You are welcome. Pulling the drive to see what restrictions there might be there seems like a good idea to me. Also when pulled check to see that the Bravo L/U passage ways are unrestricted if possible like puting a water hose clam shell on it... or?

I hope Cumberland is for fun.

Cumberland was GREAT! The boat ran great. As long as I don't look at the temp gauge there is no problem.
It warms up to 160-170 every time no mater what the water temp is or if I'm on the hose or in the water. It acts like the gauge is just wrong. I pulled the temp sensor out today and heated it in some water with a thermometer and it matches what the gauge says. I just don't get it. If it were a flow issue it seems like the temp would very during different conditions. If I didn't have a big enough heat exchanger for the amount of HP then why would it be the same temp at all power settings? I've tried 2 different 120* thermostats.

When you tested the 120F thermostat before by heating in hot water did you monitour the temperature that it opened with a thermometer?

Yes. I even drilled some holes in one of them before I put it back in and it didn't make any difference.

Have you discussed this problem with Dustin Whipple? If not I would suggest you do so.

A couple of things. In talking to someone who has a lot of first hand experience I was informed that it is easy for the sea water intake hose in between the drive and the gimbal housing to be twisted during hose install and the stainless steel replacement plates for the Merc water pump have been known to burn up impellers do to too much squeeze on the impeller sides.

I am going to take the drive off and check the passages. I have checked the hose through the gimble and it looks ok. I may also see about adding a nose cone with a low water pick up.

Is the nose cone supposed to improve sea water pressure/flow?

The one with the low water pickup should. The intake is on the leading edge of the cone. I'm not sure how much machine work is involved in the pluming for the outdrive though.

My old boat (232 mirage with side water pick up only bravo drive) would run 25 psi @ 74mph. I just pulled that motor and installed it in a Nordic rage. I used the same plumbing, exhaust, oil cooler. The Nordic has a dwp drive and the pressure shot up to 40+ at wot.

I think the nose pickup adds a ton of flow at speeds over maybe 65ish. At about 50 it was not a problem for me.

I took it out one time and then added another thru hull to bleed off the high pressure.