SUCCESS!!! (But I do have a couple of questions ...)

[mlbinseattle]

Mike, Remember that motor has no thermostat. It should run dead cold at idle and warmer at cruise. The key is that the impeller pumps enough water to cool the motor, at whatever load you have on it. So I would suggest you run it at idle and verify the motor is lake temp. Next cruise as normal and see that she is not too hot to touch for a few seconds.

BTW - never reuse an impeller, and never turn one over, and reinstall. It will fail.

Thanks for the info, Chris. I hadn't thought about the engine running cooler because of no thermostat.

The mystery of the telltale has been solved. I removed the lower unit, this morning, and inspected the impeller. Looked great ... same as when I installed it. I was scratching my head because I had already blown compressed air up through the powerhead at the peehole exit and could hear it back at the lower unit water intake. I also blew on the hose with my mouth and couldn't feel any pressure. When I had that thing apart, I blew compressed air through all the water channels and ensured there wasn't anything that could clog that engine. So, after reinstalling the lower unit, I started it, and it continued to put out a weak telltale. I pulled the hose off at the cylinder cover fitting, and the stream started shooting out real good. I thought I had already cleaned out the fitting on the lower cowl where the peehole hose connects, but apparently, I didn't do it good enough. I took a length of 14 guage wire and ran it up through the fitting and the hose, pulled it out at the other end, and gave hose and cowl fitting a good rotor rooter job. Blew air from the bottom upward, and a good piece of trash came out the top end. I was shaking my head after that. Anyway, connected it back up, and it works like a champ. See for yourself. :joyous: It's a short video. The first part is at idle and the last part is with the throttle up a short way.

Taking it back out at the end of the week on another 3 or 4 day fishing trip. At least I'll be able to rest easy not worrying about this, now.

 

[Faztbullet]

Hate to disagree here, but I have seen 3 gear cases severely damaged or outright destroyed by throwing a blade at WOT and under a load either by hitting a rock or letting a damaged blade run to far

Uhh hitting a rock did the damage before blade came off... I have thrown 2 ears off Hoss props at 7000rpm and only way knew they came off was boat lost lift and speed...fished the rest of the night that way and a bear to plane off. We(race team) have thrown many and never chit a gearcase,had cavation plates torn off but never internal damage...