1997 Mercury XR6 150hp tell-tale stream is hot !!

[calm like a bomb]

Water pump takes about one minute to force water out of the telltale stream and when it does it is very hot. Is this a stuck thermostat or poppet valve?The engine supposedly had new thermostats installed about one month ago.Any ideas please reply..THANKS!

[Kenny Bush]

It takes at least a minute to come out of the tell'tale. It will be hot, you should only be able to hold your hand in it for a couple of seconds. Sounds like your is doing what it should.

[calm like a bomb]

The shop says it should cool down soon after though and it does not. I own four boats now and about a dozen over time and this one is the only outboard I have ever seen that the tell-tell stream of water is scalding hot and stays that way. It is not circirculating cold water through the engine. Anybody??

[LubeDude]

Without a temperature guage, we have no idea whats going on. Sure sounds like its doing what its suppose to though. Running on the muffs isnt like running it on the water. Of course there is cold water circulating, you are putting cold water in and hot water is coming out.

[parkert50]

Try to take the motor cover off and look at the hose that the water comes out of. Follow that hose up and it should connect to the top of the cyl. head. In the top of the cyl. head on both sides are the thermostats. Hot water is always either going passed the thermostats, or when the thermostats open. Do you notice that the water comes out stronger at times? This is when the thermostats are open. I will tell you that in most fresh water cases the water pump itself is to blame for overheat problems.

[calm like a bomb]

Finally talked to a local Merc tech and he said all seems normal...he said the thermostats open @ 143 degrees and this engine design exits hot water under normal cirumstances. New problem is the overheat alarm horn that should sound does not function when the key is first turned to the On position. I have to cure that and install a Teleflex water temp gauge and then I'll quit worrying about that. Thanks to all that replied. <*//><

[andy6374]

If your intentions are to make sure your engine is cooling properly, I would pass on the temp gauge and opt for a water pressure gauge (both would be best). The gauge will let you know when thermostats open/shut and when the popppet valve opens and closes. You'll soon associate a particular water pressure with a certain RPM range and be able to detect right away if something is shot in the cooling system-andy

[calm like a bomb]

andy6374, It has a good water pressure gauge that is working.I finally talked to an owner of another V-6 Merc and he confirmed what the Merc tech told me about the 143 degree temp.The tell-tale stream is gonna be hot and stay hot and his engine takes about one minute to start the stream also,after the thermostats open @ 143*. He has 500 hours on it and loves it.I will install a temp gauge and get the alarm in working order and should be good to go..I hope.

[andy6374]

Yep, merc's have a hot tell-tale. Unlike other outboards whose tell-tales exit before cooling the block, on merc's the water has been circulated through the block before it exits. My V6 Black Max does the same-andy

[Kenny Bush]

Ditto on the water pressure guage... Once you see what the pressures are at different RPM's, you will be much more in tune with your cooling system.

[KCLOST]

One minute??????That don't sound right... You should see at least a little water after about 15 seconds...IMO..And if you are running off of the muffs or even in the lake it will not be scalding hot at all just after it starts leaving the tell tail...Somethins is wrong.... Check the water pump.. And or the poppet...

[KCLOST]

There is still a bypass around the t-stats that will allow some water to exit the tell-tail even if the water is not up to 143F...

[KCLOST]

Another note.. What are your water pressure readings at idle?

[calm like a bomb]

KCLOST, This is a 1997 XR-6 engine.150 hpEveryone I have heard from including Mercury mechanics and people who own this year engine says this is normal for this year model. I notice you list yours as a 1986 model.They may have changed a great deal since then,mine seems to be OK but it will take some getting used to waiting on the tell-tale stream to appear.Makes me a little nervous for now but I'll keep checking the gauges!!

[gss036]

Calm, take about 25 minutes and change your thermostats. They are $10 each and if you have done them in a while, it is time. Then, check the poppet valve. Maybe try running water backwards through your pee-hole hose and see if it comes out the exhaust, it should.

[Kenny Bush]

Guys...I have seen maybe one thermostat fail in 1000... That black anchor seems very normal...

[gss036]

BushCat, I don't think that it is an issue on failure. I changed out mine this past year and am now trying to do my own mainence for the simple reason that the mechanic that I was paying to change the head gasket eyery 3 years didn't bother looking at the thermostats and they were the orginal from 1989 and were about 90% closed from salt build up. The more technical things I will still go back to him because he does know his stuff when it comes to Mercury engines. I asked him about it and his reply was simply that I did not ask him to check them??? Can you believe it??My pee stream is hot, but doesn't sound like it nearly as hot as described here. Use a cup and a candy thermometer and see hot hot it is running.

[andy6374]

gss036-Unfortunately this is common and lots of mechs in my area too go by the saying, "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Those guys are diluted and probably don't know of an engine works or the first thing when it comes to regular maintenance and would rather just keep replacing the defective part (the result) than just figure out what caused the failure (the cause).Fortunately, I have found a really good wrench. And I refer everyone I know to him. He is also the first to tell you, "you can do it yourself". He has even walked me through some stuff over the phone.Anyone from RI or near, I will pass him along.

[calm like a bomb]

Originally posted by gss036: Calm, take about 25 minutes and change your thermostats. They are $10 each and if you have done them in a while, it is time. Then, check the poppet valve. Maybe try running water backwards through your pee-hole hose and see if it comes out the exhaust, it should.

The thermostats are already brand new at this time.

[jabarnett1973]

Hi guys i have the same motor but mines an 2001....just bought my first boat and took it out the first time. started right up and idled over to the dock and let run for a min or so.....waited for companion to join back with me and went to start it up and had trouble starting. finally started and got up on plane and sounded great....stopped and fished a bit and went to start it again and wouldn't. smelled fuel so i thought i flooded it. let it sit a bit and finally started after a cpl cranks...then ran fine. is this normal and if not...what could be the prob or does it need a carb job and if so on an average how much does that run...thanks guys. p.s. how many times should i push the choke in b4 cranking? and bulb was fully pressured.

[j_martin]

I have an XR4, similar carb'd engine.

1. Only squeeze the bulb until firm. An aditional "firm handshake" grip can easily overpower the needle valves in the carbs. The idea is to remove air from the fuel system, not presurize it.

2. I find that on a cold start I set the throttle lever about half way up and hold the enricher for 5 seconds or so, then crank for a couple of seconds with the enricher held in, and she pops off. Sometimes I need to bump the enricher a couple of times to keep it running the first few seconds. Unless it's very cold out, or my stop has been long, as in hours, I don't even bump the enricher for aditional starts. I just bump the key and it starts.

3. Being a carb'd engine, it is important to level the engine before starting, neither tucked under or tilted up.

4. Cranking speed is very important. A weak battery or tired starter will make you feel like your engine has reached end of life at start time. (experience here)

hope it helps
John

[jabarnett1973]

Thanks john i'll check that out....