Bravo 3 no water flow

jhofmann

Had the outdrive off for the winter installed today and am getting no water flow with muffs. No issues last season. Could not find the muffs I have been using, but found an old pair from an alpha drive I used to have. If the pump was bad, wouldn't some water go through?

LaRea

Disconnect the input hose from the water pump, and make sure there's water getting to the pump.  If not, you might have a blockage in the outdrive pickup hose.

If the pump is getting water but not pumping, check for excessive wear of the inside of the pump body.

jhofmann

Well I found the muffs I have used in the past, but still no water flow. I am thinking some kind of blockage. The boat is kept on a trailer, with 90% of my boating in fresh water. I am thinking something may have gotten the water pick-up when the outdrive was off for the winter. Is there any way to backflush the cooling system? It is a 2000 5.7 Bravo3 raw water cooled.

jhofmann

LeRea, shouldn't the waterpressure from the hose push water through a worn pump?

Cableguy Greg

Disconnect the hose from the back of the pump and run water thru to the drive.

LaRea

Yeah, maybe a little.  Also the pump would probably push a little water (but not enough to run the engine).  So you're getting no flow at all, zero?

jhofmann

No flow, not even a trickle. Everything was fine in the fall when I ran antifreeze through it from a five gallon bucket on the swim platform, now no flow even with pressure from the hose.

reneechris14

Check hose on transom inside for kink.

jhofmann

No kink, I changed the driveshaft bellows and there were some acorns and things in the old bellows, thinking the suction hose might be plugged.

Cableguy Greg

You might need to remove the drive to clear the stuff out.

jhofmann

That's the plan this weekend. I just hope I didn't damage the pump by running it dry for several minutes trying to get water to flow.

Black_Diamond

The suction hose into the transom kinked on one of my drives. No water flow and toasted my water pump. 

Cableguy Greg

If you didn't have any soap in the pump, plan on replacing the impeller. 

jhofmann

Well I got the hose off the pump and back flushed it and looks like a piece of the impeller washed out. Next step remove the pump. 

rasbury

Several minutes? More like a couple of seconds and its done! I feel your pain!

Black_Diamond

Put the Hardin Marine SS pump in. 

jhofmann

Rebuild kit from West Marine one of the few places that were open on Sunday, in the water Sunday night for the first time this year, no overheating problems. Now my galley pump won't pump, must be the year for pumps! Thanks once again for all the suggestions. 
Happy boating!!

jme097

Middle of July and just splashing it? Man oh man. Good to heat you got her figured out!

jhofmann

Later than I would like, but I also love fall boating on the connecticut river, watching the leaves change, and it's a lot more peaceful. Some of my best times on the water have been in October.

jme097

I can imagine!

Cableguy Greg

There is a rebuild kit for the galley pump. I rebuilt mine last year.