Okay, it's been a long time since I have had to request help from you guys. Quite honestly you are so good, i've been up and and running for a while. So... here it is.
Two days ago, I started my 16' Bowrider with the 1977 Mercury 1500 150 horsepower inline 6 cylinder without issue. It was the first time I had started it in nearly a year. I ran it flawlessly for over an hour. I put it back on the trailer and came home.
Today (and I swear, it always happens this way) I load up a cooler, the the kids, the wife, the whole shebang and it's trying to start very sluggishly. Almost like it has a dead battery. I know the battery is good (and I later verify it) but I switch over to my other battery. It's still turning over very very slowly. So... I turn the switch to power with both batteries. Still no joy. Occassionally, it'll start turning over quickly, like it's fine, then slower and slower, and eventually, won't turn over at all. So. I go to turn it over by hand, at first by putting it in gear and turning the propeller. I can just barely muscle it. I pull 5 out of 6 plugs and still can just barely turn it over by hand with the propeller. I can hear the impeller screaming as it rubs. So... I get home, and I'm hoping that I've got a blade broken on the water pump, so I drop the lower unit, and while the water pump appears to be swollen, it's not broken. But, with the plugs removed, I can easily turn the engine over by hand or with the key. I'm guessing one or two things... Starter having issues? or Water Pump swollen to the point that it won't allow the engine to turn over? Any advice? Yes, i'm going to change the water pump anyway while I have the unit pulled apart, but what else could it be?
Thanks again, you guys are great.
Two days ago, I started my 16' Bowrider with the 1977 Mercury 1500 150 horsepower inline 6 cylinder without issue. It was the first time I had started it in nearly a year. I ran it flawlessly for over an hour. I put it back on the trailer and came home.
Today (and I swear, it always happens this way) I load up a cooler, the the kids, the wife, the whole shebang and it's trying to start very sluggishly. Almost like it has a dead battery. I know the battery is good (and I later verify it) but I switch over to my other battery. It's still turning over very very slowly. So... I turn the switch to power with both batteries. Still no joy. Occassionally, it'll start turning over quickly, like it's fine, then slower and slower, and eventually, won't turn over at all. So. I go to turn it over by hand, at first by putting it in gear and turning the propeller. I can just barely muscle it. I pull 5 out of 6 plugs and still can just barely turn it over by hand with the propeller. I can hear the impeller screaming as it rubs. So... I get home, and I'm hoping that I've got a blade broken on the water pump, so I drop the lower unit, and while the water pump appears to be swollen, it's not broken. But, with the plugs removed, I can easily turn the engine over by hand or with the key. I'm guessing one or two things... Starter having issues? or Water Pump swollen to the point that it won't allow the engine to turn over? Any advice? Yes, i'm going to change the water pump anyway while I have the unit pulled apart, but what else could it be?
Thanks again, you guys are great.
