probably nothing, but maybe someone will know if they read this.

On you're friends engine model, standard cooling uses a 160 degree while the closed cooling uses a 170* thermostat.

It not all that uncommon to see a little lower engine temps while "running" in really cool lake water.