This Boat Keeps Giving Me Headaches!!

[blairjbyrd]

i have a mercruiser 454 and i think the water pump is leaking. If it is the water pump will it keep dripping if the boat is in the water? Or could it be leaking from one of the hoses? Is dripping 2 times a second. Almost a steady stream.

Any help would be great.

Thanks
J Byrd

 

[jtmarten]

Re: This Boat Keeps Giving Me Headaches!!

Which water pump? Raw (if a Bravo) or circulating?
Yes it could be leaking from one of the hoses, from a gasket, from the circulating pump, from any component that contains cooling water under pressure ........ You'll have to find the source, there is no way to diagnose it without looking at it.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: This Boat Keeps Giving Me Headaches!!

Your raw water pump is probably actually slightly below the water line.

so if you don't have everything sealed good, it could leak.

Can you take a picture of where it's leaking?

 

[blairjbyrd]

Re: This Boat Keeps Giving Me Headaches!!

it's leaking from the front of the engine, driver side lower.I couldnt get a good look at it tonight but i will be there in the morning. I just left the pump in automatic so it should pump the water out tonight. it keeps leaking with the engine off that is why i thought it could be a hose. I will get a pic posted on here in the morning.

Thanks for your help

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: This Boat Keeps Giving Me Headaches!!

I don't know how your 454 is set up in your Lib....

Mine has a hose that goes from the raw pump on the starboard-front, under the pan to the PS cooler. Then it goes to the oil cooler (mounted vertically) that is located left of the circulating pump. If you look at where the water line is, any leak in the raw circuit lower than that, could leak until the boat sinks! (after your battery goes dead!!)

driver side lower

That's right where the raw water pump is. The hose comes from the transom fitting directly to the pump.

If your pump housing is cracked or the bolts are loose, the hose is loose etc, it will leak there any time the boat is in the water since the raw pump is well below the water line. (and of course, you want it below the water line so it primes quickly and easily)

You also want to fix that soon....If the leak is on the suction side of the pump, it could also suck air and aerate the water going to your T-stat housing. Suck enough air and it could result in an overheat of the engine or manifolds & risers.

 

[blairjbyrd]

Re: This Boat Keeps Giving Me Headaches!!

Im on my way to the boat right now. If it is the water pump, how do I clamp the intake hose so no water comes in?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: This Boat Keeps Giving Me Headaches!!

I'm not sure you should.


Get a cork and plug it when you pull it off. The hose is usually pretty stiff. You might damage it by clamping it.