Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

[pdrayton]

Hi, I'm new to boating and engines and this forum. I searched the forum but didn't find what I needed.

I have an Evinrude 88SPL that is overheating. The first problem is I haven't been able to find what model it is - there seems to be no info about this engine. Could it be 87891? That is a number on the underside of the engine cover, but doesn't show up in the models on the Evinrude lists.

Anyway, ever since I ran aground in the florida marsh, the engine has been overheating - the temp gauge on the boat isnt' working, but after a while of fast driving the throttle area beeps horribly and I shut the engine down. Then I have to wait a while and then putt putt back to the dock.

I've heard that I need to clean the water passageways, but I have no idea how to do that. DO I pull the big back plate with about 100 bolts on it off? And the cylinder covers? THe first layer is just the water routing right, it's not the head itself?

Any help with that would be greatly appreciated, also with finding the model number so Ican get a manual. Any specific manual recommended? Also, when this is all fixed, I'd like to get the temp gauge working again, but I'm not sure where the thermostat and the temp wirign is on the motor. An online manual would be great, like I have for my Mercedes tanks, errrr, sedans....

Thanks
Paul

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

The first question I have is do you see water flowing from the tell tale? That's the tube that exits the cowling on the motor to tell you whether or not the water pump is working. If water is flowing from that tube, the pump is working. No water, no cooling, hence overheat. Next, a stuck poppet valve can cause overheating at high speeds. A stuck thermostat would cause overheating at low speeds. If none of these items has ever been check or replaced, it is about high time they were. Continuing to overheat the engine will end up costing you dearly. That horn is telling you "help me, I'm in serious trouble here -- right now, not next week!!!"

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

When an engine overheats, bolts can become loose. First thing to do is to check and tighten all of the powerhead bolts..... baffle plate between cylinder heads, inspection plates on side of powerhead, coils, powerpack(s), cylinder head bolts, etc.

Torque the cytlinder head bolts to 18 to 20 foot pounds in the following sequence:

9...10
5....6
1....2
4....3
8....7

Drop the lower unit and install a new complete water pump kit. Don't be concerned about cleaning out water passages unless the engine continues to overheat after installing the new w/pump.

Check the port (left) transom bracket (bracket that bolts engine to boat) for an identification plate, also on the top portion of the swivel bracket (main center housing that engine swivels on) for a heavy duty decal with that same info.There should be a core plug (looks like a small quarter size freeze out plug) on top of the powerhead near the port (left) head gasket that might have the model number.

If the number is located, what is it?

 

[pdrayton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

THanks guys.

The tell-tale sends out a steady stream of water at all times.

The overheating started right after I ran aground, that's why I thought it was something blocked.

Anyway, before I saw your reply I took the cylinder plates (?) off, the water routing things, and they looked quite dirty but I didn't see how they could be causing the problem. I cleaned off the gasket and put the covers back on with silicone gasket maker. I'm sure that's not the best thing to do, but it looks like it should work - worst is it leaks water and I can see that and fix it.

I did start the engine with the plates off (with water ears and the garden hose) and water came shooting out the top of both cylinder heads ie it seems water is getting to the heads.

- as to engine type - I looked all over for a decal or plate - there is none to be seen. I thought maybe it was sprayed over, but there is nothing showing any signs of having been a plate.

I have no idea what 'drop the lower unit' means, please explain. And do I need to do that if water is shooting out the top of the cylinder heads when the cover plates are off?

Last thing - the head bolts numbers - how are they numbered? From top right clockwise or what?

Thanks.

 

[pdrayton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

Silvertip - you say a stuck poppet valve can cause overheating at high speed - that's exactly what I am experiencing - it only overheats at high speed, I can putt-putt around all day and it doesn't over heat.

SO, what is a poppet valve and where is it? And while I'm at it, I should do the thermostat. Any ideas where it is? I have some experience with cars, so once I'm in the right area I can probably figure it out. Just right now it seems like boat engines are a law unto themselves!

 

[DJ]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

You desperately need a mnaual. There are no "downloadable" ones available.

You can probably find one at your local library. The '88's were made in the late eighties to late nineties. They are of the crossflow design and have been around for ages in numerous HP ratings. Some other HP ratings are: 90, 110, 112, 115.

If you ran aground, you can just about bet that your waterpump is toast. You have to drop the lower unit to replace it.

Do this:

1. Disconnect the battery.

2. Put the engine in reverse.

3. Look under the bottom carburetor. you will see a shift rod pointing up that is connected to the gear shift mechanism. Remove the bolt that goes through that rod. Your shift rod will now be free.

4. Look for the tab that hangs down over and behind the prop. Note its position and remove it. There is a bolt underneath that tab, remove that bolt too.

5. There are several other bolts that point UP just on top of the cavitation plate (plate above prop). Remove those, there are four or five, I forget right now.

6. Gently pull down on the lower unit. It should slide free. You will end up with a lower unit that has the driveshaft, cooling tube and shift rod pointing up.

7. Your water pump is on the driveshaft just where it meets the lower unit.

8. There are, I believe, four bolts that hold the cover on. Remove those. There is your water pump impeller. Note the direction of the vanes and make sure they are all there. If not, start looking for pieces of them.

9. I suggest you get a water pump kit and reassemble. You can get a kit right here on iboats. The kit you want is Sierra part # 18-3392.

10. If the engine got hot, you can just about bet you popped one or both head gaskets. you might as well replace them and the head cover gaskets that you siliconed on.

The thermostats and poppets are another tale altogether. Do the water pump first.

I would suggest you caqll iboats tomorrow at: 1-800-743-1123. They will verify the water pump kit number and help you with the gaskets.

You should be able to find your model number in one of two places.

1. A quarter sized core (freeze) plug on the side of the engine block.

2. A tag on the outboard bracket that bolts to the transom of the boat.

 

[pdrayton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

Aha, I found the model number! The rattle can rebuild had covered it - E88MSL CER. SO it's an 1989 88HP Evinrude blah blah blah.

Yes, a manual is a definate. I think I'll order one with the water pump kit.

So what I'm getting is that gunk gets sucked up into the motor and it breaks the impeller blades on the water pump? But if water is coming out of the tell-tale, can my water pump still be toast? Also, it is just one side of the engine that is overheating (from a laser thermometer - one side was 120F the other was 96 or so while running) - could that still be water pump? If the water pump wasn't working, wouldn't both heads be hot?

DJ, thanks for the full instructions on the water pump! New head gasket? Them's fightin words in the car world, but it doens't seem like a big deal with boats? Is that something that's not a big deal? I mean, I have to torque them in the right order, etc, but I don't have to replane the heads or whatever. How can I tell if the head gaskets are shot before I replace them and I possibly didn't need to?

It seems crazy to me that going into the mud once will screw up an engine so bad. I thought it would just flush out.

Thanks for the help,

Paul

 

[ezeke]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

The tell-tale hose is routed above the starboard cylinder bank, indicating a mid-eighties or more recent engine.

The V4 crossflows have water deflectors which can move and cause poor circulation. If you still have the problem after you re-torque the cylinder heads according to Mr. Reeves's suggestion, you might want to buy a couple of head gaskets and examine the water circuit around the cylinders.

If the quarter sized welch plug with the model number is not on the top of the starboard cylinder bank, then it will be hidden beneath the power pack on the top of the port cylinder bank.

 

[F_R]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

Water going through while running on the muffs doesn't mean a darn thing. You can't test a water pump on muffs. Hose pressure is forcing water up through the engine, not the water pump.

The water pump should be the FIRST thing to look at whenever there is any sign of overheating. Anything else is secondary.

 

[DJ]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

It's not the gunk in the water pump that hurts them. It's the running without water that tears the blades up.

I am very familiar with the 89. I had a 1989-90 (same engine, 90 had oil injection).

The easiest way to check the head gaskets is to look at the spark plugs. If one or more are real clean, you have a water leak into the cylinder(s).

As ezeke said, the water deflectors can move, if overheated. The only way to tell is removing the heads. Head service on that engine is quite simple. I seriously doubt if the heads are warped.

 

[Benny1963]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

hi you may flow resrictors as well do the whole thing thermos poppetts head gaskets
ex cover gaskets and exhaust deflectors need to be checked
and full waterpump kit these things are critical get manual and reinstall
every thing to specs and torques be sure to check head surface for flatness
or have checked and surfaced the parts and effort will be worth it
in the long run recently stopped up mine and burnt pump up although
it would pump on hose it overheated in the water the poppetts deform very easy they are probaly bad you can get sierra or brp used sierra pump
works well once i figured were some of the parts went they are a little diff than brp but half the price
merry christmas bennyb

 

[gregr1971]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

pdrayton, i just tore down 1989 , 90hp, if you need something let me know.

 

[flabum]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

The waterflow on that engine goes like this; It flows up the water tube from the pump into the exhaust housing (which is where your pee hose is hooked to), then it travels into the block and around the cylinders, then out of the block and into the heads, then out the heads into the thermostat housing (where the hoses hook to), then out the housing into the midsection discharge.

As said earlier, the first thing I would do since it overheated is to pull the heads and check the deflector tubes in the location that was posted. The picture I posted shows the deflectors (look like hoses) as they should be, if they stick out into the water passage, then they need to be replaced.

There could be a blockage in the thermostat housing as well. On those engines, they are tricky to get to. There are three bolts that hold the housing on and you will have to loosen the lower pan to get to them.

 

[pdrayton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

Wow, lots of replies, thanks!

The tell tale still flows steady when in the water, ie not wiith the muffs. Does that give us any useful information on the probable cause? Reason I ask is, it is only one side of the engine that seems to be overheating - that implies to me I should look at those deflector things first, no? IF the water pump was buggered, the tell-tale wouldn't flow, and both sides of the engine would overheat wouldn't they?

I took two of the plugs out today, and they were definately not clean, not at all like they had a steam clean, so I'm going to be chicken little and ASSuME the head gaskets are OK, since I don't have any evidence they are not fine (or do I, I"m getting confused).

So I'm not sure if I should do the water pump and the deflectors or just one or the other. HOw difficult is it to fix the deflectors? Are they under the main flat plate between the two cylinder banks?

What I don't get is how you test to see if your problem of overheating is solved without going out on the water?

I'll probably run out of questions eventually.....

Paul

 

[guy74]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

If you are going to remove the LU follow DJ's directions exept for step (3). His directions are for the older V4's. On yours there is a hairpin though the shifter lever, below where the cable hitches to on the starboardside. Remove that pin and push the whole lever and shaft toward the carbs, this will unhitch the linkage from the rod that comes up from the LU. If you decide to start tearing into it before your manual get there, you can PM me and I can scan and send pages from my manual if you need me to.
Goodluck,
Brian

 

[pdrayton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

Flabum, you were writing at the same time I was, so I just saw your comments now. My inclination is to pull the heads and check the deflectors. put new gaskets in and torque the heads properly. Then see how she goes. If it's all good, great. If not, then put the water pump kit on, which I'm going to get anyway.

Does that sound like a decent plan DJ - I don't think the water pump was ever without water so I don't suspect it is broken, but I don't know for sure. Sounds like you know these engines well, so you would have a better idea of the situation. It's just that only one side overheating makes me think the water pump must be OK. Guess I'll find out this weekend.

 

[DJ]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

Flabum, you were writing at the same time I was, so I just saw your comments now. My inclination is to pull the heads and check the deflectors. put new gaskets in and torque the heads properly. Then see how she goes. If it's all good, great. If not, then put the water pump kit on, which I'm going to get anyway.

Does that sound like a decent plan DJ - I don't think the water pump was ever without water so I don't suspect it is broken, but I don't know for sure. Sounds like you know these engines well, so you would have a better idea of the situation. It's just that only one side overheating makes me think the water pump must be OK. Guess I'll find out this weekend.

pdrayton,

I would do it all. Your plan is a good one. Since you're not sure the water pump is a maintenance item and should be done anyway.

I wrote from experience. I overheated my old one too. ;-(

Good luck, we'll be around. There's a good bunch of folks on this board.

 

[guy74]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

If it's just overheating on one side, I think I'd pull the thermostats and bypass valves. There might be some trash in the thermastat or bypass valve for the one side. If it was mine, I'd drop the LU too so I could visually verify the condition of the waterpump, also with the LU off and the thermastats out you can back flush the motor with the garden hose.

 

[flabum]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

If it's just overheating on one side, I think I'd pull the thermostats and bypass valves. There might be some trash in the thermastat or bypass valve for the one side. If it was mine, I'd drop the LU too so I could visually verify the condition of the waterpump, also with the LU off and the thermastats out you can back flush the motor with the garden hose.

Could still be water deflectors on one side. Pull the hoses comming off the heads and run the engine on a flusher.....observe the waterflow comming out of the heads... no or little waterflow indicates swollen deflectors

 

[pdrayton]

Re: Evinrude 88 SPL overheating (pics)

OK, got the head gaskets and a water pump coming. Couldn't find the deflectors listed in the parts - are they called something else?

Also, I got the manual. I did find a downloadable one (on the sly) - it's called the Johnson Evinrude Outboard Shop Manual 48-235 HP 1973-1989, PM me if you want it. It looks pretty comprehensive!

So the new revised busy saturday so I can go fishing sunday, schedule is: ahem....

1. put on the muffs, loosen the hoses at the thermostat housing at the base of the cylinders and see how much water comes out. If there is good water flow, the problem is most likely bunged up thermostats - fix/flush them. Even better to put the engine in a barrel rather than put the muffs on, right? I have a few spare barrels. Like someone said, water flow with muffs is no indicator of anything.

2. If it's not the thermostats, (and the previous owner says he doesn't know when the water pump was last replaced), replaced/refurb the water pump.

3. If that doesn't do it, then pull the heads and replace the head gaskets and check that the deflectors are OK.

CAn you tell I'm not crazy about pulling the heads?