79 Evinrude 9.9 cooling issues...I could use some help

Brand new to the forum, but i've read tons of great stuff here!!
So I picked up a 9.9 that appears hasn't been run a few years...maybe 4 or 5. Great compression in each 115 each. replaced power pack and got it purring, but cooling is no good. have to prime it up from the water intake vents to get the pee hole to shoot water after replacing water tube grommet. I put it together correclty without damaging that grommet! Got the peel hole shooting steady water, but It still heated up hot after running for awhile...quite hot to the touch. Look over some of my findings and let me know what you think.

-haven't checked the thermostat and don't know how, but seems it wasn't opening up

-pulled lower unit and found milky water around the impeller and front cavity (where the shifter shaft runs down)...none in the exhaust tube though

-Found that shifter shaft cavity in the lower unit had the drain hole completely plugged...cleaned it and haven't run it since finding that. no idea if that has any impact to my issues

-pulled impeller... vanes were pretty soft and fully formed to the curve, but not broken. maybe not pulling hard enough for water.

-tested water tube by hooking up a hose line to it. Water blasted out the peehole no blockage there, but seems as pressure built up the extra or overflow water ran down the outside of water tube I was pumping it up through...don't know if it's supposed to do that.

Thanks a ton for any help!

Re: 79 Evinrude 9.9 cooling issues...I could use some help

The thermostat is bottom of the head under the stat cover , it can be removed without taking anything off- referring to the hood latch. Drop the stat in boiling water, should open @ 140F. Do the impeller as well. The other issue may be the grommet in the exhaust tube at the top of the tube, re and re of the powerhead is order to fix that but check stat and replace impeller first.

Re: 79 Evinrude 9.9 cooling issues...I could use some help

Agree with above. Sounds like a stuck stat. The impeller should be replaced when ever you get a new-to-you motor and at least every 3 to 5 years after that, regardless of how it looks. Don't worry about that oily goo as it is probably unburned oil that has gone through your engine and perfectly normal. You might want to drain the gear case to make sure you don't have water contamination in there and it's just a good thing to change the oil when you get a new motor so you know when it's been done. I have a 79 - 9.9 Evinrude at my buddies cabin and it runs like a top. Best of luck. Rick.

Re: 79 Evinrude 9.9 cooling issues...I could use some help

So the impeller solved just about everything...pumps through the lines with force now!! good flow out the upper exhaust holes too. Runs nice and cool.

One problem remains...I'm getting tons of water in the shfting linkage cavity and the impellar area...I know there's a drain hole, but when I tip the motor out it gushes out of there for quite a while. I don't get any exhaust out the lower exhaust holes even when I rev it up in neutral unless I cover the upper holes. exhuasts fine out the prop in drive. I expect a little water to get in there, but I'm pretty sure it's too full.

Any thoughts...would a bad upper tube grommet leak that much water back down?

Thanks again