Sea Bee Water Cooling

[chrislee85]

I got the Sea Bea running, but am concerned about running it of any time because I am not certain it is pumping water. I took the lower unit off and am not completely understanding how the unit pumps water and where it comes out of the engine. I took a picture and attached it below and it is the spricket in the center of the picture that I assumed the water came out of. Is this correct?

If so, is there any good way to clean this out? Or where would I look to ensure it is properly working?

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

Please post the model/serial number of your Sea Bee. Looks to be early 50's. I had two late 40's Sea Kings, 1.5hp and 3hp, and best I remember the little tube is not where the cooling water exits...that is down the back of the leg through some small ports/holes. The little tube is just a crankcase vent/drain.

 

[chrislee85]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

Model # 025-3564. Thanks!

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

Okay. You have a 5 hp 2cyl. Gale. 16 or 24:1 fuel/oil mix. Runs a Champion J6C or J8C plug gapped at .025 to .030, and point gap is .018-.020. Nice little motors, very reliable and simple. Have you read the Awakening A Sleeping Outboard faq thread?

 

[chrislee85]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

I have read it and it is running. I just want to make sure that it is pumping water correctly. There is a rectangular spot on the front lower unit that spans across both sides in the middle. Is this where the water should come out at? If not, how do I know that the water cooling system is working?

Thanks

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

There should be some slots machined into the back of the leg where the cooling water exits the motor.

 

[chrislee85]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

Thanks for the information and your time.

 

[F_R]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

If it is pumping water you will know it. It slobbers out those slots and everywhere else in the area.

The little tube is a crankcase drain. You'd better not see any water coming out of there...that would be big trouble. But it does spurt drops of fuel out there.

 

[chrislee85]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

When I tested it it was in the water about halfway down the motor. The prop was kicking up water so I was unable to tell what was from the prop and what was from the "pumping" of water, nonetheless, I was looking in the wrong places. I am limited on water holding devices, unless I trailer it to the lake, how much water do I need? Will a 5 gallon bucket work?

 

[F_R]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

Why not just don't fill it so full?

Anyway, that is a 1948 motor. The water pump is behind (forward of) the propeller so it doesn't have to be terribly deep. But there will be so much commotion in a 5 gal bucket that it will be full of air.

About that pump: It is what is lovingly called a "wobbler" pump. The impeller is properly called a "rotor". The rotor is on a cam on the propeller shaft. The cam is properly called an "eccentric".

The rotor should be a close fit on the eccentric and one side of the rotor should just touch the sides of the housing that it is in. The other side of the rotor should have a significant space between it and the housing. That space progresses from one side of the housing to the other side, as the rotor wobbles from the eccentric. That progressing space is what displaces the water from the inlet to the outlet of the pump.

An interesting thing also, is the holes in the propeller, just ahead of the blades. There is water pressure in that area, and the pressure is fed through the holes, through the hollow prop hub, and to the water pump inlet, providing a positive supply to the inlet.

Grease leaking out of the gearcase, onto the rubber rotor, swells the rotor. That is normally the reason for not pumping. New rotors, part number 550040 are available from http://www.chrystine.com/impellers/

 

[thefatsoundguy]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

I have essentially the same motor, in a 1947 Montgomery Ward Sea King version (74GG9012). I am also concerned with water pump performance. Everything seems in order, except that I can't tell if enough water is pumping. There is a small amount of water exiting the slot midway down the exhaust housing, but how much is enough? Does anyone know how hot I can let the engine get before it's too hot? Thank you

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

If you can't hold your hand to the water jackets, without an ouch, the pump/impeller isn't pumping enough water.

 

[thefatsoundguy]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

If you can't hold your hand to the water jackets, without an ouch, the pump/impeller isn't pumping enough water.

I sorta thought that might be the case. Thanks!

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

That's just my rule of thumb...has worked for me. Need to test it on the water though, they will run a little hotter in a barrel/tub since you are aerating/mixing the water ALOT.

 

[dvrdwn]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

I have water coming out from the cylender head on my gale 3hp.What type of gasket do I use?

 

[dvrdwn]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

I'm sorry if I missed somthing but I was woundering how I should properly seal the head plate to the head (the plate that the sparkplug screws into).I will post a pic of the plate.this is for the water jacket around the cylinder.

m#3d15b

 

[steelespike]

Re: Sea Bee Water Cooling

As I understand it the cylinder rear end cover is not to be removed.As they are very difficult to reseal.Personally I would try to make a gasket probably pretty thin.
Or try the gasket materal in a tube.