232AMFTC omc/Ford overheat problem

[Red351]

new to this forum, thanks in advance for any help with my issue. Boat is a Barretta SS with the OMC 2.3 ford engine. Overheated on lake first outing this season. Only used in freshwater.

Interventions ive done:
-new impeller kit
-new Tstat

Water seems to flow well up to the tstat housing from transom hose(even before replacing the impeller). I removed the recirc pump on motor next, does not seem to have any issues with it (spins fine, not weeping, no play) not to mention a new one is $200...

I ran the boat on muffs after replacing impeller and tstat, still overheating. Noted just a mist of water out of the prop while running, and it became a very warm mist while idling.

Any thoughts on what should be checked next? Had a bit of rustiness but no obvious obstructions. What about checking circulation through motor? Can I check anything with the hose that runs from Tstat housing to intake manifold? Also have been reading about exhaust manifold/riser but haven’t fooled with them as of yet.

Thank you again!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Did you find the parts and pieces of the old impeller

 

[Red351]

The impeller that I removed was intact. There were no pieces missing from it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

overheating is a lack of water flow.

try backflushing your system. maybe the prior owner lost an impeller and never found the pieces. or you have a shell stuck in there somewhere

 

[Red351]

The motor I am working on doesn’t have power steering or any kind of exchanger to backflush. I’m getting good flow to the tstat housing, there’s really not much else to backflush is there?

 

[Red351]

Update: riser looks ok and flapper is still intact. Passages appeared open. Any other ideas?

 

[kenny nunez]

The belt driven water pump on the engine can sometimes cause a heating problem if the impeller is slipping on the shaft or has blades missing. It appears that the manifold and riser are clear. Also make sure that all the passages in the thermostat housing are clear. Just to be sure there are no blockages, connect a garden hose where the water enters the thermostat housing and let water flow through the engine, you do not run the engine for this test.

 

[Red351]

Thank you. I did pull the inlet hose off the Tatar housing today and found 3 pieces of what looked like old impeller bits stuck in there. Have to wait a few days for a riser gasket in order to fire it back up.

Kenny- the test you are talking about... if I connect water hose to the intake nipple on the tstat housing, do I disconnect the other hose (that comes back to the housing from the intake manifold) and water should flow from that one?

 

[kenny nunez]

This test simulates the drive pump and just checks for any blockage that is in the cooling system. This way it isolates the incoming water to the engine, manifold and riser. An easy way to locate a cooling problem.

 

[Red351]

Where do I check for the water to come out?

 

[kenny nunez]

The water will come out the same way as if you were running the engine on a flush out.

 

[Red351]

I connected the hose to the housing inlet and water flowed through the motor now. I don’t think it was doing that before I removed those pieces of impeller. Still waiting on a new riser gasket so I can start the engine. Hopefully it will have resolved my issue, I will update the post if the solution was found. Thanks for the help!

 

[Red351]

When I put this back together initially (before I found the impeller pieces) I had run the boat again. It began to creep above temperature according to the temp gauge so I turned the boat off. It would not restart at that time. I figured it was just hot? But then I bolted on the riser a few days later. The boat will not start now. I am getting spark on all four plug wires. Also, I can visualize gas squirting into engine when I pump the throttle. A bit of starting fluid and it seemed to have tried to fire once, but could not be replicated. What did I do to my boat? The oil looks normal color. Don’t know if I should start new thread because now it won’t start or if it’s related to prior issue. The only electrical parts I touched during this work were to loosen alternator bolts in order to change water pump, and esa bracket to remove riser. Anyone have an idea what may be causing it not to start now? Thanks I’m advance!