Can you help me check if this motor is running ok?

[endorphin]

Few months ago I got my first outboard motor, it's 15hp 2-stroke mercury
After few saltwater trips the water cooling engine seems like not running out of the engine. So, I sense something might be wrong. As I'm a complete newbie can you help me check on the video if it is indeed a problem?

Do I have to disable the leg?
How big of a trouble I'm in?

 

[tinboatrobb]

It looks like it is pissing out water. It could be a worn out impeller. . Others may have thoughts also. It runs, that is the main thing.

 

[spring time]

I think you got the muffs on wrong there is holes on the legs that’s where they go

 

[Corey_lax]

That’s not where the muffs go on any of the outboards I’ve ever had….

 

[tinboatrobb]

Where are you located?

 

[noluck]

That’s not where the muffs go on any of the outboards I’ve ever had….

some of the very early merc's had the water intake under the cav plate

 

[brutus]

Few months ago I got my first outboard motor, it's 15hp 2-stroke mercury
After few saltwater trips the water cooling engine seems like not running out of the engine. So, I sense something might be wrong. As I'm a complete newbie can you help me check on the video if it is indeed a problem?

Do I have to disable the leg?
How big of a trouble I'm in?

View attachment 87624

If water is not coming out of the pee hole you have a problem in your cooling system, could be your impeller,could have hose plugged, salt built up,start by looking at your impeller then work your way up

 

[noluck]

If water is not coming out of the pee hole you have a problem in your cooling system, could be your impeller,could have hose plugged, salt built up,start by looking at your impeller then work your way up

i personally start with pulling the hose off the exhaust housing first to see if i have water before going to the pump

 

[noluck]

the engine sound great! love the sound and smell of the old 2 stroke merc's

 

[fish brain]

You have your muffs in the wrong spot. It should look like this

 

[ship happens]

That's the old version. Real old. You can tell by that lower cowling and that ignition coil right off the bat. It's got the water intake below the cavitation plate. He's got the muffs in the right spot.

Now you do have water coming out the tell tale. Try blowing compressed air into the tell tale while running. Looks like there is water coming out the exhaust.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

Run a piece of tie wire up the tell tale with water running, to clear any chunks of dirt or debris, mason bees love those and pitot tubes, keep a piece handy, like the stainless stuff you would use in an anchovy teaser. Check temp on cylinder head is also a tell, the hose should be keeping it cool at idle. If it doesn't clear, pull the hose end at engine and check for flow. If there's no flow, thermostat (if it has one) or impeller next

 

[baddogg]

I think if you backed that boat into the water someplace and started it up you might find that the water is circulating just fine. The muffs don't always do the best job. If you didn't have the "dolphin" on it I would say to fill a garbage can up and start it in there.

 

[sly_karma]

The first run of four stroke Merc 9.9/15 had the same water intake in the cavitation plate configuration (non-Bigfoot gearcase). Merc makes a specific flushing attachment for them, does a better job than regular muffs jerry rigged as in the OP's video.

How much water comes out the telltale is less important than the motor warms up to operating temp and then stabilizes there as thermostat does its job. Water pressure in the cooling system is directly proportional to engine rpm, so you don't get much at idle.

Put the motor in water, either on the trailer at a ramp, or in a tub in the shop, and you'll probably see a difference. Most earmuffs seal imperfectly on the leg and deliver only a small portion of the water to the motor, most just squirts out onto the ground.

Having said that, for testing/diagnosis purposes, there's little harm in running the motor on the earmuffs even if it's not pissing at all. Water is still lubricating the impeller and you have a few minutes before you hit the point of overheating.