Coolant blockage '89 50 HP johnson

[coachmendave]

Can't get water to the power head? How do I clear the blockage? Pull the head gasket maybe. I have ran water hose in empty thermostat housing, into the rooster tail port and up the water tube. Replaced the water pump and no luck. Any ideas? Any thing would be appreciated.

 

[boobie]

When you replaced the water pump were any pieces missing off of it ??

 

[scrapper042000]

if that motor is a true 1989 ,it would have a 3 blade impeller ,the last 2 I replaced this month ,have a cone shaped rubber grommet on top of the water pump housing that buts up against the exhaust leg (motor ) as you lift it back into place ,I know both of mine were cracked and my impellers looked good but they would not pump water until I replaced them and the rubber grommet ,otherwise if you have the copper tube ,I guess I usually blow air through them from underneath when the lower unit is removed and about 5 out of 10 the the tell tale hose coming out the side of the motor is plugged ,and I believe your plastic tapered key on the driveshaft for the impeller will only go together one way .......

 

[coachmendave]

The boat sat for 4 years. Runs as smooth as a new one. The old impeller looked like a new one. I ran a coat hanger up the tube and found nothing. I can't get water up the tube so the blockage
must be higher. Water flows. Freely down from down from all openings. Frustrated to say the least. Maybe a plumbing auger!!

 

[scrapper042000]

whats the model number off of tag near the center on the back part of the transom brackect ... I have adapted a hose to the the tube if you have the copper tube coming down from the power head and ran water through it as well as using air pressure ...lets see what you have for a model number first ..maybe I can help I will sure try ...take a deep breath and don't get mad at it ......one more thing when you ran it did you notice steam or exhaust coming out the tell tale (pee hole )on the side of the motor ...

 

[scrapper042000]

i didn't notice if you had taken the hose off from the tell tale to the water passage cover that the other end of the hose hooks up to (elbow) you probably have already ,I have had so many after they sat they were plugged from silt,sand ,bugs ,etc

 

[coachmendave]

The model # is J50BEL CEC. The tell tail pipe had bees junk in it when I cleaned it out. A wire was pushed to the bottom of the block after removing the lower unit again. I have flushed every water port starting at the thermostat housing, rooster tail fitting and gave great water flow. Flushed up the tube with the lower unit off. Water will not pass into the power head. Is that normal?

 

[coachmendave]

How do I / can I test the water pump other than installing the lower unit? Should the drive shaft be hard to turn? The former owner said the controls would shift but no trlhottle. Had to use fast idle to use but ran great, real fast boat. Any ideas?

 

[scrapper042000]

water pumps well about the only way I have ever been able to do that is of course a socket that fits the top of the shaft and spin it in a tube of water ,but I should not recommend that due to the possibility of messing up your driveshaft splines ,that is very crude but I have not seen another method ,ive only had to due that once .....back up a sec your impeller 3 blade ?or multi blade ? copper tube going up the exhaust leg ?or rubber gromment on top of the wp housing ? ...ok both of course have a plastic key and if that is in place it has to pump (keep in mind when impellar spins clockwise (same direction as flywheel of course ,so that your blades are in properly upon assembly .......no throttle ok well unhook cable from motor and try lifting warm up lever (flat style on top of control) and watch the cable to see how it responds ....some loosen up inside of the controls leaving you with minimal movement ...and check throttle lever movement by hand with motor off and you should have some friction but able to move using one finger .........simple system on this motor ....let me know what you find

 

[scrapper042000]

ooops tub of water ..not tube ..sorry and spin driveshaft clockwise direction .same as normal operation

 

[scrapper042000]

yes that driveshaft turns hard by hand (rubber impellar =friction )blades of course are compressed against walls of the inner water pump housing to create suction ...usally use a little veggie oil or similar when assemblying the pump ..........with pump removed driveshaft will spin fairly easy of course if lower unit is in neutral ........

 

[scrapper042000]

number 1) make sure hose is clear from tell tale to motor .2)if clear put a rubber hose on to left side of motor (water manifold )where tell tale hose was hooked to and blow air through there .and this would be with lower unit off (so the air will come down the copper tube )..if none of that works you have calcium blocking the water port or in some cases pieces of rubber water pump if there your old impeller was trashed ,usually evin/Johnson waterpumps are thick enough they generally don't do that mercs very common for that

 

[scrapper042000]

and you stated I see your old impeller didn't look to bad ,(the rubber blades sometimes just loose tension against the sidewall of the waterpump housing .....probably will need to work air pressure back and forth from both ends until it lets loose and or take and fill the motor with hydrogen peroxide or maybe safer use vinegar and clean the powerhead out like a coffee pot that would save you from removing the powerhead ......

 

[coachmendave]

Thanks I will try it. Sorry I worked a Cub Scout day camp last week and wasn't available. Glad to be retired and lots of extra time!!! Lol

 

[scrapper042000]

how did turn out on your motor ? ive been so busy I haven't been on here in a while

 

[coachmendave]

No water thru rooster tail. Flushed up water tube, thru thermostat housing an tell tale pipe. Water here except rooster tail. Can't get a wire in it clean it out, right angles an inch inside the fitting. frustrating

 

[coachmendave]

Maybe I am being too cautious. I am going to put the lower unit back on and take it to the lake. I cant get a wire up into the rooster tail pipe and water just goes out the lower unit. I have flushed every hole and have a good flow. isn't it normal to get water out of the rooster tail in a test tub or muff attachment? Frustated and the wife is not happy. Cant imagine why Ha Ha

 

[coachmendave]

I have flushed the water ports from every angle and hole. Flow is good everywhere except the rooster tail. Takes the water but only down. So I am going to put the lower unit back and take to the lake.

 

[fireman57]

You might have to take the exhaust side housing off. There are three gaskets that go on there. For some reason that seems to be where the clogs happen. I assume that it is the hot side of the engine because that is where the calcium in the water seems to collect.The passages are small and there are a lot of them. If you pull up a diagram on ishopmarine.com you can kind of tell what I am talking about. When you get those two plates off the side you will see immediately how they get clogged with calcium. Be very careful with taking the bolts out of that side. If you have an air ratchet set it almost as low as it will go because if you try to force them loose they have a tendency to break. Best is to let gentle ratcheting work them loose.