Crossover piece with no bypass or circ pump. Impellor is good,hoses are tight and after I remove a hose at the thermostat housing and let some water come thru it will cool down from being totally overheated . Also will come up to 25 psi at cruise but seems to move around a lot and is down to 2-4 psi at idle. Perhaps a pinhole in the suction hose but I could not find one. Runs ok on the muffs and is identicle setup to the motor beside it which runs 35 psi and never does this. Seems after you vent it, it will run the rest of the day as it should but when you go the next day it WILL overheat unless I vent. Should I remove the thermostat? I have 3 3/16s holes drilled in it so I would think it would vent there plus when I pull the hose it's after the stat. Could my risers be to restrictive,,they are cool enough to keep your hand on AFTER it starts flowing (but burn the he-- out of you before). I had the SW pump apart and it was fine,no wear. Oil cooler has just been flushed,motor is new and the old motor had the SAME exact symptons (all my Accs. are moved to the new motor).Bravo one 1990/454mag and now vortec. Thanks for ANY suggestions.

I had a marine tech tell me that the laminated hose from the drive to the sea water pump could de-laminate and collapse on the inside while the outside looks fine. But as a pump specialist, it does not seem like a discharge restriction as you would then have higher operating pressures than a system without restricted discharge. Sounds suction related to me.

If the engine right next to this one has the same set up, and runs fine, I think you are on the right track. A couple of things, you did not mention whether you were taking the boat out of the water from one day to the next, and if not, does it look like you have a little more water in the bilge than the day before. If you aren't taking the boat out of the water, it sounds like you have a leak on the suction side of the raw water and all the water is leaking out of the engine from one day to the next and then becoming air-bound. I had this problem with the generator on the SeaRay earlier this year when I was tracing an over heating problem on it. There is also a hose that connects the gimble of the drive to the transom assembly that could have gotten pinched or a hole or is dying of old age (No offense intended) and this one is a b!tch to replace. I hope this helps.
Robert

On the older model bravo transom assemblies there is a metal hose barb right at the transom that the outside hose fits onto, directs the water through the transom with another hose barb for the inside water suction hose. Check that fitting on the outside AND inside, it can corrode causing a restriction in the suction to your raw water pump. I think this is your problem.

Good info,I'll check. Hey Tonto,where are you in GA and if you lived in Athens,Where would you boat? We may be moving.

I had the gimble off to have new pivot pin inserts due to a worn bolt hole. The machine shop may have damaged the outside hose or maybe I did. Also , When I reattached the outside hose to the gimble with that little screw in hose expander to hold it in place I tried to position it as before but I wonder if it stuck out a little to much. Would it be blocked by the drive or is there a hole behind it? I can't remember. Wait I have a spare drive,I'll check. I am just going to replace the suction hose to the pump and work my way back. Yes , I take the boat out each time.

Toys,
I am in a little town between Canton and Cumming called Ball Ground. If you are living in Athens, I would Lake Lanier would be a good choice, probably an hour drive.
Robert