Hello everybody! I have a 1974 9.9 hp Johnson that I bought used last fall. Tried to get it running this spring and it fired up, but after awhile it seemed that it started running hot. I read somewhere that you should be able to rest your hand on the block without burning yourself and that didn't seem to be the case. So I checked the impeller, looked good still nice and flexible. Then I tried running some water with the hose up through the copper tubing to the engine and it seemed to back up through the tube instead of coming out the back of the exhast housing. So I pulled the rear water jacket cover to check the thermostat. Suprise! No Thermostat, but I wasn't sure if there was blockage elsewhere, so I pulled the cylinder head also to make sure the route around the cylinders wasn't clogged. Everything looked good there. <br /><br />I think I probably tore this thing apart for nothing as I have read somewhere out here that the block does get hot, but not so hot that it instantly burns you. Anyway my questions are this.<br /><br />I will probably get a new head gasket when I get my thermostat and water jacket gasted, but do I need to make sure to torque the bolts on the head or jacket cover to so many foot-pounds or inch-pounds? I know you have to for motorcycles.<br /><br />Also, where else can I look or how else can I check to make sure water is cycling through the engine block?<br /><br />Thanks everyone for your answers and for reading this long, drawn-out post. 
~Droed~
~Droed~