so the agreement is that if the bucket of water is large, and if the water doesn't get too low or too hot, it is safe to run the engine? Am I correct on this?

Sort of. The design of the water pick up in the drive requires either flow by movement or constant immersion. The muffs create pressure to minimise the chance that air pockets may wind up in the water flow causing pump cavitation. Either you have really big container of water which will drain supprisingly quickly or you have a hose. I doubt you'd want to try and cool your engine with the temp of water that'll come out the exhaust and I'd think it would be hard to direct back in to said large container unless you had dry exhaust with dump hoses. Even still, the exhausted water may airate the drive water and again cause cavitation.

Better course of action IMO? Put a T-Piece in your raw water inlet line before the raw water pump and have an on/off (about 1.5") tap on the T with a piece of hose off the tap and a socket garden hose connector. Have another piece of hose you can connect to the tap hose which you can then place in a large bucket or run to some water supply. So long as there is water first in the line (bucket is above pump), the pump will stay wet and the suction once the engine is running will draw the water from the bucket etc. Saves space. Then once you're done, fill the bucket with antifreeze and let the engine suck that through, shut the engine down and close, tap and you're done!

Well yea, but make sure you read what people are saying, a hose cannot keep up with the motor especially if you are reving it, so you have a limited amount of time, I would also put some one to watch the water level while you do it. If you do not plan on having a hose running into the bucket/container you will run out of water very very fast.

Not to get in your business, but why don't you just tell us what you are trying to accomplish, I am sure someone on here has done it already and has insight.:evilb:

Yes, it will work. Your boat runs in the lake in neutral.

Sam

Works for me...many times!

Yes, if the bucket is large enough to contain the drive with some depth and to catch the exhaust water, it'll work. The amount of water will determine the length of run time. I tain't going to heat up that fast from your exhaust. Just watch your engine temp gauge. When it starts to rise after it has leveled off at the normal temp, time to shut it down.