Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

[photogmkr]

Hello all, My name is Travis and this is my first time posting here on iboats. I just bought my first boat and I am supper excited! It is a 1983 Bayliner Capri, I believe that it has AQ125A/270. If I am wrong please let me know. I have a ton of pictures to post to help explain my problems. Here is a side shot of the boat

First problem is that it is over heating. P/O replaced manifold gasket, water pump, and gave it a tune up. Right before they winterized it last season they said it started to over heat but didnt do anything about it over the winter.
I took a plastic 55 gallon barrel, cut off the top and put the stern drive in it to run it.

To our surprise it started right up without a problem and sounded good! It ran for a good 10 min before it got to about a temp of 180. It quickly rose to about 210 before we shut it down. We let it cool then took of the cap to the raw water reservoir strainer

It was bone dry. I thought that maybe it would not pump properly if it was not full of water. So I put some in it and it ran through the bottom. I got out my inspection mirror and checked. There is a screw missing.

First question. Does anyone know where I can get this screw?

The P/O said that the water pump was replaced. Does this look like the correct one?

I noticed that this part

had green coolant in it and it really didnt look to go anywhere. Could someone tell me what it is for?

Has anyone ran into a situation like this? Where should I start troubleshooting it?
I was thinking about taking the water intake line off of the inside of the transom and clamping it to a water hose and starting it. I figured if I get water through the system then I would know that it was in the stern drive, if not maybe it would be the water pump. Any suggestions?
I have read through a ton of the topics on here to try to find an answer before posting this and everyone seems really nice and knowledgeable. I hope that this wasnt covered before and I just missed it.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to help me out. I really appreciate it!

 

[njlarry]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Hi Travis and welcome. Great looking boat, looks new.
You're likely to get more complete answers from the pros later but for now;The last picture is the coolant tank for the closed part of the fresh water system. It holds the antifreeze mix that circulates thru the engine block. I have a different engine so can't help you with the other pics.
Sounds like you may have a defective thermostat. Easy to replace and should be checked anyway. Are sure both water pumps are ok?
The factory manuals will be a big help, seloc less help but a start.
Good luck with the new boat.

 

[Coors]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Don will be by shortly, he is the volvo geru; but you need to put the drain plug back in-look in the glove box.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

I agree sounds like a bad thermostat.

 

[photogmkr]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Thanks guys for your help, I really appreciate it!! It is a really great looking boat, inside and out. I just bought it on sunday 6/3. I am the 3rd owner. The P/O only had it for 2 years and only ran it a couple of times. The first owner really kept it in great shape and took care of it. I am a very lucky first time owner!

At first I thought that it may be the thermostat as well but there is/was no water at all in the raw water system. If I understand this right, fresh water tank circulates coolant through the engine to keep it cool and raw water (lake water) run up through the stern drive through the water pump, into the raw water reservoir, where it cools down the fresh water form the engine, then the the raw water runs through a big black thing that runs the length of the engine on the starboard side that I havent been able to figure out what it is or does. Then the water runs out the back.
I ran the motor a second time with the cap to the strainer open to see if the water pump was pushing through water and it was not. Can these water pumps cavitate? Does the system need to be filled with water to get it going, primed?
I forgot to mention that the P/O said that he just replaced the thermostat.
Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

First thing to do is check the impeller. If it has been running dry, the vanes will be broken off by now.
Then check the seals on the tubes that attach the tubes to the raw water pump. If the PO used the old tube seals, the inlet side from the transom probably is sucking air and not pulling water up from the drive.

 

[photogmkr]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Here is an update thus far.

1. I took off the water pump and checked the impeller. I believe that the P/O did replace with a new water pump. The impeller looks right out of the box and in great shape. I ran through all of the lines and check all of the seals and they appear to be in great shape as well.

2. With every thing looking good I decided to run water through the system to see if anything was clogged.
I took this line off

and clamped the water hose to it to flush water through the stern drive. Water did come through the bottom of the stern so I wouldn’t think that it was blocked up.
I then changed it to run the water through the pump and the reservoir. I then started the engine and water ran through the system fine. Nothing seems to be plugged up anywhere.

Everything seem to be completely sealed and working. I filled it all up and started the engine again and it ran great and cooled perfect. I stopped the engine and let it sit for a sec. When I started it again the pump didn’t prime itself and ran hot again.

I just went out and checked the stern drive really good and there isnt anything blocking this area

Help.......I am completely lost!

 

[Coors]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

You are sucking air somewhere before the pump.

 

[photogmkr]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

what could be the possibility that it could be somewhere in the stern drive?

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

In the above picture, the bottom tube seal ring on the pump may be sucking air. Since your impeller was ok, you are getting a little water to the pump, just not enough to cool.
Another possibility for an air leak (and is quite common) is on the hose connection ON the outdrive.
That connector corrodes away inside the hose. Looks great from the outside, but is bad just at the edge of the hose.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Out on the drive there is a raw water inlet hose fitting on top of the intermediate housing, the hose from the transom clamps to this fitting. This is what feeds the raw water pump. The fitting can corrode badly and actually lose enough material to let the hose suck in air and the raw water pump will lose suction. The hose can be deteriorated as well and cause the same thing.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Sorry Don, just re-read your last sentence, right on!

Mine was bad on my 290DP, looked ok on the outside bud had corroded away and was probably sucking air. I replaced the hose as well. All of that plus new impeller and thermostat and it flows 100% now.

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

I was looking at the picture below, and can't see any water in the drum. All it would take is the top hole on your intake to be even slightly out of the water and it will stop pumping. Put the hose in the drum and fill it up to the top and see how it works. Also keep the hose on (even if the water overflows) to make sure it stays full. That is a great way to make sure there are no air leaks in your water intake system, but it takes a lot of work to set up. You can buy muffs for your drive that fit over the intake vents, it's a lot simpler and easier to use.

 

[photogmkr]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Again I would just like to thank everyone for their continued help and patience. It is much appreciated.

I just went ahead and bought some muffs tonight so I will be trying those tomorrow.

Don and Maclin, you guys are talking about a hose on the out drive. Is this the one? Sorry about the pic.

If it is the hose, how do I get to it? It didnt seem as if it was easily reachable.

In this pick where you see the green arrow

was leaking water when I hooked up the garden hose to the red arrow in this pic

When I didnt have the engine on it was squirting pretty bad all over the place. As soon as I turned on the engine, with the garden hose on, the leaking stopped.

Another thing, I thought that these

were the only water inlets on the out drive, besides the one at the bottom. Are there any more? And one more thing, when I had the engine running in idle I placed my hads one this intake and didnt feel a suction. I took a pice of paper and placed it against it under water, still running, and it just floated away. There should always be suction here when running right?

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

DON S, won't the water in the barrel also heat up from the water coming back out of the engine,I run mine on muffs and put my hand down below the gimble housing and the water feels hot.so it has got to heat the water in the barrel too I would think..

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

It's taking days for this thread to load because of all the pictures.
Yes the bottom hose on the bottom (green arrow) will leak when you pressurize the system with a garden hose attached to the "red arrow' in the other photo.
The pump should suck in the water. If it doesn't, then there is an air leak somewhere between the drive and raw water pump.

wavenbye2
The water will not heat up that fast. Running the hose like I mentioned before will help keep it cooler. But boats run in 80? water all the time with no problem. If it starts boiling, yea, too long.

 

[photogmkr]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

I thought that the pics would be the best way for a newbie to explain my problems and save everyone the frustration.

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

In most cases, pictures are better. When the forum works for everyone. Here, it doesn't work that way. It only works fast for some the rest of us are doomed to super slow even with DSL.
Does it take you a minute and a half or more to load this page?????? It does me.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

Don,

It must be that Alaskan DSL because it loads up fine for me.

No one has mention plugging up the hole near the bullett of the drive when running on the muffs.

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo overheating, new boat owner.

No one has mention plugging up the hole near the bullett of the drive when running on the muffs.

He also hasn't run on muffs yet.

PS: Ryan knows about the problem, and I am not the only one. Look at the threads in the Web Site forum.