I muffed it on the muffs...

generator12

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
666
My boat hasn't been in the water for almost 8 weeks, and the Merc 170 hadn't been run for at least four. So I lifted the cover, hooked up the hose, climbed in and started her up.

As I always do, I sat and watched the gauges, intending to let her run for five minutes or so at around 1700-1800 RPM, charge the battery, and get up to operating temperature before shutting her down. After about three minutes I noticed an odd odor, and also the fact the the temp. was rising past the 160 degree mark that she always holds on the muffs.

I climbed out and to my horror saw that the hose connection had slipped out of the muffs, the hose was on the driveway, and there was no water discharge from the outdrive. Of course I climbed back in and shut her down, as the closed system began to vent anti-freeze into the doghouse. I continued to turn the key on to check the temp. rise and saw her get up to around 220 degrees as the engine temp. equalized.

Obviously, the odor had been the pump impeller.

So, on Monday the pump comes apart and I'll do a compression check. If the compression is reasonable, and oil and anti-freeze both look okay, I'll run her again and see what I've got.

Took the muffs to my workbench and found that the stamped clamp holding the barbed fitting in the rubber bonnet was so loose that I could pull the fitting out with very little effort, and slip the clamp off easily as well.

A little rubber cement and a proper hose clamp has fixed the muffs. Now let's see what's required to fix the engine.
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Re: I muffed it on the muffs...

The only reason you ran it was that it hadn't been started in 4 weeks? It is an engine, let it sit until you are ready to use it and it'll be just fine.
 

thumpar

Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
6,138
Re: I muffed it on the muffs...

If you are running it to charge the battery you need a maintenancer. I have 1 for each battery.
 

Pete104

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,439
Re: I muffed it on the muffs...

Sounds like alot of climbing in & out for nothing!
 

stonyloam

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
5,830
Re: I muffed it on the muffs...

Better pull the whole outdrive to look for the shutter pieces. Sorry to hear, always something man.
 

Alumarine

Captain
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
3,760
Re: I muffed it on the muffs...

Exhaust shutter may also have melted. No need to start them up.
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: I muffed it on the muffs...

Y'up, +100 to what Oldjeep said.

Lot's of people I hear "start the boat" once a month and I'm not so sure why. Seems like, since we measure usage in hours, that the more you "start it" the fewer hours you have left to actually use it. Mine gets started the night before I'm planning to go sometimes (if I know I'm going out), otherwise it gets started WHEN I'm ready to go out. I make sure the battery is charged, of course, but otherwise......
 
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