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1973 Evinrude 18hp water tube

I

InstaGator

Contributing Member
I just got this motor running and it wasnt cooling properly. I've already changed the water pump and grommet on the water pump housing. I noticed the grommet on the upper end of the water tube was swollen so I ordered a new one. I read that the powerhead had to be taken off to replace the upper grommet and since it is halfway up the exhaust housing my gut told me it didn't. After taking the powerhead off.. I was right, taking the powerhead off didnt help one bit. I finally got the grommet in by putting the grommet in a 9/16 socket and putting it against the housing it went into and using a small screwdriver to push it in through the other side of the socket.. so new upper grommet. Now my problem is I cant get the water tube to go back in. It is so tight that I bent the tube trying to get it back in.. I even used vaseline to lube it up and it still wouldn't go. So now that I am waiting on the new one to get it... How the heck do you get that tube to go back in?!?!
 
Yank that grommet out that you installed... it's not properly seated.

Grommet #302497 is identical to the grommet that is installed in the water pump. There are two protruding portions that seat in corresponding holes in the housing grommet seat.

Unless the grommet is seated properly, it is forced to collapse to a smaller size (your problem) which makes it impossible to insert the water tube.
 
joereeves said:
Yank that grommet out that you installed... it's not properly seated.

Grommet #302497 is identical to the grommet that is installed in the water pump. There are two protruding portions that seat in corresponding holes in the housing grommet seat.

Unless the grommet is seated properly, it is forced to collapse to a smaller size (your problem) which makes it impossible to insert the water tube.
Click to expand...


That leads me to another questuon... the upper grommet is in the middle.of the exhaust housing... how do you properly get the upper grommet in when it is so far up in there? It does look a little squished and I do have another grommet to put in but I am not sure how to properly put it in. Any advice joereeves?
 
It normally requires a special long tool to get it up there... BUT... one still has to have it turned properly so that the rubber prongs (for lack of a better word) are lined up with the retaining holes.

That special tool has not always been available so..................
I've used various size dowels, one hellava bright flashlight, a long skinny screwdriver to help seat those prongs, and a few special words I made up on the spot. Just keep at it... I know you can do it.

The long skinny screwdriver has always proven to be the most useful tool.
 
I used a 9/16 socket and put the grommet in and then pushed the grommet into place... is there a way to try to twist the seal without pulling it out? It was a huge pain to put in and after figuring out I could use a socket it was much easier but still a pain. I knew a real marine media of would probably have a special tool but it shouldn't be anything I couldn't make but the socket worked alright for now. The left side.of the grommet looks squished but the nipple.of the grommet is in the hole in the side of the exhaust. I jis6 don't want to take it out and not be able to correctly put.it back in. I also bent the old pickup tube and can't seem to find a new one. The one I ordered was too long and the correct one it "obsolete" any idea who has one?
 
I used to have one of those special tools. It didn't work one bit better than the screwdriver poke and prod method. The 9/16 socket sounds like a cool idea. Personally I use a big screwdriver to hold it up there and a couple smaller ones to poke. Once it is in the hole, the big screwdriver can be inserted and used to rotate it. Someday, I'd like to learn how they did it at the factory. Probably with their tool, but they must know a secret.

EDIT: Make sure both holes for the side ears are clear. Especially the inner one.
 
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They probably have a special tool they use and just slide it in. I'll try getting it in correctly and then hopefully try to find somewhere that sells the tube
 
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