Its always the engine that controls the Power Steering

davidbrooks

Well my problem child overheated on me this weekend.  At first i didn't think anything of it as the temps never got above 160.  Just had a beep every few minutes.  Figured it was just a bad sensor.  Then the engine stalled.  I limped in on my port engine and was lucky i didn't have to go far.  When i got in i put the Rhinda on the engine and it showed the temps at the time of the stall was 194.  So now i am wondering why it didn't show up on my display.  If you remember i put in the mercruiser CAN Gateway to NMEA so i am getting digital readings on my Garmin....it should of been right there in front of me.  So i pulled the sea water pump as i was planning on replacing the impellers anyway.  They still looked perfect.  Now i am wondering if it is either a bad thermostat or bad water pump (antifreeze).  I ordered new thermostats.  That is easy. Water pump spins pretty freely by hand.  Any easy ways to check if it is circulating antifreeze before i pull it off?  It looks like there are rebuild kits but i cant verify that they are for my specific one.  Of course a mercruiser water pump is $160 and an exact replica of it at AutoZone is $50.  

Handymans342

You could also have dirty heat exchangers. Can you pull the cap and look for antifreeze flow??

davidbrooks

@Handymans342 I was thinking of that.  I just wasn't sure if it would show up or not.  It has to get up to temp first right?  I can visually inspect it but obviously not tell if there is corrosion inside.  Just peaking in the top by taking off the radiator cap it looks fine.  

Handymans342

You could remove the end caps on the heat exchanger (raw water side) and look at the tubes. They make a brush for those tubes 

davidbrooks

When i get back i am going to remove a few hoses on the sea water and back flush the PS cooler and the heat exchanger also.  Now is a good time to do it with the water pump off.

davidbrooks

So just as a follow up to this.  No you cannot see the coolant flowing to test if the pump is working.  I guess the only way to actually prove it is working is to run it.  I did.  At the dock it never got above 161 degrees and while out running under load never got above 163 degrees.  These are 160 degree thermostats so that makes sense.  I replaced the raw water impellers, temp senders and thermostats on both engines just for maintenance.  Also pulled some hoses to check for obstructions.  When i went to start the engine that went out on me for what i thought was an overheat issue it wouldn't start.  Little bit of panic set in.  Gotta admit.  I had put the Rhinda on the ECM and did see an overheat alert at 193 degrees but that wasn't enough to get me really worried.  I also saw one for low fuel which was curious.  I had never seen that before and the tank fuel senders aren't connected to the engines.  So the thought crossed my mind. I wonder if i pulled a @Dream_Inn and ran that tank dry?  Opened up the cross over valve and after a minute it started.  So when i put in the NMEA connections to the fuel senders i didn't fully calibrate them as i thought i did.  They were still showing both tanks at 60%.  BIG lesson learned here.  So went and got gas and put in 223 gallons. Yup.  $807.   To say i was running on fumes was an understatement.  I never like having the tanks get below 1/4 full much less this.   

LaRea

Wow, 223 gallons ... you'll never do that again!  

Dream_Inn

davidbrooks said:

 So the thought crossed my mind. I wonder if i pulled a @Dream_Inn and ran that tank dry?  Opened up the cross over valve and after a minute it started.  So when i put in the NMEA connections to the fuel senders i didn't fully calibrate them as i thought i did.  They were still showing both tanks at 60%.  BIG lesson learned here.  So went and got gas and put in 223 gallons. Yup.  $807.   To say i was running on fumes was an understatement.  I never like having the tanks get below 1/4 full much less this.   

Really? Pulled a Dream 'Inn?🤗 Really didn't think I'd be famous for that!  Glad you made it in ok.  FYI, I have full tanks as of a couple hours ago.  I put in 241 gallons!