55 gallon drum for test tank?

rangerfscott

Cadet
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
27
can i test my 200hp merc in a 55 gallon drum of water? i can position the boat high enough to get it in there just wondered if there might be other problems?
 

jimg984

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 16, 2007
Messages
403
Re: 55 gallon drum for test tank?

exhaust fumes will not let it run good get some muffs walmart
 

mrallen007

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
234
Re: 55 gallon drum for test tank?

I'm interested in this. I test my 2hp Johnson in a trash can because I can. The 50hp Merc is not so easy. I've been fighting issues lately that I've narrowed to a bad fuel pump. With the fuel pump bad, the engine would run on the muffs but not when I got it in the water (which was REALLY annoying).

All that aside (mainly because I have a rebuild kit coming for the fuel pump), what sort of different stress does it cause to run an outboard in water versus on muffs? That would be useful to know when tuning an engine in the garage and knowing what to expect on the water...

Any thoughts?
 

bullet 101

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
34
Re: 55 gallon drum for test tank?

I use a 100 gallon Rubbermaid oval tub that i bought from tractor supply.i took a sheet of half inch plywood cut it to fit the tank and notched one end to fit around the midsection,works perfect.
 

rangerfscott

Cadet
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
27
Re: 55 gallon drum for test tank?

good idea bullet. just wanted to test it under a load while it was in the driveway instead of trying to check it out while backed down the ramp or tied up to the dock. i'm off to buy me a tank. thanks.
 
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