Tattle-tail or not

[aedaemae]

I am getting my boat ready for the season after it was stored in my yard all winter. I have a couple issue right now, but it did start right up. This is in regards to the tattle-tale and possibly the water pump.

When I have the flush device hooked up to the lower unit from a garden hose and the engine is running, I see the tattle-tale. I have this running inside a cut barrel to use as a water tank also. When I take off the hose and start it back up, I no longer see the tattle-tale.

Should I be alarmed? I havn't let it run very long without it to avoid damage, and I suspect that the water pressure from the hose might be the driving force for the water.

 

[minuteman62-64]

I've always had the reverse situation - a better stream out the tell tale when running in a barrel as opposed to running on the muffs. Are you sure the water level in the barrel is high enough - above the cavitation plate?

 

[aedaemae]

Yes. This is how I ran it last year as well. I also noticed some water splashing out just below the motor in the back in a small rectangular hole that sort of resembles an exhaust port. I'm not sure if that is normal but I'm keeping an eye on it.

 

[Chris1956]

What kind of motor and what year? V6 mercs may not get a telltale until the motor is warm, depending on the year.

 

[Mo1]

Not the same motor but when I had water leaking out of my exhaust port it was a gasket misaligned

 

[aedaemae]

The tattle-tale came out and I got through about 5 gallons of gas last Friday. Not sure why it didn't work in the tank. I'll have to check the gaskets, I just changed out oil in the lower unit and it looked like very pale green white paint so i have some leaks to find yet.

 

[Salacia]

I had a similar problem a few years back on an old Mariner after changing impellers and messing about it turned out that the cooling channels in the head had rotted through and I was loosing most of the water out of the exhaust. Just a thought but if the tell tail is week its worth a consideration.