Re: 1971 9.5 Johnson..new impellor no water!
Outboard impeller pumps are by their nature self-priming. As long as the water pickup (under the anti-ventilation plate) is in the water, it should pump.<br />If you start the engine now with no thermostat, you should get lots of water shooting up through the hole (Messy, but then you know the impeller is working). If not, be certain that the water tube ended up in the water outlet on the pump. Also, if the old impeller fell to bits, those bits may be clogging something.<br />But it sounds like your on the right track with the thermostat.