Running motor without outdrive attached?

[Tyger23]

My sxm outdrive is currently off, and I'm nearing the initial startup of my new motor.

I'm curious, is it possible (safe) to run the motor without the outdrive attached? I assume I'll plug the inlet pipe on the outdrive bellhousing and feed water through the blue flushing hose.

Any issues with this?

 

[harringtondav]

I don't know your set up, or what a 'blue flushing hose' is, but you are looking in the right direction. You need to feed your engine water. If you have a helper you can have them hold a garden hose to the bell hsg inlet. Solo, I'd rig up a connector to feed the garden hose into whatever hose comes from the transom assy to your engine.

 

[Tyger23]

The engine can get water through the normal "sea water pump" because I've got a "flush-out" hose where I can connect a garden hose up to the water inlet supply. In normal operation, this would come from the outdrive.

I'm thinking I plug the hole where water normally comes in from the outdrive (to prevent water from escaping that direction) and then fire the engine up.

I was just wondering if running without the actual outdrive attached would cause any issues. Don't think so, just checking.

 

[Tyger23]

Here's a picture with the blue flushing hose sticking up.

 

[Tyger23]

For anyone who might want to do this themselves, I was able to do it successfully. I used a wine cork in the outdrive housing (I'll try to add a picture later) and fed water in through the flushing connector.

Note that you cannot turn the water on if the engine is not running, as the pressure will blow out the cork (quite dangerously I might add). So, start the motor and then turn the water on. I accomplished this myself by having a shut off valve on my hose inside the boat.

Anyways - it works great! Just remember to shut off the water when you shut off the engine, or pop goes the cork!

 

[Tyger23]

Here's the photo of the cork installed in the outdrive's water inlet.