Conference vicki::boats

	I have a 65 evinrude..60hp... Although I have not had an overheating 
	probelm with mine, When I first got the boat, I put a new impeller
	in it.. I suspect this is your problem... It could be burnt out or 
	simply worn to the point where its not functioning.
	
	If the engine was ever run without water or a hose hooked up, this would
	definately burn it out... I have a full (original) service manual for
	mine and will lok up the flow of cooling. (johnson and evinrude are 
	the same engines (basically) and the years are not that far off) its 
	worth a 'look see'...

	stay tuned...
					rak

    
    This sounds very similar to the problem Colin Mackey had with
    his Merc 75.  See note 479 for further info.
    
    Rick

    I think I have had this problem myself!  This summer I put in service
    a 1958 35 horse Johnson that I had been restoring over the previous
    two years.  The thing is a fresh water motor that had been used by
    the previous owner as a source of parts and proved to have low miles
    and no visible wear on the cylinder walls or corosion.  After replacing
    all the missing pieces it ran like a watch and started on one or two
    pulls, but wouldn't pump water despite a new impeller.  The first thing
    I did then was to take off the bottom end, build an adaptor so I could
    run the driveshaft from an electric drill and submerge the bottom end
    in a tank of water. It pumped just fine. BTW last year when I first got
    it running I had all kinds of trouble getting it to pump until all of a
    sudden it started on its own. This year again.  Now that I saw the pump
    working, I took a coathangar wire and rodded out the water tube to the
    power head.  A friend of mine on Cape Cod has had problems with little
    spiders getting into the water tube and making their webs which make a
    nearly waterproof plug. (I've had this happen on my gas fired space
    heater pilot light at the Cape).  This fellow reams them out and
    flushes the motor with water under pressure from his garden hose.  Well
    now my 35 HP is far too old to have a gardenhose fitting so, while the
    bottom end was off and the rodding was done I fitted up a garden hose
    to the water tube and flushed the thing under pressure.  No problems
    showed up, but the spiders could have been busy.  Next I put the bottom
    end back on the motor and fired it up.  Boy did that engine pump water.
    And it did so for the rest of the season which amounted to 4-5 weeks
    of use.  What was the problem? I haven't a clue. You know what it took
    to get it going.  One old timer who runs a marine shop and repairs
    OB's said that those old timers were hard to prime after extended 
    periods of non use.  Another repair shop on the Cape said that I should
    replace the entire water pump, that most people make the mistake of
    replacing only the impeller. IMO he was just trying to sell parts, but
    that is opinion only.  It runs now.  we shall see what hapens next
    season.  If anyone out there has any more or better information, it
    looks like there are at least two of us who would like to hear it.
    One other input from another dealer concerned the rubber fitting at
    the top of the water tube.  He said that oft times it gets shrunken
    and distorted and blocks the water flow to the power head.  My probing
    with the coathangar didn't indicate this to be the case but it could
    be on your motor.  Good Luck and lets hear the outcome please.
    
    Bill

    
    
    With ethese old Motors- it can be a number of things- I have had a
    couple of dozen different motors I've torn down over the years with
    pumping problems- here is what I would look for:
    
    1. The key in the inpeller falling off/out during assembly
    2. the bottom plate installed incorrectly or upside down
    3. salt/corrosion plugging up the power head- the water dischrge paorts
    under the exhaust cover should be checked.
    4, corrision compressing the run=bber groimmet where the water tube
    goes into the power head.
    5. spiders, etc.
    6. worn pump housing/seals.
    7. restricted water inlet screen
    8. Water tube not aligneing with bushing in lower unit
    9. rubber bushing for water tube collapses when installing lower unit.
     
    
    The other thing I'll admit to is that these old OMC motors just don't
    want to pump after being stored. I've had all kind of problems and then
    all of a sudden it will pump like  afire house- it seems to be ok after
    it gets a "prime".
    
    If you have checked out the pump by turning the drive shaft with a
    drill and it pumps- get into the water inlet tube- if it looks like
    it's restricted wher it goes into the power head- the rubber grommet or
    bushing may have closed off- you can push a coat hanger through, but
    enough water often won't get by beacuase the rubber is all mushed
    together..
    
     If you have eliminated the lower unit/water pump- then I'd pullthe
    power head and check the water discharge ports and replace the rubber
    grommet/bushing where the water tube goes into the power head. I'd also
    replacethe rubber bushing where the water tube goes into the lower
    unit. These O(&%$^^&_ bushings have been a source of trouble on a 15, a
    40, and an old 75 johnson that I had.
    
     Hope this helps.
    
    Dick 

re .0	  If the pump housing is not perfectly round you may have 
trouble getting good flow and/or good pressure, at which point all of 
the previously mentioned sources of blockage or suction leakage will 
become more critical.  So, why would the impellor housing get out of 
round ?  {Simple dear Watson (-:}  frost/ice can push in on it from the 
outer cavities.  I have an unofficial fix, but you would need to 
perform it on a replacement housing.

	Reg

    I had the same problem and it turned out to be the pump housing.
    
    It was an old Johnson with an aluminum pump housing and a worn
    impellor.  When I tried the electric drill trick, it would push water
    only about a half inch out of the tube, which wasn't enough to get up
    through the power head and cool it.
    
    I noticed that if I put my finger partly over the tube, then the
    pressure would increase and the water would shoot up a couple of feet. 
    But as soon as I took my finger off, it would graduall fall back down
    again.
    
    I went for a new impeller, and the show owner told me it would be about
    $30.  I was going to get it, then he asked to look at the pump housing,
    which I was holding in my hand.  He said that the housing was pitted
    and ought to be replaced too.  I had sanded it fairly smooth with emory
    paper, and figured he was looking for more money, but he explained that
    the seal between the housing and the impeller was critical for the pump
    to work right.
    
    I asked him just for laughs what a replacement pump kit would cost
    (impeller, plastic outer housing, stainless inner housing, gasket,
    rubber tube seal, bolts).  He said $29.
    
    So I bought it and she pumps water like old faithful now.
    
    Good luck with yours.  Hope this helps.
    
    Dick