Low water pickup

69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
in Engine Discussions
i just had a new drive (Bravo 3) put on my boat. My previous drive did not have a low water pickup, but this one does. I find the mercruiser part for running the engine with muffs on the water hose quite ridiculous. Does anyone have an alternative? Maybe a home made part?

http://www.amazon.com/Mercury-Mercruiser-Quicksilver-843122T01-Attachment/dp/B00N9HOK5W
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  • Glassguy54Glassguy54 Member Posts: 588 ✭✭✭
    What is that even supposed to do?  I run my B3 on muffs without any such device.
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Does yours have the low water pickup? If you don't block the low water pickup, it won't create a suction thought the standard pickups to get sufficient flow to the water pump. Some have it and some don't. 
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,967 ✭✭✭✭✭
    yes, be careful- I did not have my thru hull closed all the way and ran on muffs, burned that pump right up....
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  • elarson5757elarson5757 Member Posts: 232 ✭✭
    So how do you know if you have low water pickup on your B3?  Newer option or could that be on my 2007?  I've run mine with the std muffs before but never for long. 
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Look on the leading edge of the lower unit, directly in front of the prop. There will be holes (4 I believe) in the leading edge, and those are the low water pickups. 
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Turns out that duct tape works perfectly. I can buy a lot of duct tape for $102. 
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  • jme097jme097 Member Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    How would you run it on a trailer and not put muffs on the drive?
    Boat Name: Knot A Worry
    2007 280 Rinker Express 6.2L B3
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  • youstolemybeeryoustolemybeer Member Posts: 246 ✭✭✭
    what the heck is that thing? some sort of funnel and you pour water in? Aint never seen one of those
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    jme097 said:
    How would you run it on a trailer and not put muffs on the drive?
    You still have to put the muffs on it. The low water pickup is a third water pickup (one on each side of the drive + low water pickup), so run the muffs in their normal position, and tape up the low water pickup, otherwise the water will just run out of it, and it'll never start pumping water. 
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  • jme097jme097 Member Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    Where is the low water pick up?
    Boat Name: Knot A Worry
    2007 280 Rinker Express 6.2L B3
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    jme097 said:
    Where is the low water pick up?
    69fastback said:
    Look on the leading edge of the lower unit, directly in front of the prop. There will be holes (4 I believe) in the leading edge, and those are the low water pickups. 
    ......
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  • Glassguy54Glassguy54 Member Posts: 588 ✭✭✭
    Not sure when this (low water pick up) became a feature on B-3 outdrives. Mine is a 2007 and doesn't have it.
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  • jme097jme097 Member Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    I know about the gills on the outdrive but is there something else as well? I have a 2007 B3 and same as @Glassguy54
    Boat Name: Knot A Worry
    2007 280 Rinker Express 6.2L B3
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    If it has a low water pickup, there will be holes in the leading edge of the outdrive, directly in front of the prop. If they aren't there, then it doesn't have it. 
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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ....right on the "bullet" front!
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Michael T said:
    ....right on the "bullet" front!
    Exactly
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,967 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I am so confused, why did you tape off the low water pickup, can't run the muffs and block off the holes? Mine is an 05 and have both and closed cooling. I'm sure I have missed something...that pump does not run long dry!
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  • elarson5757elarson5757 Member Posts: 232 ✭✭
    rasbury said:
    I am so confused, why did you tape off the low water pickup, can't run the muffs and block off the holes? Mine is an 05 and have both and closed cooling. I'm sure I have missed something...that pump does not run long dry!
    If yours has the low water pickup holes on the front of the "bullet" at the bottom of the drive and you use the muffs without covering the low water holes then they will draw in air I assume.  The muffs do not cover the lower water pickup holes, just the normal water intake. 
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2016
    Yes, exactly. Just like if you were to use the muffs on one side of the outdrive, the water will just run out the other side. It can't develope any suction with a big vent hole in the system. 
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Lol..... It edits m-u-f-f on a boat site. Funny
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  • raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,615 admin
    Fixed........lol
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,967 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have run mine at home on the muffs and I did not tape off anything...not even sure what your talking about....where is this low water pickup? i will look again based on the above, perhaps since I have a raw water pump I don't have these additional holes in the foot?
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    If you ran it on the muffs, and didn't have a problem, then you don't have a low water pickup...lol. It's really not that big of a deal. 
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,967 ✭✭✭✭✭
    well sure would have been a pretty big deal if they were there and I missed it! I hate running out of the water...burned up once and don't want to do that again, ever!
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  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Yeah, you're correct. That would be a big deal. 
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