Can't Get Water Flow in Evinrude 68 (Model 6803R)

BillyBoating

Seaman
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
67
Well, something is still amiss. It looks and sounds like it's doing fine, but thermal gun put the head at 360 degrees in just a few minutes. I figure I'll drop the LU again and see if I somehow messed up the water pipe, but after that I don't know what to try.
 

Michawilden

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2015
Messages
153
When you remove the lower unit you should try to put on a garden hose on the brass water tube and see if water can flow freely. If not, you might have an obstruction in the motor. Sometimes, crud or impeller parts are sucked up in there and block passages. If water flows freely you eighter have a blockage in the intake of the lower unit. Another cause can be a faulty water pump gommet, This rubber gommet can be hard, worn or damaged causing water to slip past the water tube.
 

BillyBoating

Seaman
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
67
Thanks Michawilden. When I had the lower unit off I used a hose to shoot water into hole 2 (see pic in my first post), and it poured out the water tube fine (the water tube stayed in the leg, it didn't come out with the lower unit). When put water into hole 1, it came out the telltale hole. I can't really shoot water into homes 3 and 4 because of the angle, but if I fill the thermostat space with water it will run out (presumably through the motor).
I also shot water into the water pump with a hose, and it flowed freely out the intake.
To say I'm confused woul be an understatement. There's some water flow, but clearly not enough.
 
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BillyBoating

Seaman
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
67
Okay folks, after all this I figured the least I could do to let everyone know how it came out, and to help others who might be working this issue down the line:

Today I pulled the head. The head gasket looked okay, although pretty thin. I cleaned out all the water channels, which had a little bit of crud lining them, but not much. Replaced the head gasket. Fired it up.
The head never got above 110 degrees. Plenty of water coming out the exhaust bypass. Ran like a champ.
So, after all that, it was a head gasket issue. I never saw any water on the plugs, so didn't think that was the case. But as they say, it's always the last thing you check.
Thanks again to all who helped out.
 

tomhath

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
814
So, I took off thermostat cover. Thermostat had grass / muck in it, so I took it off and cleaned it up. Also cleaned up all the holes in the thermostat housing. None were blocked, but they were a little dirty so I scraped them out. Reassembled, started, but still no water out of telltale.

My guess is that the same grass / muck is blocking the water tube between the water pump and the impeller. It's probably in the head as well. Pull the tube out and be sure it's clear. Replacing the head gasket is very simple on a 2-stroke motor. Buy a new head gasket (they're cheap) and clean the water passages out under the head.
 

BillyBoating

Seaman
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
67
Thanks Tom. I'm assuming you wrote your response before you saw my last. It was the head gasket. The water pipe was clear. I'd already checked and rechecked that.
 
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