Help! Cooling issue! No water to the motor!

[erikj]

Hey guys,

I recently just installed a new impeller after I wasn't getting any water to the motor with a fake a lake. I did have it hooked up backwards at first but switched it around and made sure water was being sucked toward the pump from the inlet. The deal is that it doesn't even seem to get water to the filter, if I put water in the inlet hose then it will get to the pump but doesn't seem to go any further to actually cool down the motor or have it coming out of the exhaust. I checked the bearings on the water pump which seemed and cleared both sides of the tubes with the hose just to make sure they were clear but still nothing. I also took the impeller back out and cleaned both sides of the housing to make sure it wasn't an air leak. I'm kind of out of options now and the only thing I could think is that maybe it is either the thermostat or possibly the water pump. Any help would be greatly appreciated so I could get her in the water for the first time out since I purchased it a couple months back.

Thanks in advance

Boat: 2000 Super Air Nautique V210
Motor: Ford GT-40

[charlesml3]

OK, a couple of possibilities:

This is a GT-40 and it's EASY to install the entire pump upside down. Don't ask me how I know.... Make sure it's going the right way. Next I'd make sure you installed the correct impeller. It's this one: http://www.nautiqueparts.com/product...m-is-rp061015/

[erikj]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply, I did have it upside down at first but corrected it and it does seem to be pulling the water the right way now. This is the one I got which after quite a bit or research seemed to be the same one as that.. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[charlesml3]

OK, so if the raw water pump is pulling water in, then where is it going? It has to be going somewhere.

If not, then we need to start looking in other places. Is the strainer clogged up? Is all of this on a fake-a-lake or are you getting the boat in the water?

One of the things I loved about my GT-40 is it made a different sound when the water jacket filled. It was always a clear indication that everything was working. IDK if you've noticed that or not.

If the raw water pump is pulling in water and it's not going anywhere, then it's not the thermostat. It could be the circulation pump on the front of the motor.

-Charles

[erikj]

Thanks Charles, to answer your questions,

I have not put it in the water yet because we have had crappy weather but the fake-a-lake worked just fine on my old moomba.

So the only water that I have seen goes from the filter where we have put in water to the pump but not up to the manifolds.

No different sound and I haven't seen the water filter fill up on it's own yet. So really I don't think it is getting any water up from the fake-a-lake at all. I can look through the filter fine so it doesn't seem clogged at all and i verified the gasket is on right.

Thanks again

[Quinner]

I would get an OEM impeller, have heard many stories of those sierra's being garbage and not working. If your old one was working put it back in and see if that solves your problem.

[scottb7]

Do you have or have you recently installed a heater? I found after I installed a heater, that first thing in the season that I had to crimp off by hand the lines to the heater when i used fake a lake in the driveway. The impeller could not create enough suction to pull water thru the entire heater core, and associated lines. As soon as I folded the heater lines in half and held them closed off, I had some hit starter, and I could watch the strainer fill up and then the engine and manifolds.

It was a good learning for me...frustrating. Of course be reminded, your engine has oil so running with no water does not hurt a cold motor. But of course it did ruin an impeller.

Many people have heaters and don't have this problem, so I could not conclude if it is because I use fake a lake in driveway vs boat in lake and the draw is harder on the pump, if it was because I had the low idle - y on my heater install...

But just a thought for you...

[azeus17]

Use a 5 gallon buck full of water to test your raw water pump (impeller). Cut a length off the male end off an old garden hose and put it in the hose on the boat that feeds the strainer. Tighten the hose clamp. Put the other end in the 5 gallon bucket and fire up the engine. In idle, it should suck that bucket dry in about 30 seconds or so. If it takes a lot longer, or doesn't move any water, you know its the raw water pump. My money is on a bad impeller or air leak somewhere. You can't hide water in an engine, so it's either not pumping, or there is a blockage somewhere.

[erikj]

Guest actually the old one didn't work and that is why I was replacing it so must be something else going on. I think the bucket test might be a good option azeus17

[erikj]

scottb7 This will sounds stupid but I don't think I have a heater at all. I have the hot water shower deal but pretty sure there is no heater on the boat but I could be wrong..

[swatguy]

I would go buy the correct factory impeller as Quinner mentioned. Tolerances are key and you're sucking air from somewhere.


swcomd check the routing of your hoses. Maybe they somehow got reversed.

[erikj]

Yeah it would be nice if I could get a pic of the impeller to see that exact one but we had the intake hose off and one way it pushed water back (the wrong way) and the other way it pulled water towards the pump. I hear you guys on the impeller but the one I got was an exact replacement of the Sherwood (that I have used on another boat) and they seem to work good. The air leak is a definite possibility though.

[Quinner]

If you have not done anything else other then change your impeller the issue is most likely right there, ensure you have the pump/hoses correctly installed and unless that impeller is OEM replace it.

[erikj]

Sherwood ordered, hopefully that does the trick, thanks guys

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[Jimboslice54]

Not to be the guy who points out the obvious, but did you tighten the belt back on the impeller pulley?
Did you replace the o-ring seal, could easily be sucking air there if it's not seated right.
How bad was the old impeller? If it was missing blades they could be clogging the hose to the thermostat, or blocked up in that housing.
What kind of fake a lake? Plunger underneath or in line tap?
Some taps have an anti back flow feature, may be in backwards. I've seen some intakes with a shutoff valve installed, is yours in the correct position.

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