Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

[lisfisher]

Hello all, I am working on 1995 Evinrude 5hp for a friend of mine. There is no stream of water from the telltale. Troubleshooting this all day and it appears to be a mystery. New impeller was recently installed , also confirmed this by pulling the lower unit and checking the impeller, it's like new. Also removed powerhead, pulled entire water tube out from the grommet, all is clear in the water tube and cooling channels. I don't think there is a thermostat on this engine but not certain. I am at a loss, I really don't know what else to check. Any suggestions?? A little history below...

Engine was peeing just a trickle of water
brought to mechanic, new impeller installed but does not look like new gaskets were replaced
Still won't pee water from telltale, worse and no water at all after mechanic put in new impeller, mechanic is stumped
brought home, removed powerhead, removed intake tube from grommet, all is clear in the tube
telltale spout/hole is not clogged

 

[Mohawkmtrs]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I'm not seeing a 5 hp for 1995.

Can you post model/serial number?

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I'm not seeing a 5 hp for 1995.

Can you post model/serial number?

Almost certainly a derated 6 hp I found 5DREO and 5DRLEO as listed 5 hp numbers for 1995

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Sorry about that, typo error on my part, the correct year is a 1998, model E5REC / Serial# S 15002589

I put a straight edge on the metal wear plate, it has a slight crown to it on one side, but slight. Rubber gasket seems just ok- no holes or tears but not new either. I ordered a new water pump kit with gaskets. If that doesn't work, I'll try replacing the powerhead / exhaust housing gasket { not sure which one it is but it is part# 5030261

 

[Daviet]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I know this sounds like a silly question, but does the engine actually overheat? Have you checked the water tube/hose for the tell-tale to see if it is plugged or restricted?

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

+1 ^^

Overheating??

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Well, When I run it I don't run it for long, only because I want to avoid a potential overheating , but during the time I ran it several times, one minute or two at a clip, it did not at all feel hot at all, although I was only feeling the engine by touch. Pressure is good as well, 120 psi, and yes I checked the telltale inlet all the way through, it is not clogged. Even went as far as removing the powerhead and looked straight down into it and saw daylight.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Run it while holding your hand on the cylinder head, if it does not get hot to the touch, I would think the pump is working. With that type of pressure, I would think the pump is working.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Yes, 120 psi when I did a compression test with a gauge screwed into the spark plug hole. You would think the pump would be working but it's a mystery, for now. New impeller kit should be in the mail tomorrow, crossing my fingers this will fix the issue.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

again, fix what issue exactly? You don't seem to address questions on overheating. Like Daviet says, if you can hold your hand on the head for a few seconds -- with the motor running -- the temp is probably OK (140 degrees or lower). BTW, you measured compression, not water pressure -- with compression good. Sounds like a healthy engine.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Yes I held my hand on the engine and it does not feel hot. The issue here is it's not peeing water from the telltale.Just warm air.

 

[Will Bark]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Do you have a mist of water coming out of the exhaust relief vents on the leg of the engine; then I would think that an insect has made it past where the pee hose connects to the engine. Try taking the hose off at the engine and use the weedeater line up in the hole in the engine. Just a thougth.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Nothing is clogged in the pee hole. I pulled the entire powerhead off the engine. Peehole is clear all the way through. All cooling channels are clear. Entire water intake tube is clear, with no holes in it.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

think your parts manual should show a flushing plug. If so, screw it out and back flush. Shoot some carb cleaner or similar up into and through the fitting for the tell tale, using the plastic wand on the spray can. Other than that, running the motor may clear it.

 

[racerone]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Testing this motor in a bucket ?--Are you aware that water must be about 6" above the pump and not just covering water intake holes ?

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Testing this motor in a bucket ?--Are you aware that water must be about 6" above the pump and not just covering water intake holes ?

???? No, I'm not running the motor in a bucket. I've been using a 55 gallon drum and yes the water intake and pump height are more than completely submerged.

The powerhead is off, so I can now visibly see everything in the cooling system, including the pee hole and nothing is clogged. I am expecting the new water pump kit in the mail tomorrow, I will post my findings after I install it.

....and yes I did the backflush thing a few days ago via the flush port

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

There should be a spot where you can see or get very close to seeing the tell tale from the inside. The usual way to look at the water passages is to pull off the cylinder head cover to inspect (which you already may have done when you pulled the powerhead). Also, it appears from an online parts blow up there is also a half moon shaped water cover and gasket shown for that motor -- thinking it’s somewhere in the vicinity of the water tube/tell tale, but not sure. (I don’t know what the purpose of the cover is on that motor, or how it might be related to operation or maintenance of the cooling system.)

I take it there was no water coming out of the tell tale when you back flushed through the flushing port – seems to me that would indicate a small blockage in the passage somewhere in the vicinity of the little tell tale water tube (assuming flushed water was coming out of the appropriate ports in the leg and foot.) Or did the tell tale work when you were back flushing?

Water must be getting up to the powerhead, as the motor doesn’t run hot. Also, the impeller was said to be recent and looked good when you inspected it. But if any doubt, you could loosen or remove the flushing port bolt when running to insure water is getting up there. Maybe you are thinking that the water is getting up there with enough force to cool the engine, but not enough to operate the tell tale(?) Could be an interesting thesis – if true, might be related to issues with the impeller housing or a venting issue of some kind. It’s probably also possible the powerhead gasket or some sealant is simply blocking the tell tale somewhere in the jacket (not sure of the exact placement of the little water tube with respect to gaskets and gasket cut outs.)

Curious on this end – wouldn’t be afraid to run the motor as is, from what you describe, but can see where the inoperable tell tale would be a challenge.

 

[thebubba]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Here are a couple of things to try. When you remove the lower unit to look at the impeller again, stick your hose right on the water tube going up to the engine. Turn it on and watch the water come out the pee hole. You don't need to run the engine to see water coming out. If it doesn't then you probably have blockage unless you have a thermostat. If it has a thermostat, remove and stick the hose in there and backflush with the lower unit off. You should see a nice steady stream coming out the water tube. Many times a small chunk of the old impeller will get up inside the motor and block off passages. If you can't get water to flow freely through the powerhead then you may need to pull the water jacket covers and look for chunks of impeller up inside the motor. When your mechanic replaced the old impeller did he mention if it was intact or in pieces?

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Hi all, I got the new water pump kit today, reinstalled and still no water. Ran for about 3 minutes and yes the cylinder head started to feel a bit on the hot side. I could hold my hand on it for about 10 seconds max. I will try the hose to the intake tube trick and see if water comes out the tell tale. As far as a thermostat, I don't see one and I don't think this engine has one. Can you describe to me what the "water jacket cover" is??

 

[thebubba]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I am not super familiar with that motor, but a water jacket cover is a plate on the side of the motor. Many models have these covers so you can access inside and clean out any debris that may get inside the engine block. Sometimes the only access is under the heads on the smaller motors. Before you dig into the water jacket realize you will need new gaskets for anything you remove. I would first try to backflush the motor with a hose. Find any access point you can such as a thermostat or the fitting where the pee tube connects and run water backwards through the motor. Double check that pee tube coming off the motor as they often get clogged with debris or bugs. If you can't get water to easily backflow out the pickup tube with the lower unit removed then, you have blockage in the engine that will need to be dug into. I have seen small engines run in salt water that weren't flushed be completely full of salt deposits. Not very common, but happens.