First time on muffs

[spdracr39]

I'm starting the boat after putting all plugs back in and reconnecting hoses and I was a little paranoid about cooking the impeller. How can I tell if the water is flowing correctly? I pulled a plug on the riser after running for a couple of seconds at idle and no water came out but there is a trickle coming from the back side of the outdrive.

 

[nikon]

Re: First time on muffs

If you wanna be absolutely sure go buy a big plastic storage box from walmart ~$7...fill it with water and dunk the whole drive in.

 

[Speakrdude]

Re: First time on muffs

Our green Waste Management recycle bins fit an Alpha 1 Gen 2 perfectly. Line with a trash bag first. Fill with water and kep the water hose in and running, then start the engine. Remember, DO NOT put it in gear.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: First time on muffs

I pull my prop. off every time I run on muffs. Just as a safety precaution. Open the valve on the faucet about half way before you start the engine and let it idle till water comes out the exhaust, if I feel i need to reduce the flow I do it after I am sure there is water flowing through the engine, but I always leave a little flow coming out from under the muffs..

Also I watch the temp. closely and do not rev. the engine as the increased rpm would want more water and could cavitate the pump if there weren't enough water supply and that probably wouldn't be a good thing.

 

[achris]

Re: First time on muffs

... How can I tell if the water is flowing correctly? ....

What I do when I start an engine that I've just done a water pump on is to watch the amount of water running out the sides of the flushing attachment. As soon as the engine starts that flow drops significantly. For me that indicates the pump is sucking water.... Easy.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: First time on muffs

Our green Waste Management recycle bins fit an Alpha 1 Gen 2 perfectly. Line with a trash bag first. Fill with water and kep the water hose in and running, then start the engine. Remember, DO NOT put it in gear.

Ummm I actually have done that before and the friend operating the throttle put it in gear "accidentally" it was not pretty.

What I do when I start an engine that I've just done a water pump on is to watch the amount of water running out the sides of the flushing attachment. As soon as the engine starts that flow drops significantly. For me that indicates the pump is sucking water.... Easy.

That sounds like the answer i was looking for thanks.

 

[ziggy]

Re: First time on muffs

achris has the answer.
when ya turn the water on with the muffs in place, engine not running. the water squirts out from around the muffs. after ya start the engine. only a trickle will be visible from around the perimeter of the muffs. + you'll see this (if a mercruiser).

water coming out the prop hub, water coming out the idle releife ports, and water coming out the pee hole at the ft. fo the bullet. if ya got a alpha1 type drive.

 

[achris]

Re: First time on muffs

That sounds like the answer i was looking for thanks.

Just be aware that all this shows is that the pump is sucking, not that the engine is getting water. If you missed the water tube on re-assembly then you have a different situation....

 

[spdracr39]

Re: First time on muffs

I actually did miss reconnecting that tube but found it before running the boat for more than just a second or two I just wasn't sure how long I could run it before water would pour out of something I missed vs damaging the impeller while waiting. I did not run it long enough to see water coming out of the prop hub but there was water coming from the back side of the drive at the cav plate area. My drive is an alpha 1 gen II. My solution is to just take it to the lake and check things out before unloading. I'm just not comfy with the muffs yet.

Thanks !!