Stringer out drive not pumping water very well

[a91eagletalon]

Ok guys have a question I have had this boat for about a year now this is my first spring with it. I am not a newbie with engines I wrench on a lot of stuff. But somewhat of a newbie on the marine side of the engine stuff.

As far as I could tell the boat pumped water never over heated once last fall. This spring I got it out and and got it ready to take to the lake.did a dry land test with the out drive in a really large bucket so I could test to make sure the water pump was working properly. Now when I tested it didn't seem to pump water real well there wasn't much if any coming out the exhaust. So I thought maybe the water pump went bad or wasn't working properly so I ordered parts and replaced the water pump.The old pump was not trashed by any means had one small nick out of one of the fins. But as far as I know I did the new pump correctly. Now after the water pump replacement it still doesn't seem to pump water at idle until I rev the motor up and get it going then it seems to pump water okay.But once you shut the motor off and start it back up it will not pump water until it sees revs then it seems to pump water okay but not great at idle.

I am assuming this is not normal it should pump a full stream of water even at idle.

Do you have any thoughts of what the problem might be.

Thanks
Matthew

 

[Scott Danforth]

How are you testing? With muffs, or with the boat in the water?

If you are trying to suck from a bucket, the bucket needs to be big enough to get the whole boat in it to get the drive deep enough to have the water level higher than the pump to prime it

 

[a91eagletalon]

I am testing in a bucket I may not be getting it deep enough. I will take a picture of my setup in the morning. My next test was taking it to the lake.

 

[a91eagletalon]

How are you testing? With muffs, or with the boat in the water?

If you are trying to suck from a bucket, the bucket needs to be big enough to get the whole boat in it to get the drive deep enough to have the water level higher than the pump to prime it

See Attached pics for my testing set up

 

[Scott Danforth]

you need water up to the top of the outdrive to prime the pump.

impellers only push water, they do not draw water. there is no way you can get water to draw from a bucket unless the bucket is big enough to put the boat in.

you must have the impeller submerged in water to prime, once primed, if you put the boat in forward, you have the forward momentum of the boat forcing water up to the impeller

so, either use muffs, or drop the boat in the water. what you are doing with the bucket is melting the impeller