HELP!!!!! No Sea Water
 

Just finished a ProCharger install on my 02’ Sunsation w/496HO. I went to fire it up on the hose to check everything out and I had no water flowing through the exhaust or intercooler. I shut it down and connected the hose to the fresh water flush. I then had water through the exhaust and through the intercooler. I put the hose back on the drive and again, no water so I shut it down.

I disconnected the drain plug on the intake side and output side of the sea water pump and I am getting no water flow with the hose on and engine off nor am I getting water flow with the hose on and engine running.

I was thinking that the sea water pump impellar is bad but I have had no problems with it and it worked fine when I winterized about 1 ½ months ago. It just seems odd that it would just all of a sudden be so bad that it doesn’t flow anything.

I also thought that maybe there is a blockage in the drive but again, everything was fine when I winterized.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

perhaps you ran it dry for a few seconds and killed it.

Do you have a low water pickup? Some times they cause trouble running on a hose, don't ask me why but I have seen it happen on a friends boat. Worked one time then it didn't then it did? Don't figure. We checked everything and foud nothing wrong? Just a thought.
I did loose an impeller once while running on the hose. Had it running no problem and shut it off and when I restarted it I had VERY little water. Impeller just chose that moment to finally wear enough to cause a problem. It was old but I did not think it was THAT OLD. Not much help but some things to check for.

I do have a low water pick up but I put a piece of duct tape over it when running it on the hose and just use the side pickups. It did run for aprox 2 mins without any water flowing before I shut it down.

I have not had trouble with side pick ups and it sounds like you have both. I would check / replace raw water pump impeller. Besure and check the housing if it is plastic or what ever they are made of. I usually have to replace both housing and impeller.

If the boat has been sitting and if it ran totally dry no water a stock impeller will cook VERY quicly. Some on the board have tried the blue or green(?) impeller and say they last better than stock.

OH, the impeller is done. You cant run it for 5 seconds without water. 2 minutes will kill it for sure

Although this may not be your problem but I had a simular situation. I have bravo's and the year before last after days of trouble shooting, the water inlet on the gimbal housing was the culprit. The housing where the rubber hose goes through was corroded causing the plastic retainer to collapse restricting water flow. Not an easy fix, engine needs to be removed unless your really good! I would strongly suggest anyone with bravo's 10 years or older running in salt water to check this before it destoys a weekend/engine.

thanks for the tip there CIG, and Carloss if it is your impeller make sure you find all the pieces are they might cause problems down the road

If all the pieces are'nt in the pump, most definetly back flush the system. I had that problem once. Thought everything was out until I started removing hoses prying small pieces out of the fittings.

I pulled it apart yesterday and the impeller was missing two fins. Of course I couldn't find a replacement yesterday so I'll have to order one.

I disconnected the hose that goes to the inlet side of the pump and back flushed through the drive just for assurance that there was no blockage in the drive or through the transom. My question is if the impellers burn up so quick, what will keep it from happening again?

When I winterized I used the little air pump that comes with the 496's to push all of the raw water out of the system. Is it possible that the sea water pump would need to be primed? If so, how? I am just wondering if the first one burnt up because the pump wasn't getting any water because it wasn't primed and I don't want to make the same mistake.

Opinions?????

There was a post a while ago abot having to rev up the engine to like 3000 to get the pump to prime on the newer 496's....

Soap up the new impeller when you install it. Are you using the right flushing muff for the Bravo? It should be a V- shaped cup that fits like a glove and has a bungee strap to hold it in place. I think most are red in color.

I don't know about "priming" the pump, but you can take the hose off the back of the drive and fill it with water before you fire it up. One hose clamp near the top of the drive, right uner the steering tiller arm. This is how I run my boat on the hose as I have the LWP with no side pickups. I simply stuff the hose into the inlet hose IN the boat and fire it up. Get some water in the bilge doing it this way, but oh well. At least I KNOW there will be water on the pump when I turn the key.

Yup, thats how I run them too,. I made up an adaptor that fits into the big suction hose and has a garden hose fitting on it. Dont rev it up to much or it sucks regular garden hose flat. You can put a Globe Rubber Works impeller in the pump which will handle some running dry. I just finished a 2 year test on one. It looks exactly like the stock impeller I changed at the same time but is much more pliable. I dont think I ever ran it dry. I will continue to use them just for the insurance.

I got one of those on/off switches for my hose and put about 2' of old hose on it. This way the amount of water that gets in my bilge is neglibable. I turn it on, jump jump to the dash and turn the key. When I'm done, I turn the key off and turn the hose off at the motor. Done. Easy. And I don't suck the hose flat at any time.:D

I take the hose off the transom plate too and shove garden hose in. I like this because it leaks badly, therefore the garden hose won't collapse, and because you can tell from inside the boat how well your pump is working by how much excess water comes out the hose and into the bilge with engine running. Normally there should be none.

BT :cool:

Thanks again for all the replies. I am gonna take the intake hose off the transom plate. That's a good idea.

I have used the little pump on mine numerous times and never had any problems the next time I take it out. It was probably just time for it to go. I have about 250 hrs on my 496 and have not replaced the impeller yet. I probably need to replace it this spring. I talked to mercruiser on the phone awhile back and they really dont have a certain # of hours between replacement. He said when It starts running warm , then its probably time. It was probably just a coincidence with yours. Hope a new one takes care of it for you.

Joe