no water flow

Got a 1967 200 series Mercury Kiekhaefer 20 hp serial # 1906997, was sitting for 5 yrs just got it back from brother. So I went through the checkup and maintenance on it and change the water pump impeller right away. Put the lower unit back on made sure brass tube fit into plastic sleeve on water pump. Dropped the motor in a barrel, no water flowing from tattletale. Pulled lower unit back off, tried air compressor blowing up through the brass tube and got nothing. Pulled fresh water flush screw out and brass screw out from top of engine got air flow through both. I don't have a bib to turn into the the flush side to connect a water hose to it, so i just spray water up it with one of those small brass pressure tips. got water flowing out the brass lower unit tube and the top of engine, still nothing from pee hole. Took some weed trimmer line like someone in this forum had said once, only goes into tattletale 3 inches. So whats next, pull port side of engine cover off ?
thanks for any help you all can offer.
One extra thing while I had it running in the barrel I noticed it didn't run at full rpms, Can't have anything to do with water flow, might be one of the coils not firing but that's another matter.

Re: no water flow

How long is the tell tale hose? If the trimmer line only goes up 3" and the hose is a normal setup, it suggests that the hose is blocked and it is usually caused by mud daubers, who like to nest in there. If the hose is longer than 3", pull it off and blow it out.

Gerry

Re: no water flow

carholme said:

How long is the tell tale hose? If the trimmer line only goes up 3" and the hose is a normal setup, it suggests that the hose is blocked and it is usually caused by mud daubers, who like to nest in there. If the hose is longer than 3", pull it off and blow it out.

Gerry

Click to expand...

There is no hose. You can't see anything were the hole is unless I pull the power unit off. Unless you're asking about the copper tube that connects to the water pump. Not sure which one you're asking about. Could try taking a picture of it.

Re: no water flow

When you said you shoved lawn trimmer up the telltale, I presumed that you were talking about the telltale hose which comes off the fitting on the block and extends out through a hole in the lower cowl. I don't know what hole you are referring to as the "pee hole"

If you want to make an easy job of it, just use the brass plug on the top of the block and install a fitting there and run your telltale hose out through the cowl.

Gerry

Re: no water flow

carholme said:

When you said you shoved lawn trimmer up the telltale, I presumed that you were talking about the telltale hose which comes off the fitting on the block and extends out through a hole in the lower cowl. I don't know what hole you are referring to as the "pee hole"

If you want to make an easy job of it, just use the brass plug on the top of the block and install a fitting there and run your telltale hose out through the cowl.

Gerry

Click to expand...

There isn't a hose, the engine bolts down tight and the hole on the bottom of the cowl lines up with the hole on the block I guess. Here is a picture of the pee hole that I shoved the trimmer line up, with exhaust and flush screw

Re: no water flow

Yeah, that's definitely the hole for the telltale. Goes right thru the exhaust manifold cover, out a hole in the bottom of the block, then thru the cowling. It's very common for the inner passages to be clogged with salt/silt/trash, and the only way to fix that is to remove the manifold cover and scrape out all the deposits so the water will flow freely.

If the motor has only been run in fresh water, not too bad of a job. But if it's a Salty Dog, a different story!

Most if not all of the cover bolts will be seized, and the only way to get them out is to heat them with a torch, or drill out the bolt heads, pull the cover, then Vise-Grip and heat the remaining "studs".

A nasty job, hope yours is Fresh Water Use!

The 20hp has a bit more room between manifold bolts and cowling, than the smaller Twins. You may be able to get the cover off without pulling the powerhead. If not, there's a bit more work disconnecting wiring/linkages, and nuts-on-studs which mount the powerhead.

An alternative would be to drill and tap the top of the block for a 1/8"-NPT fitting and install a telltale hose. Run it out the side of the lower cowling as you see fit, but you'll need some sort of restriction in the end of the hole to get a good spray. A plastic telltale fitting from a newer motor would do the trick.

If you can't find the right spot in the top of the block, you could drill & tap the cylinder block water cover (over the spark plugs). Some covers may already have an undrilled "boss" just waiting for you to put a hole in it!

Here's a few diagrams you can cogitate over while determining your next course of action:

Mercury Marine 200 CYLINDER BLOCK AND CRANKCASE ASSEMBLY Parts

Mercury Marine 200 BOTTOM COWL ASSEMBLY Parts

HTH..........ed

Re: no water flow

emckelvy said:

Yeah, that's definitely the hole for the telltale. Goes right thru the exhaust manifold cover, out a hole in the bottom of the block, then thru the cowling. It's very common for the inner passages to be clogged with salt/silt/trash, and the only way to fix that is to remove the manifold cover and scrape out all the deposits so the water will flow freely.

If the motor has only been run in fresh water, not too bad of a job. But if it's a Salty Dog, a different story!

Most if not all of the cover bolts will be seized, and the only way to get them out is to heat them with a torch, or drill out the bolt heads, pull the cover, then Vise-Grip and heat the remaining "studs".

A nasty job, hope yours is Fresh Water Use!

The 20hp has a bit more room between manifold bolts and cowling, than the smaller Twins. You may be able to get the cover off without pulling the powerhead. If not, there's a bit more work disconnecting wiring/linkages, and nuts-on-studs which mount the powerhead.

An alternative would be to drill and tap the top of the block for a 1/8"-NPT fitting and install a telltale hose. Run it out the side of the lower cowling as you see fit, but you'll need some sort of restriction in the end of the hole to get a good spray. A plastic telltale fitting from a newer motor would do the trick.

If you can't find the right spot in the top of the block, you could drill & tap the cylinder block water cover (over the spark plugs). Some covers may already have an undrilled "boss" just waiting for you to put a hole in it!

Here's a few diagrams you can cogitate over while determining your next course of action:

Mercury Marine 200 CYLINDER BLOCK AND CRANKCASE ASSEMBLY Parts

Mercury Marine 200 BOTTOM COWL ASSEMBLY Parts

HTH..........ed

Click to expand...

No, only fresh water. So I need to pull the cover where the spark plugs go through? I thought it would of been the port side cover, but I really don't know. I have a brass screw on the top of the engine that water will come out of so I wouldn't have to drill a hole. BTW thanks for the diagrams.

Re: no water flow

start with squirting PB up the hole for a few days and later a bit of high air pressure.

Re: no water flow

scotty61 said:

No, only fresh water. So I need to pull the cover where the spark plugs go through? I thought it would of been the port side cover, but I really don't know. I have a brass screw on the top of the engine that water will come out of so I wouldn't have to drill a hole. BTW thanks for the diagrams.

Click to expand...

No, you'd have to pull the exhaust manifold cover to clear the original telltale thru the bottom of the block & cowling. What I was referring to on the cover at the back of the block was only a possible area to tap for a hose fitting for relocated telltale. But you won't need that.

Your fresh-water motor should come right apart, if you want to clear the original telltale. You'll need to purchase the inner and outer exhaust manifold gaskets. Be sure to check the condition of the exhaust inner plate and replace if badly corroded.

When you reassemble, make sure the block and manifold cover surfaces are clean and clear of old gasket material. Spread a thin coating of Permatex #3 aviation-type gasket sealer on the bolt threads (you can get small bottles of this sealer at most auto parts stores). Torque to around 70 inch-lbs, starting from the middle bolts and working your way to the upper/lower ends.

Otherwise, you could utilize the tapped hole at the top of the block and install a fitting there for a telltale hose that would exit at a location of your choosing on the lower cowling.

Either way, looks like you'll be able to get a telltale working without too much fuss and muss!

Cheers........ed

Re: no water flow

emckelvy said:

No, you'd have to pull the exhaust manifold cover to clear the original telltale thru the bottom of the block & cowling. What I was referring to on the cover at the back of the block was only a possible area to tap for a hose fitting for relocated telltale. But you won't need that.

Your fresh-water motor should come right apart, if you want to clear the original telltale. You'll need to purchase the inner and outer exhaust manifold gaskets. Be sure to check the condition of the exhaust inner plate and replace if badly corroded.

When you reassemble, make sure the block and manifold cover surfaces are clean and clear of old gasket material. Spread a thin coating of Permatex #3 aviation-type gasket sealer on the bolt threads (you can get small bottles of this sealer at most auto parts stores). Torque to around 70 inch-lbs, starting from the middle bolts and working your way to the upper/lower ends.

Otherwise, you could utilize the tapped hole at the top of the block and install a fitting there for a telltale hose that would exit at a location of your choosing on the lower cowling.

Either way, looks like you'll be able to get a telltale working without too much fuss and muss!

Cheers........ed

Click to expand...

Ok thanks for all your help. now its just pulling the engine off the cowl. Glad you sent me the diagrams got the part # for the gaskets I need to replace. again thanks