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mid 80's 50hp merc


FinS

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well me and my dad finally had time to puts around with the new to me boat 84 15'5 smokercraft big fish with 50 merc

 

it goes like this we got the motor running with the muffs runs great but no water spitting out

so decided the muffs werent doing the trick then put her in a garbage can full of water still no water coming out

the motor sat for a while indoors so i figured maybe there is spider webs in the lines well i blew compressed air in the little nossle in the side and tried her again nothing,

bubbles came up tho from the foot part thought that was good but still no go

 

my question would be water pump or the impeller any thing else that we should look into

is this hard to change

any help would be appreciated

need to get on the water

 

im getting the WFN D.A.D itch

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Fins

It's always a good idea to change the impeller after a motor has been sitting, or even if you don't know the last time it was changed. The second thing is to change the oil in the foot this can save you lots of money in the long run the oil is only about 6 bucks and the impeller is relativly cheap. You can find any nuber of web sites that will explain how these proceedures are done and they are quite simple.

Rather be safe that sorry also it can be a long row back to the dock.

The fun is just beginning!!!

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That does sound like the impeller is going (gone) for a dump. If the motor is not peeing, do not run it for long as it is not being cooled.

An impeller is not too hard to change, as I understand it.

Good Luck!!!

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Fins, the link Lostchild posted is a good explanation of how to change the impeller.

Your mercury should be identical to what is described in the link, I have a 1986 Smoker craft Bass catcher with an 86 mercury 50hp. I just replaced the lower unit and it really wasn’t that hard the most difficult part was getting the shifting rod lined up.

 

The one thing I see that he left out is there are 2 seals that go on the top end of the driveshaft, when you get the lower unit down they will likely stay up in the housing. If they aren’t on the drive shaft when you get it out, take a flashlight and look up inside of the housing you can use a screw driver to wiggle them out.

 

Jeff.

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Big Cliff and I replaced the impeller on my 18hp 1983 Merc. If you have the owner's manual, it gives detailed instructions on how to change that impeller (with pictures...I need pictures....LOL).

 

It took us a little time to figure everything out, but the next time it needs done, it'll take less than an hour. (and that's taking our time).

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A manual would be a good investment but don’t buy a Clymer manual for that motor, I did and it was a waste of $40.00 it dose not go into much detail.

 

I don’t know about others but I would say a factory service manual would be worth the $75.00, I wish I would have bought the FSM in the first place.

 

Jeff.

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change the impellor it's easy...

 

unbolt the lower unit...

drop it down...

 

unscrew the impellor housing and remove it...

 

pull off the old impellor put the new one on, make sure you get the key seated properly...

 

then gently bend the impellor arms into the housing...

 

tighten impellor housing down

 

install lower unit back onto motor

 

tighten screws...

 

 

wvmedic is right the factory service manual is way better then an clymer or seloc

it should take you less then half an hour...

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thanks for the replys guys

 

i was at it for a little bit today

i bought a new impeller kit

downloaded a diagram

did exactly what was on the picture and still no water

 

i think this one more time will do it im going out in the morning and buying a pump kit

if that dont work then i give up

 

 

happy fishing

 

p.s it runs great but need the water to spit

Edited by FinS
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This may not help, but I noticed this with my merc.

 

When I filled a garbage can, I needed to go well PAST where the bolts are when you remove the lower unit.

 

180px-Merc_50_hp.jpg

 

If the water level in the can didn't go past this point, the water wouldn't circulate.

Edited by ccmt
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I have a 40 mariner and it won't pump water unless its in a lake. Don't ask me why......on muffs I get no water, in a barrel I get no water....put it in the lake....she pisses like a racehorse. I've seen ccmt's motor not pump water in a barrel too....when there was what I thought was more than enough water in it.....we filled it up a little more, and she pumped no prob.

 

I don't trust barrels or muffs anymore. Sometimes in a barrel, the bubbles from the exaust will not allow enough water for it to pump, and the air can damage the impellor.

 

Drop it in the lake and try it. You don't even have to take it off the trailer....that's what I do if I have problems.

 

Sinker

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This may not help, but I noticed this with my merc.

 

When I filled a garbage can, I needed to go well PAST where the bolts are when you remove the lower unit.

 

180px-Merc_50_hp.jpg

 

If the water level in the can didn't go past this point, the water wouldn't circulate.

 

 

thank for the help cliff but i tried almost the imaginanable

wish some knew what they were doing but we tried

thanks

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I have a 40 mariner and it won't pump water unless its in a lake. Don't ask me why......on muffs I get no water, in a barrel I get no water....put it in the lake....she pisses like a racehorse. I've seen ccmt's motor not pump water in a barrel too....when there was what I thought was more than enough water in it.....we filled it up a little more, and she pumped no prob.

 

I don't trust barrels or muffs anymore. Sometimes in a barrel, the bubbles from the exaust will not allow enough water for it to pump, and the air can damage the impellor.

 

Drop it in the lake and try it. You don't even have to take it off the trailer....that's what I do if I have problems.

 

Sinker

 

My 40 Suzuki manual suggests that you duct tape the auxillary water intake (check the bottom surface of the cavitation plate) when using the muffs to keep the water from draining back out that way.

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i kinda get u there i was thinking of just taping the intake (copper pipe tighter and seeing what happens sometimes its just a kick in the pants and she works i will be doing some other tests on it earlier in the moring or sometime sunday

 

ill post the results wish me luck

Edited by FinS
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Is there a thermostat on that engine? If there is, you'll have to run it long enough to get hot, so it will open up. Just idling might not get it hot enough to open Tstat.

 

Just a thought.....

 

Sinker

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Hope the following doesn't apply..... but also look at the paint on the cylinder heads. If one or both is discoloured it may indicate the fellow you bought it from had the impellor go but didn't notice and drove it till she overheated.... which would be a good time to try and unload it on a newbee.

 

Hope you don't find this, but since 'buyer beware' will prevent you from getting even financially, then I'd take it in for professional inspection re cylinder compression and so forth so you don't end up stranded out on the water.

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Is there a thermostat on that engine? If there is, you'll have to run it long enough to get hot, so it will open up. Just idling might not get it hot enough to open Tstat.

 

Just a thought.....

 

Sinker

 

I'm not claiming to be an authority but my understanding is the tell-tale should spray independently of a thermostat so you know whether the water pump is pumoing.

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