How to make water pump stream more visible

[Wvhunteradkins]

Hi new here. Could I run a hose from my engine up to the console where I could see it from the driver seat so that I could be certain my engine continues to pump water while driving or would this put too much load on the water pump? My father and I several years back roasted a motor due to water pump going out while he was driving. I heard the change in sound but he is hard of hearing and by the time I got to him it was too late. Was looking for more of a fail safe way. Please let’s hear your opinions, thanks

 

[New River Rat]

Years ago I had a 15HP Gamefisher(Force) that I took clear tubing and ran from the discharge outlet, up the port side, ending where I could see the stream without turning around. Worked for me.

 

[Bateman]

Water pressure gauge and be done with it.

 

[DaleH]

I too run a water pressure gauge. However, any gauge is only as good as the 'nut' looking at it ... or not ...

For just OB pee ports, what I liked (when I ran multiple V6 OBs) is that on the OMC motors, you could 'aim' the pee stream from the outlet, so I'd have one on the starboard side exiting almost straight out the side, and similar on the port side ... so at a simple glance, I could verify that the pumps working.

 

[turbotodd]

I too am an advocate of a water pressure gauge, if you can make one fit somewhere.

The tattletale hole....aka pee hole....is simply water that is bypassed, it's sole purpose is to let you know if the pump quits pumping. BUT...it doesn't tell you if the impeller and/or housing(s) are worn. Well it does but most folks aren't observant enough to realize that it's stream is weaker than it was when the pump parts were new. Additionally, it wears over time so after a year or two, you really don't notice the stream getting weaker because it happens gradually similar to eyesight...as we age, a lot of us will experience eyesight fading (myself included) but we don't really realize it until one day we're trying to see something that we had no problem with many years ago but now we can't. Just went through this earlier trying to read the jet sizes on some pilot jets...couldn't see it...used to have no problem.

What gets me is how cheap a water pressure gauge is. I always ask the new owner of a new boat at the time of planning if he wants a water pressure gauge...nope...extra $50 (including labor)...ain't in the budget. But a trim gauge is. And a lot of times a trim gauge is worthless. But I'm not the owner and it's not my money and therefore not my business. Besides, I like working on them. Keeps me busy

 

[Wvhunteradkins]

Thanks guys I think I may run a hose to a place I can easily see it. The boat I have is a 17 foot ouachita jon with foam filled sides and has old style pods on the rear that make it difficult to see the stream in its stock form. A water pressure gauge is in the future though I would say. I hear these boats are rather rare. Also, I ran the motor on muffs at high low medium rpm for at least 45 mins and the engine never got hot. Just warm to the touch. You could hold your hand on it.

 

[thedude]

Side note, I would not run the engine at high rpms with only muffs on.

 

[Wvhunteradkins]

I consider 3k or so high rpm when free revving or no load revving. Is this still too high?

 

[DaleH]

I consider 3k or so high rpm when free revving or no load revving. Is this still too high?

Yup ... I sure think so! I never exceed 2K on muffs and if it here there it was by accident and only for a second. At most only a high idle should be attained.

To me, the ONLY thing muffs are good for is to let you know if the motor will start. Anything else for diagnostics you need to do in the water - for the exhaust back pressure or for the water load. I've known people who have spun bearings as they rev'd OBs up to full power ... in neutral :shock: , and in one case the block let go and where that 2" piece of shrapnel went, no one knows :shock: .

 

[Wvhunteradkins]

Good to know about the 2k rpm. I never have gotten too crazy with rpm on muffs simply because it is not good to free rev an engine that is designed to operate at given rpm with a heavy load on it. Plus it does nothing but waste fuel. I’ll see if I can remember to throw some pics up of the boat this evening. I hear they are rather rare. I have never seen one myself but that isn’t saying much. This is my first PERSONAL boat btw. Dad and I have went together on several but he bought a new tracker 175txw pro and I hate to catfish out of it for fear of getting it a mess or hitting something in the water during the night. It is a gorgeous boat

 

[DaleH]

Good to know about the 2k rpm.

Still go for staying AT or BELOW a high idle ... 1200 or so, maybe a tad higher due to variations in tach accuracy.

 

[jethro]

This is why marinas have big test tanks, otherwise it would be way easier to use muffs all the time. But like Dale said, especially with 2 strokes the exhaust back pressure is a big part in how it runs, and increasingly so as the RPMs climb.

As far as making the tell tale more visible, I know some guys run something that shoots it straight up? Don't know if they are only for high HP motors or what, but that seems like a good idea. Personally I just make sure it's working when I start an expedition for the day. If you change the pumps out regularly and don't drag the skeg through sand or muck too often then it's usually a rare occurrence for a water pump to fail at random times. It would usually fail the first time you start for the day so I just make sure it works on start up.

 

[Johnny]

I know I've been out for a spell, but, still check in every now and then.
here is what I did with the plastic hose ran up to the driver's side:
very convenient to observe the pressure as well as test the temp with your hand.
and, when running the motor in a bucket, you will always forget that water will
spray on your chest when you start the motor with the key.




Jethro - the impeller has to fail at some point . . . not always on the first startup.
my 35hp Force started out from the dock and restarted several times during the day
without any issues and the impeller disintegrated a 1/2 mile from the dock on the way back.
yes, it scorched the cylinders before I knew it, converting the motor to toast.
luckily, there was enough battery left to troll on to the dock.
I am sold on this cheap but very efficient method.
you will have to investigate if your motor can be fitted with the option.
and when the water stops flowing - so should you.

 

[onthewater102]

Uhm, Johnny, your avatar looks like he's seen better days, hopefully not a reflection of what you've been sidelined with.

I've fortunately never had a motor burn up thanx to a bad impeller and seeing this thread I will be adding gauges or relocating the tell-tale output on every boat I own to hopefully detect any issues before they're problems.

 

[GYPSY400]

One thing to note is to upsize the hose when extending it to avoid restriction in the added length.. the pee stream won't be as strong, but as long as it's coming out is the important thing.

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

 

[LDUBS]

Johnny, I've never seen a 48" yardstick before. :shock: Haha.

Sooo, now in addition to a tach I need to add a water pressure gauge. List never ends.

 

[thedude]

That's a Canadian yard heh?

 

[ppine]

Sometimes flushing the engine will make the piss stream much easier to see.