# Need a little help...cooling system issue



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

CaptainRob said:


> So while running back from my everglades camping trip recently, I noticed that my 2002 Mercury 60 EFI 4 stroke was not peeing with much force.
> 
> Here are the things I have tried so far...
> 1. Dropped lower unit and impeller looks fine (just had this replaced in December)
> ...


Check gasket under face plate and between faceplate and impeller housing. Also, some Merc. water pumps have a little rubber grommet/gasket that is slid over the drive shaft and should be seated on the top of the impeller housing. Sometimes this little grommet will work its way up the shaft and allow water pressure to escape through the top of the housing.

Check that the water feed tube is properly seated in the engine block receiving port, if its not, you will lose pressure there.

Lastly, I'm not sure if your engine has the little plastic screen/filter that screws into the block, but if it does, they can get filled up with little bits of shell and gunk and greatly impact water flow. I'll look up you specific engine and see if it does.


----------



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Also, It helps to have all the schematics of the engine in front of you when tracking down issues like this one. Here is a link to parts/schematics for your particular motor, in case you did not already have it.
http://www.iboats.com/MERCURY-60-EFI-4-CYL-4-STROKE-2002-2006/dm/view_id.1701804


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Your pressure is good because when you hook it up to a hose and feed it water at 70psi.

I had the same problem and I found OT that there is a rubber gasket/grommet at the top of the cooling tube in the head. Corrosion formed under this grommett and caused it to get pinched off. My motor never overheated but was peeing very weak.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Must be nice to have 70psi. Lucky to hit 40 where I live


----------



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Capnredfish said:


> Must be nice to have 70psi. Lucky to hit 40 where I live


I hear you, but what we lack in tap water pressure we make up for in arsenic content.


----------



## CaptainRob (Mar 11, 2007)

DuckNut said:


> Your pressure is good because when you hook it up to a hose and feed it water at 70psi.
> 
> I had the same problem and I found OT that there is a rubber gasket/grommet at the top of the cooling tube in the head. Corrosion formed under this grommett and caused it to get pinched off. My motor never overheated but was peeing very weak.


Ducknut, interesting you mention this as I have never had an overheat issue, but the pressure does measure low. I will research this part and see if I can clean/replace.



Whiskey Angler said:


> Also, It helps to have all the schematics of the engine in front of you when tracking down issues like this one. Here is a link to parts/schematics for your particular motor, in case you did not already have it.
> http://www.iboats.com/MERCURY-60-EFI-4-CYL-4-STROKE-2002-2006/dm/view_id.1701804


Whiskey, I have been using the service manual for my checks/research, but appreciate you providing this link. Definitely something I will refer to in the future.


----------



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

CaptainRob said:


> Whiskey, I have been using the service manual for my checks/research, but appreciate you providing this link. Definitely something I will refer to in the future.


Yup. Also, I didn't see that little water screen on your engine. Apparently its only used on some of the optimax motors to help strain debris out of the water before it enters the compressor cooling jacket.

One more thing, I have always kept a couple feet of weedeater line with one end cut to a sharp point stowed in my boat. It is a great tool to help clean the piss hole and the line running to it if it ever gets clogged with mud or shell while your out on the water.


----------



## CaptainRob (Mar 11, 2007)

Whiskey Angler said:


> Yup. Also, I didn't see that little water screen on your engine. Apparently its only used on some of the optimax motors to help strain debris out of the water before it enters the compressor cooling jacket.
> 
> One more thing, I have always kept a couple feet of weedeater line with one end cut to a sharp point stowed in my boat. It is a great tool to help clean the piss hole and the line running to it if it ever gets clogged with mud or shell while your out on the water.


Yes, I do the same with the weed eater line. When I first removed one of the short sections of hose under the cowling there was a small snail shell lodged in one part of the hose. I immediately thought removing that would solve the issue, but it didn't improve the pressure much. 

As noted, I have never had an overheat alarm and am thinking it has to be something small, like a gasket or seal not making solid contact.


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Stick a golf tee in the telltale hole to keep the wasps out when parked.

Rob- don't trust your $2,000 head to a $9 alarm. Kinda like the oil light in a car. When it comes on you are out and too late.


----------



## CaptainRob (Mar 11, 2007)

Ok...so a little update on this....

I could not determine the issue after checking all mentioned above, so I finally decided to just replace the water pump. Installed new pump last night and now cannot get the gearing correct. I put in Forward gear before removing the lower unit but apparently somehow I must have knocked the lower out of gear...so now, I can't get the helm and lower to sync up. 

Currently the lower is in Forward gear and the helm looks like it should be in forward, but when shift back to Neutral position, the lower is staying in Forward. I tried dropping the lower and placing into Neutral (manually turning the shift shaft, but I cannot get the helm to shift back to Neutral after the lower has been put back on....

Thoughts?


----------



## CaptainRob (Mar 11, 2007)

Another update.....

I have been able to manually turn the shift rod and move the motor into forward, reverse and neutral, but cannot get the throttle to change the gears when the lower unit is put back on.

I currently have the lower in neutral, but have tried moving it to forward(to match the helm) and reverse. 

I also tried pulling the cover off the flywheel and manually turning the flywheel to see if I could get the splines lined up and it will turn the prop, but still does not seem to match up with the helm.....?

Any thoughts? I really don't want to take this in to the shop as I believe the solution will be something VERY small.


----------



## ADicus (Feb 15, 2013)

Not sure if it would be of any help but after buttoning up a water pump job on my old 2-stroke yam 60 it felt like it was shifting hard and there was some minor adjustments to the linkages? I guess because they move around after separating the lower from the main? Like I said this may not be of any help but worth a look. Hope you get it resolved!!!!


----------



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

CaptainRob said:


> Another update.....
> 
> I have been able to manually turn the shift rod and move the motor into forward, reverse and neutral, but cannot get the throttle to change the gears when the lower unit is put back on.
> 
> ...


Did you have someone turning the prop when you tried to shift into F or R from the helm? Sometimes those gears need to be turning to allow it to shift.


----------



## CaptainRob (Mar 11, 2007)

Whiskey Angler said:


> Did you have someone turning the prop when you tried to shift into F or R from the helm? Sometimes those gears need to be turning to allow it to shift.


No, I actually was able to solve the problem by just stepping back and thinking my way through. Once I realized that when I turned the flywheel manually the prop would spin, I ruled out any issue with the drive shaft. Then I basically focused on the shift shaft which was found to not be making an adequate connection with the shift rod in the mid section of the engine. Once I got that all lined up, it worked fine.


----------



## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

CaptainRob said:


> No, I actually was able to solve the problem by just stepping back and thinking my way through. Once I realized that when I turned the flywheel manually the prop would spin, I ruled out any issue with the drive shaft. Then I basically focused on the shift shaft which was found to not be making an adequate connection with the shift rod in the mid section of the engine. Once I got that all lined up, it worked fine.


Glad you got it! I have had this exact same issue, and it was frustrating to say the least.


----------

