Help with '03 SANTE Excalibur 330 overheating when idling

[bmh2208]

Alright guys. I have searched and come up with a few things to try. I want to make sure I am not missing anything.

Background:
The other night I got the new perfect pass servo motor installed verified that it worked and then waited until the morning to test it out. The next day I went to try to do some "tank testing" with the fake a lake hooked up. BTW, I don't think that RPM mode works in neutral anyways (so don't try it because it doesn't work). Anyways, I always check the strainer after I turn the engine on to make sure that water is sucking up into the engine and also that water is pouring out the exhaust. No water movement, no water out the exhaust. I checked multiple things, finally got the fake a lake plugged up securely and had water pouring out the bottom of the strainer with the cap off. BTW, I have really crappy water pressure at my house. Still no water movement with the cap back on.

I pulled the impeller to discover that it no longer has any blades. Eff!!! I called down to Houston watersports on Saturday afternoon. They had one in stock and I drove all the way down from CS to Houston to pick it up.

The next day I installed it and pulled a bunch of broken rubber pieces from the input and exit hoses from the impeller. Checked and all belts are tight. Fired it up...water movement in the strainer and out the exhaust. After a few minutes the temps started to climb until it was at 175. Shut if off..overheating now. I went and took the lines off of the manifolld where the thermostat is (no rubber pieces). I pulled the manifold and the thermostat looked pretty old. Went down to NAPA and picked up a new one. Installed it, fired it back up, let it idle for a little while and seemed to be fine.

Headed out to the lake for the day. Unloaded, to my regular ride out and back in just to run it a few before picking everyone up from the dock. It ran at about 165F-167F while underway. When I was idling back the temps quickly climbed to the point where it would go to 185F and go into limp mode. I figured out that if I kept the rpms up that it would stay cool. I fought this all day long, and it ran like a champ as long as I would keep the engine running fast and would shut it off between skiers. It was more of a nuissance than anything.

Observations:
1) Runs at 165-167F when pulling a skier or cruising (seems a little hot)
2) Quickly rises to 185F+ when idling
3) Can rev engine for about 30-60 seconds and temps will come back down to normal

Things to check now:
1) Make sure strainer in on tight and not leaking
2) Check hoses to make sure they are not leaking (air leak)
3) Check for rubber pieces anywhere in the system
3) Anything else?


The fact that it will cool when underway makes me think that:
A) The main engine pump might have a restriction right at the intake
B) I have some damaged blades on the pump and it doesn't flow well unless it is spinning really fast

I will check the hoses and strainer but don't think that that is it, because I wouldn't think that it would cool at all if I had an airleak somewhere.

I am prepared to pull the front water pump off to inspect the blades and make sure none are bent and/or missing. I really don't want to do that because I would hate to break the seal and have to regasket it, but will do that as a last resort.

Sorry for the novel, but I figure that the more info you guys have the better.

On a better note......the Perfect Pass worked flawlessly. I can't believe that I went a year without fixing that.

Cheers!

[Rick]

RE: Help with

Check the inlet to the transmission cooler. It sounds like you said there is a blockage somewhere that is overcome with higher RPM. I would also check the strainer to see if there isn't a small air leak. Finally check the strainer inlet and outlet to see that they are sealed. Try putting elctrical tape around the white fitting where it goes into the black top.

[bmh2208]

RE: Help with

Those are a few places that I am going to check. I started to look at those in the beginning, but was unable to get the dang hose off. I guess I will have to try harder.

[bmh2208]

RE: Help with

Anyone got any tricks to get hard stubborn hoses off?

[Fast351]

RE: Help with

Rock and twist.

Barring that, a screwdriver between the flange and the hose. Be careful. You could also try to twist the hose off using a channellocks.

Final step would be to cut the hose and replace it.

[bmh2208]

RE: Help with

So I think I fixed the problem (albeit temporarely). The strainer cup is supposed to have an o-ring on it, right? Well mine didn't. When I turned the water hose on, I immediately noticed some water dribbling up around the threads. So air was entering the system and keeping the cooling system from drawing a full load of water through the engine. I guess at high rpm's, the suction was enough to overcome the leak. I double checked all the hoses to make sure I didn't have any other leaks. Everything check out fine.

It also helped that I ditched my chitty $4 water hose and brought out my good one. I have sucky water pressure at my house and it wasn't keeping up. Also, where the raw water intake is, it is at a point on the hull where there is a sudden change of angle (if that makes any sense). It is a royal pain in the a$$ to get the plunger to seal well.

I let it run for a good hour or so at idle. The temps ranged from 163F-167F. Every so often I rev'd the engine up to make sure it was cooling at high rpm's. It would go up to about 173F for just a second and then cool back down to 163F.

My question: Should I still be worried at all? Is the fact that I am getting positive pressure from the hose masking any other problems that I might have? I plan on ordering a new strainer with o-ring. Right now I put some teflon tape on it to seal the leak. I guess the proof will be in the pudding when I go out next time.

Thanks for all the information previously posted on other threads about the strainer.

Cheers!

[Mikeski]

RE: Help with

The strainer in my 95 was the source of all cooling evils. I got POed at the lake one afternoon after burning up two impellers in 20 minutes and bypassed the strainer (intake hose was long enough after a little re-routing). Problem solved.

The strainer is still in place on my 2005 but it's never been taken apart. Still clean. I think these things are pretty useless as long as you don't drive in heavily weeded waters.