water cooling problem

[buzzerr]

my outdrive is not sucking in water, i tried replacing the water pump and the thermostat, but neither helped.. any suggestions please

 

[kdmiller8251]

Re: water cooling problem

Have you checked the impeller in the lower drive??? Is there crap in the cooling system???<br />Be more specific about engine make model..etc...Saltwater Freshwater???<br /><br />Tallman

 

[buzzerr]

Re: water cooling problem

there was a lot of rubber crude in there, i dont know what it was. what kind of impellor is located in the outdrive?? what does it do?? my boat has a straight four cylinder volvo motor with the sx cobra outdrive

 

[buzzerr]

Re: water cooling problem

Come on, give me a break, are you gonna tell me no one in the united states can give me an answer. im new to boating and i could answer half the questions on this page. but your gonna tell me that no one who has been boating for a while has any input on to what my problem is, its sad that theres so many boaters out on the water that dont know what there doing

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: water cooling problem

Buzzer....first of all this board has people on it from all around the world, 2nd of all it's more helpful if you can give details like motor type, HP, drive type etc right up front so that you can get the right people helping you right up front without having to ask a lot of questions. If this is a true Volvo is there a belt driven water pump? easily identifiable with the 2 big black hoses (in and out), if not then the water pump is in the outdrive and you will have to pull the boat out to replace it. The other water pump on the front of the engine is really a circulation pump that pushes it through the engine. You've probably heard this before but never run the engine out of the water or without muffs as the rubber impeller will destroy itself in a matter of seconds.

 

[Walter]

Re: water cooling problem

You say you can answer half the questions on the board, yet you don't know what the heck a lower unit impeller is? Ok...yeah...sure.<br /><br />Look...<br /><br />Most of us are working stiffs who enjoy trying to help out our fellow boaters when we can. Sometimes it takes a while for someone who knows something about your problem to respond. Others, when they see the attitude you display in your reply, will simply ignore you. Think about that...<br /><br />Walt

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: water cooling problem

Very well put Walter

 

[buzzerr]

Re: water cooling problem

okay boaters around the world, im sorry, im just really stressed out. the summer is slipping away and i dont want to miss another minute. yes the boat does have two water pumps one on the front of the block and the other hanging off to the left side driven by belts. the rubber crude was in the pump hanging on the left side, and must have been the remains of the impellor. how do i get to it, in order to replace it. please don't foresake a fellow boater who is losing his cool over this annying problem

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: water cooling problem

Buzzer....in your first post you stated you replaced the water pump and T-stat, which did you replace? The raw water pump on the left should be easy enough to remove and then get a kit from the dealer and rebuild it.

 

[Walter]

Re: water cooling problem

Buzz...<br /><br />Apologies accepted. I am by no means a certified marine tech....but I have spent many hours tinkering with my MerCruiser. Unfortunately for you though...I've never wrenched on a Volvo. Regardless of that...you should have yourself a factory manual if you're going to tackle these more detailed repairs. That should be your first step...<br /><br />The impeller in the outdrive supplies sea water to the cooling system...usually directly to the automotive water pump on the engine. Whether a fresh water cooling system, or a closed cooling system... the engine will over heat if the impeller fails. That's the first place I'd go...especially when you say you found rubber debris near that area. <br /><br />Do NOT ever run your engine without the outdrive in water or a garden hose/flush muffs attached(and adequate water pressure). If you do, you'll smoke the impeller in VERY short order.<br /><br />Relax...some say working on your boat is much more fun than actually using it. Hmmmm....<br /><br />Walt

 

[buzzerr]

Re: water cooling problem

Thanks guys.. the pump i replaced is the one bolted directly to the front of the block. The rubber crud was in the one hanging on the left side. is that the only one that needs changing?? im a little confused? is there still another one in the outdrive? or if i have the hanging one then does that mean theres none in the outdrive??

 

[galaxy225]

Re: water cooling problem

i think that is what there saying is that there is a other pump on drive it self........i think i have the same problem is that the impellor is not working on mine.....with the muffs on lower unit it gets very hot....did not see or hear water running throw hoses....

 

[russthemuss]

Re: water cooling problem

Hi Buzzer<br />You dont have two sea water pumps.regarding the pump on the side: Remove the back plate off the pump and pry the impellor out.Im confused you found rubber 'crud' in there and no impellor (unless it totaly disintergrated)Make sure you clean out the pipes properly as it will often jam rupper back Down the pipe as well.You may need to pull your heat exchanger apart to get all the bits of rubber out of it as it will affect the cooling as well.(just follow the outlet from the pump) put lots off marine grease on the new impellor when you install it.

 

[BigBabyLou]

Re: water cooling problem

Hi Buzzerr, no need to panic, you have three pumps, that's ok <br /><br />Your engine has closed cooling system. Like regular car engines (There's your first water pump - the one on the block). The only difference is the radiator is called heat exchanger. It is not air which is cooling it but water from the lake/sea. This water has to be pushed through the heat exchanger by another pump, the one "hanging off to the left side". That's your second pump. To help pick up the water from the lake/sea, there is a third pump in the outdrive, often referred to as the "impeller" If you found rubber crud in your secondary pump, it most likely comes from the impeller which fried and bursted into thousand pieces. That's why you don't get any water in your secondary cooling system.<br /><br />As it was already said here, you need a repair manual for your boat. Search on-line, you can find them from $25.<br /><br />The rubber impeller is somewhere in your outdrive (usually above the prop) and replacing it takes maybe an hour and costs just a few bucks (depends on the price of new impeller and seal).<br /><br />Hope you can find the manual and parts quickly so that you can enjoy the summer.<br />Lou

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: water cooling problem

BigBabyLou ....I tend to disagree with you on this one. I'm not a Volvo expert but I have seen a few. They don't have their water pump in the drive, it's a belt driven unit hanging off the engine much the same way the newer Merc Bravo's do. There is still a water pick up and hose that come from the drive but the actual pump is inside the boat and I think that is what Buzzer has to repair. Someone could have run the engine for a bit and the impeller would have done a meltdown with no water to keep it cool. I think russthemuss pretty much has it nailed what Buzzer has to do next.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: water cooling problem

Buzzer....One more thing, I don't think you gave us the year but here is a site where you can select Volvo Sterndrives and oick the model, year, etc and view the blow up of your unit, then you can see where your waterpumps are.<br />Online Parts Catoalog

 

[BigBabyLou]

Re: water cooling problem

My apologies.<br />Thanks for correcting me, Bob.<br /><br />Lou

 

[buzzerr]

Re: water cooling problem

thank you everyone i think we isolated the problem ill be back on the water in no time

 

[rami]

Re: water cooling problem

I am new to this but I had the exact same problem and the impeller had rotted so bad that it got pieces sucked up into the water pump. Clear out the water pump and replace the impeller. For the extra $60 you can replace the lower unit water pump. Nontheless you must take off the lower unit and that is how you get to the impellar, it is relatively easy to do. If you are like me and prefer not to work on it much then take it to a mechanic, I was quoted $75 to do all the work that I did.