Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

No, I was thinking of that but there is no metal cup in the rebuild kit nor in the schematics. The impeller that the mechanic ordered when he worked on it is the exact same one that I ordered last week. Maybe some kind of strange part# change that evinrude did not update? I'm running out of ideas. Pulled the cylinder head off tonight, gasket is like new, no tears or signs of seepage. No debris in the small holes either. MUST be something simple with that dang water pump.

The thoughts going through my mind are that for some reason the impeller does not seem to fit the water pump properly.

Genuine Evinrudes have a replaceable cup in the pump housing, but none is shown for this engine , which I think is a Suzuki.

What if there should be a metal liner which has been removed. Not one available separately but normally just part of the pump housing.

Worth asking on the Suzuki board, do you think, if the pump housing should have a metal liner.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Here are some pics

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I was expecting a plastic housing!

Well the impeller looks a bit chewed up. i thought you'd fitted a new one. If the other side is as bad it might explain the problem.

Cant tell from the pictures but is the housing ok . It looks a bit odd by the outlet port ??
EDIT it looks Ok on a bigger screen... I think.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I was expecting a plastic housing!

Well the impeller looks a bit chewed up. i thought you'd fitted a new one. If the other side is as bad it might explain the problem.

Cant tell from the pictures but is the housing ok . It looks a bit odd by the outlet port ??
EDIT it looks Ok on a bigger screen... I think.

The impeller is new, I am guessing it just looks that way due to looking at a blown up picture. Wondering what that tiny hole is for inside the pump housing . It goes all the way through to the intake port on the housing { just underneath the bottom of the rubber grommett**

 

[Guest]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Did you verify that the impeller is spinning with the shaft by twisting the shaft before putting it back together?

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Did you verify that the impeller is spinning with the shaft by twisting the shaft before putting it back together?

Yes, I did, several times. Impeller is locked tight in place, turned driveshaft while holding the impeller wheel, all is locked in. Just grasping at straws here but could a bad exhaust housing gasket cause this issue? In removing the powerhead, the gasket had no tears or holes, and was all in one piece but it's just a thought.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

The impeller is new, I am guessing it just looks that way due to looking at a blown up picture. Wondering what that tiny hole is for inside the pump housing . It goes all the way through to the intake port on the housing { just underneath the bottom of the rubber grommett**

That impeller should not look like that

I dont know how it has been damaged. Run dry. Run dry with an O ring forcing it against the bottom plate or top of housing.
Irrelevant.
Fit a new impeller. Lubricate it with a little glycerine or even just water and be sure not to run it dry , even briefly.

ITYWF that the little hole is an air vent. It allows air trapped in the pump to escape

 

[14 foot Starcraft]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

The impeller is new, I am guessing it just looks that way due to looking at a blown up picture. Wondering what that tiny hole is for inside the pump housing . It goes all the way through to the intake port on the housing { just underneath the bottom of the rubber grommett**

the little hole is to let air out when you submerge the pump. I would stick the lower unit in a barrel or tub and hook a cordless drill to the drive shaft and narrow your problems. if it pumps water its not the pump its something with the power head, if it doesn't pump water its something with the pump. the cooling system is very simple so don't let it confuse you. you have to properly trouble shoot it so hook a drill to the drive shaft and shove it in some water and see if it pumps a good amount. that will immediately narrow down the problem areas!! do it and let us know

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Ok will do!

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

tried the drill trick, pumping a full , strong stream of water up and out the tube. Now here's the good part- there's an exhaust port with 2 holes on the backside of the motor, around the midsection. I pushed a plastic wd-40 straw through it and it just stopped, same thing in both holes. I figured I was just hitting a funky angle against the metal inside. Then I pushed harder and the straw broke through, same with the second hole, pushed through with some light force. I thought that for sure must have been the problem, and seems it was. Put her back in the barrell and pumping MUCH more water, even at lower speeds, but no water at idle in neutral. I'd say it's a 90 percent improvement overall. Intermittent here and there at very slow forward speeds but still decent overall. Now to just get some water going through at idle and we're good! My buddy { the owner of this motor ** has a huge problem with MUD WASPS, for sure the little beasts crawled into those 2 exhaust ports and took up residence. Unbelievable after all this. Any ideas as to why no water at idle??

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

tried the drill trick, pumping a full , strong stream of water up and out the tube. Now here's the good part- there's an exhaust port with 2 holes on the backside of the motor, around the midsection. I pushed a plastic wd-40 straw through it and it just stopped, same thing in both holes. I figured I was just hitting a funky angle against the metal inside. Then I pushed harder and the straw broke through, same with the second hole, pushed through with some light force. I thought that for sure must have been the problem, and seems it was. Put her back in the barrell and pumping MUCH more water, even at lower speeds, but no water at idle in neutral. I'd say it's a 90 percent improvement overall. Intermittent here and there at very slow forward speeds but still decent overall. Now to just get some water going through at idle and we're good! My buddy { the owner of this motor ** has a huge problem with MUD WASPS, for sure the little beasts crawled into those 2 exhaust ports and took up residence. Unbelievable after all this. Any ideas as to why no water at idle??

I take it the "drill trick" sent a good jet of water up your sleeve?

I reckon the mud wasps have blocked the exhaust system more severely than you realise and it's pressure build up from the exhaust combined with incorrectly fitted or damaged impellers that have been preventing the water flow. You've had the power head off and the lower unit off so many times though it's rather surprising you have not noticed.

Perhaps if you now clean out the exhaust system thoroughly and replace that damaged impeller you will have solved it and will have a decent water flow at idle.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I put the other impeller back in, which is also new { the one the mechanic put in already. Yes, very good flow with the LU in the barrel and turning the driveshaft with the drill. Those 2 exhaust ports that were clogged were not the exhaust channels up in the head, these are just above the fin on the backside of the motor { exhaust relief holes?? so I never gave it a thought. The other end of these holes would be somewhere around the center of the driveshaft, inside the exhaust housing. Not sure what other areas of exhaust system to check though, holes in powerhead are clear and also the 2 ports I just cleaned above the fin. I suppose I could try backflushing again.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I cannot understand why clearing the exhaust back pressure relief ports would have any effect on water flow.
If they are blocked it might make starting more difficult because the depth of the main exhaust outlet below the water would create a slight back pressure. It might also make idling poor but apart from that being blocked will make no difference.

When the engine is running you should see exhaust gas blowing out of then together with a few drops of water . Maybe only a mist or spray

I think I would have a good look inside the exhaust/driveshaft housing to see if it is full of mud wasp nests. It should be a completely hollow space with the drive shaft, water tube and shift rod running through it.

Sorry. apart from the obviously chewed up impeller in your picture I cannot think of anything else to suggest but I am really puzzled why unblocking those relief ports had any effect on the apparent water flow.

Sadly the thread is not attracting much attention.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

Well, at the same time I cleared the exhaust ports, I had also removed the o-ring that sat on top of the metal wear plate so maybe it was coincidence. No more nests in the exhaust cavity though, I looked thoroughly. One thing that puzzles me is this OTHER o-ring that was sitting on top of the water pump housing after initial teardown. The pump housing already has the inner seal so why the o-ring? There is in fact a groove on the upper part of the driveshaft, immediately below the splines that would typically seat an o-ring on many other engines, but yet again, this o-ring is not shown in the schematics for model E5REC. At any rate, I ran it again in the barell yesterday, upon start up, water flow was good in neutral, then shifted into forward and flow was still good. Shifted back into neutral and flow stopped . This is driving me nuts!

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I want to thank everyone for helping me troubleshoot this, your help is much appreciated. My last thought is perhaps a bit far fetched, but seems possible at the same time. I put in in the barell this morning again and water came out in neutral and all gears forward and reverse. As the water in the barell became extremely oxygenated from the prop agitation, the water flow seemed to slow down a bit after about a minute and a half. Flipped back to neutral and no more water flow. My theory is that the water in the barell is becoming so oxygenated with millions of air bubbles that the pump is sucking up half water and half air and whatever water/air mix is going to the head is getting evaporated before it has a chance to exit the telltale hole. I will be trying this on the boat in the lake today to see if this proves to be true. crossing my fingers once again. I have one more question though, would anyone know what temperature range is "normal" on this, and what temperature would be considered overheating??

 

[14 foot Starcraft]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I want to thank everyone for helping me troubleshoot this, your help is much appreciated. My last thought is perhaps a bit far fetched, but seems possible at the same time. I put in in the barell this morning again and water came out in neutral and all gears forward and reverse. As the water in the barell became extremely oxygenated from the prop agitation, the water flow seemed to slow down a bit after about a minute and a half. Flipped back to neutral and no more water flow. My theory is that the water in the barell is becoming so oxygenated with millions of air bubbles that the pump is sucking up half water and half air and whatever water/air mix is going to the head is getting evaporated before it has a chance to exit the telltale hole. I will be trying this on the boat in the lake today to see if this proves to be true. crossing my fingers once again. I have one more question though, would anyone know what temperature range is "normal" on this, and what temperature would be considered overheating??

I just bought a 4hp johnson and I was having the same problem. It had a blown head gasket with rtv smeared all over it. It was putting compression in the water jacket and sometimes it would pump sometimes not. Best was I always use to tell temp is spit on the top of the head, your spit should slowly steam away not sizzle or go away almost instantly.

 

[lisfisher]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

If I wanted to replace the head gasket, would this be Evinrude part# 5030146 "GASKET, Cylinder head"

 

[14 foot Starcraft]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

If I wanted to replace the head gasket, would this be Evinrude part# 5030146 "GASKET, Cylinder head"

I don't know but also my head was kinda warped and not flat. To fix a not flat head (why mine was leaking along with a used gasket with rtv) I took my flat stone (perfectly flat new stone counter top) and I stick a DA sander pad on it and do figure 8's with the head on the stone until the whole under side is shiny. If you don't have a pack of sanding pads for a air sander you can use a sheet of sandpaper and hold it down with your other hand.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

I want to thank everyone for helping me troubleshoot this, your help is much appreciated. My last thought is perhaps a bit far fetched, but seems possible at the same time. I put in in the barell this morning again and water came out in neutral and all gears forward and reverse. As the water in the barell became extremely oxygenated from the prop agitation, the water flow seemed to slow down a bit after about a minute and a half. Flipped back to neutral and no more water flow. My theory is that the water in the barell is becoming so oxygenated with millions of air bubbles that the pump is sucking up half water and half air and whatever water/air mix is going to the head is getting evaporated before it has a chance to exit the telltale hole. I will be trying this on the boat in the lake today to see if this proves to be true. crossing my fingers once again. I have one more question though, would anyone know what temperature range is "normal" on this, and what temperature would be considered overheating??

You last thought is not far fetched at all. It is a well known problem with fixed drive a outboards in small barrels.
In those cases the solution is to take the prop off when testing, although you do have to be careful not to over rev.

Personally I use a large enough tank for it not to be a problem:

Regarding the temperature. If you can touch any part of the power head, apart from the head around the plug, and maintain finger contact briefly it's OK. if you cannot , or if a splash of water on it sizzles and boils or if there is any discoloration of paintwork it's too hot.

 

[14 foot Starcraft]

Re: Evinrude 5hp no water from telltale

You last thought is not far fetched at all. It is a well known problem with fixed drive a outboards in small barrels.
In those cases the solution is to take the prop off when testing, although you do have to be careful not to over rev.

Personally I use a large enough tank for it not to be a problem:

Regarding the temperature. If you can touch any part of the power head, apart from the head around the plug, and maintain finger contact briefly it's OK. if you cannot , or if a splash of water on it sizzles and boils or if there is any discoloration of paintwork it's too hot.

Yah like I said I spit on the head and if it says its good if it sizzles its bad