Me too 'cept I'm just going to write Top/Bottom on the damn hose. Krist with all the times I've replaced the impeller/housing ya'd think I'd remember by now....dumb schidt....

Well, I just verified that my top connection goes to the drive, the bottom goes to the oil cooler. Can anyone verify this is correct? 96 502

Waterpump connections
 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]502498[/ATTACH]This screws me up everytime so here is a pic of the pump that I just replaced today. RH out is incoming, LH out is the output to the oil cooler & engine for a non serpentine set up. Please correct me if I am wrong but I believe the only thing reversed on a serpentine set up is the circulating pump. Randy

Well, I verified on my 96 502 w/ v-belts, has the top connection (RH out) hooked to the transom, and the bottom connection (LH out) hooked to the oil cooler. I'm squared away now. Thanks.

Sounds like a couple of the preceding posts are hooking up opposite of this however............

Mines the same way Ryan. Top port on pump to the drive. Bottom to the engine. If they were hooked up wrong , you will know very quickly. I found out the hard way several years ago. lol Brand new impeller was toast.

You can and will find the seawater pumps "clocked" different ways on different models of mercs .Standard (left hand) motors are lefthand out to motor .Don't worry about which nipple is up or down ...If you understand the way the pumps ,,pump... you can figure it out with no markings ....

Please explain the difference between a lefthand and righthand motor.