1985 Johnson 40 hp: Water pours out of mystery hole. Is it normal?

Getting ready for my first trip to the lake, I put hose muffs on the water intake and started my motor today. Before I started it, water comes out from the half dozen holes on the foot (water discharge). It also trickles out of a pair of holes (one on each side) right below the thrust mount on the mid (behind the lower mount on the mid, see attached figure). I have the shop manual and cannot find these holes mentioned anyplace or that water should be coming out of them. When I start the engine, water pours out of them. The water pump indicator has a steady stream when the engine is running. So my simple questions are: 1) Does anybody know what these holes are for ? and 2) Is water supposed to come out of them?

Re: 1985 Johnson 40 hp: Water pours out of mystery hole. Is it normal?

You are good to go, when running on the hose , this is normal.

Re: 1985 Johnson 40 hp: Water pours out of mystery hole. Is it normal?

Thanks EN2. One less thing to worry about for the trip. Going to a lake ~ 5 hours away, and don't want to be fishing from shore! Do you know what the pair of holes on the mid section are for ? Are they just vent holes ?

Re: 1985 Johnson 40 hp: Water pours out of mystery hole. Is it normal?

No idea about the midsection holes, the LU ones are drain holes to prevent freezing in cold weather.

Re: 1985 Johnson 40 hp: Water pours out of mystery hole. Is it normal?

As you already found out, water squirts out all over the place, and you are going to get wet feet.

As for the holes by the mount, consider this: The drive shaft runs in a cast-in tube, isolating it from the exhaust, and keeping exhaust and water away from the splines and lower main bearing in the poserhead. Water leaks out of the water pump housing, where the drive shaft goes through. That is on purpose (another topic). So, now you have water entering the bottom end of the drive shaft tube. The big drain holes are to drain that water off, harmlessly. If it were not drained off, it would fill the tube, causing damage at the upper end.

So there you have it. Normal.

Re: 1985 Johnson 40 hp: Water pours out of mystery hole. Is it normal?

Thanks F_R. I'm originally from western NY but I've been in AZ forever. My Dad used to come out in late winter, and he would get the boat ready for the season and then steal it for a month. He's not what he used to be and I'm trying to get it done this year before he gets here. You've been helpful.

Jim