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15hp Honda cooling problem.......

W

west77062

New member
I've got a mid 80's 15hp motor that has been sitting for nearly 20 years in an indoor area. It ran flawlessly for a few years before my boat was stolen. The motor starts right up, and water shoots out of the indicator for a few seconds, then all I get is exhaust. I shut the motor down at that point. I don't remember if that is normal until the thermostat opens up. Is this normal? don't want to ruin a good motor waiting for that squirt of water.
 
Not normal. Most likely, your impeller needs changing. With a motor that old, I would recommend the complete water pump rebuild kit with housing.

Hopefully, it has not already overheated to the point that it melted the upper grommet holding the water tube in the base of the powerhead.

If you are just running it in a drum or small tank, it may be sucking in the exhaust from the water in the tank. In any case, if you have not changed water pump for some time, now is probably the time.

While you are at it, with the gear case off, remove the thermostat and backflush the cooling system from the thermostat housing to get any debris out of it. Then install a new thermostat.

Mike
 
Pulled the impeller, looks good and is pliable, put the thermostat in near boiling water and it opens right up. what I don't understand is the hot air pulsing out of the indicator port. I am using the little brass water hose adapter that I bought with the then new motor.
 
I know that the manual says to run your motor with this adapter to flush it. But if you do not tape the water intakes, it will suck air. That may be what is happening.

I would not use that adapter to run your engine for any length of time. It would be better to put in a tank...as your manual shows as an alternative.

Mike
 
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