trying to test motor without pressurized tank

[trying2fish]

I just got a 5.5 hp Johnson Seahorse at an auction that came with the 14' Starcraft I bought. Looks like it's in great shape but hasn't been run in a while. It doesn't have a tank or fuel line. How can I test the motor to see if it runs B4 I buy a tank (get fuel to carb) I know it has to be in water to run but a 55 gal drum will solve that. Is there any way to rig a line to get fuel to the carb?<br /><br />Also the lower unit oil was greenish and milky when I drained it. Does that mean the rubber seal on the oil fill screw leaked water (it was barely there when I removed it) or is it bigger problems. <br /><br />I am a fairly mechanical guy but don't know boat motors.<br /><br />Any help?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: trying to test motor without pressurized tank

First, welcome to Iboats, trying2fish!<br /><br />Sure, but it depends on what you've got to start with. If, say, you had a regular outboard line and tank, you can simply hook it up to the carb inlet and pump gas by hand. Or if you had some other tank and line, you might try some sort of gravity feed to the carb. Just plug up the other line - the engine won't know the difference. I wouldn't want to run it open since it'll spit fuel/air mix.<br /><br />I'm pretty certain that the lower unit seal on your outboard should be a nylon plastic washer, not a rubber seal. So that could certainly be what's causing the water intrusion. Run it with a new seal and oil a few times and check it again by draining a little oil. Even if you still have a leak, resealing that lower unit is pretty easy and inexpensive.<br /><br />You need to get water up above the the joint between the lower unit and the midsection for testing. The water pump must be submerged for it to work at idle.

 

[Johnathan]

Re: trying to test motor without pressurized tank

What I did originally was to disconnect the fitting on the motor and jerry rig the fuel line to my merc tank after setting a picnic bench in the back of the boat to put the tank on, this made it a gravity feed after priming with the bulb, worked for me!<br /><br />John

 

[trying2fish]

Re: trying to test motor without pressurized tank

Great! Thanks loads for your help. This BB is awsome.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: trying to test motor without pressurized tank

I used a cheap weed sprayer, the type you pump the handle. Hook a fuel line to the barb where the sprayer hose goes, hook the other end to the carb, pump it up, and you have a $9 pressure tank for testing purposes. Good luck...