Suzuki dt9.9 no water at taletale help!

[Jfinnegan]

1981 Suzuki DT9.9 no water at pee hole. Impeller looks good, correct curvature on blades. I can blow air in pee hole and hear it at bottom of lower unit. All clear from water inlet (on lower unit) up to the water pump. Water pump and gasket are lined up with water pump opening slot. I can run motor for 5 minutes and the top of the head reaches 220 or so. Anybody have a suggestion. I bought this motor used and it seemed to be peeing a little bit when I first ran it but now, nothing. I can feel some hot air coming out at pee hole. Just wondering if there is a common issue I may be missing.

 

[mike_i]

Has it ever pumped water like it should since you've had the motor? Did the issue just start? Are you using muffs or is the motor in a tank? How old is the impeller? Replace it regardless. Did you run the motor for 5 min without it pumping water? The water flow is from the intake to the pump to the pisser to the rest of the water jacket. Replace the pump kit to start and make sure when you run it there's enough water pressure with muffs or better yet try in a tank and make sure the water level is higher than the pump.

 

[Jfinnegan]

I think when I first started it it was spitting a little water out but not a stream but just a few minutes later, no water at all. I bought from a guy that said he had been running it a lot. I guess I knew better than take his word that it had no problems. Not sure how old the impeller is but it looked to be in good shape. I am running on muffs that fit right by still leak a lot around the edges. I do have a tank. I was running at the lake the first time when I saw a little water then none. Could the impeller be bad in a way that is indiscernible to the eye?

 

[mike_i]

Are the fins on the impeller stiff or brittle? Sounds like it was exposed to heat by running it dry? Water lubricates the impeller, if it’s run dry, the impeller can be ruined in a few seconds. How long did you run the motor without seeing water from the pisser? As long as you can see the impeller replace the entire pump kit. Lube the impeller up with dish soap before you insert it back into the housing and be sure you have it installed in the proper direction.

 

[Sea Rider]

Was this motor run in salt water before by previous owner way before you bough it ? That's a 40 year oldie. When on muffs if there's water exiting through the prop the pump is working, seems there's a internal blockage somewhere in the water path that carries water out the peeing port. With motor on poke in-out a large plastic cannula or a weed whacker string several times the deepest that will go and check what happens.

Happy Boating​

 

[Jfinnegan]

Okay, another question which may be relevant to all this. When I run it with muffs on there is white smoke coming out at the propeller. Could this be a bad head gasket (or worse) and the reason I’m not getting water peeing out because it’s going into the cylinder? Motor will run, idle, and rev up. I never run it over a minute since I don’t see water peeing and when I ran it for 4 or 5 minutes I was using a laser thermometer to watch the temp which hit about 220 on top of the head. Not sure where exhaust should be coming out.

 

[Jfinnegan]

Was this motor run in salt water before by previous owner way before you bough it ? That's a 40 year oldie. When on muffs if there's water exiting through the prop the pump is working, seems there's a internal blockage somewhere in the water path that carries water out the peeing port. With motor on poke in-out a large plastic cannula or a weed whacker string several times the deepest that will go and check what happens.

Happy Boating​

I tried the weed wacker line and it’s hard to tell if water is coming out of the propeller because it’s seems to be leaking a little around the muffs and kind of going everywhere.Thanks for your help.

 

[mike_i]

Are you sure you're seeing white smoke and not steam. As I said in my first reply the water goes from the pump to the pisser then to the rest of the water jacket. If you don't have pisser water and there is no blockage the pump isn't pumping. If you ran the motor 5 min. with no water pumping the impeller is toast. I just ran my F150 for 10 min in my flush tank, 96 gallon trash can, the water heated up to 93. I scanned all over the engine and the highest temp was 134. I'd say your motor is burning up if it hits 220, water boils at 212. Is there water coming out from above the cavitation plat? If your impeller is held in place on the shaft with a woodruff key is it there? I doubt it's a blown head gasket since you say it's running ok but If you're concerned pull the spark plugs and look inside, what condition are the plugs in? Is one cleaner than the other? You could also check the compression but I think you're dealing with a pump/impeller issue.

 

[Sea Rider]

If that motor was run in salt water by previous owner for that long will need to tear the whole powerhead down and manually scrape clean all the water passages. A severely salted thermo and housing will indicate so..

Happy Boating​

 

[Jfinnegan]

Was this motor run in salt water before by previous owner way before you bough it ? That's a 40 year oldie. When on muffs if there's water exiting through the prop the pump is working, seems there's a internal blockage somewhere in the water path that carries water out the peeing port. With motor on poke in-out a large plastic cannula or a weed whacker string several times the deepest that will go and check what happens.

Happy Boating​

 

[Jfinnegan]

Update: Thanks for everyone’s help so far. I replaced the impeller and no help. It will run perfect. Got it in a tank. Still no water at the taletale. Kind of at a loss. One thing I haven’t done is shoot some high pressure air in the hole but I will do that tomorrow at work since my air compressor is out. Any more ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mike_i]

With the lower unit off can you shoot water up into the tube that plugs into the water pump housing towards the pee hole? And be sure that when you reinstall the lower unit that tube is going into the pump housing. Did you replace the entire pump assembly or just the impeller? Does the impeller have a woodruff key keeping it in position. Is the water level above the pump when you have the lower unit submerged? Have you looked at the thermostat?

 

[frustratedboater]

I have dropped the unit and attached a hose to the water tube and forced water back through. Then reversed it through the thermostat and have seen sand, grit, etc come out. I know you tried air, but give water a go..
Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but does the color of the plugs look the same?

 

[Jfinnegan]

Update: Got her working. Figured out the water pipe going up to the head was not seating in the water pump. The rubber grommet/seal was on the pipe rather than seated in the water pump outlet. I took it off the pipe, seated it in the pump housing, stab the lower unit, and voila! Water pissing out the hole, engine staying cool. Thanks for all the help.

 

[99yam40]

good to hear it has water now.
just hope you did not hurt it by running it with no water to the powerhead

 

[mike_i]

Congratulations that's good news.