Where to start after sucking up mud?

[icedperch]

I pulled a dummy and got caught in some shallow water:sad: . I must have sucked in some mud since the pee stream immediatly got weaker. Luckily I was close to the ramp, so I was able to shut to shut her down when the pee stream stopped.
How do I go about cleaning it out? Is there a way to flush it out, or does it need to be torn apart?

Its a '99 Mercury 50 HP two-stroke.

[SalmonBum]

I'd start by pulling the lower and changing the impeller.

[Gone Fishing]

Soft mud shouldn't really damage your impeller housing. I's start by check the pee tube/fitting and clear any obsruction first. Maybe you'll get lucky. I once replaced an impeller becuse of a weak pee stream and when I started it back up.........no change. Turned out to be an obstruction at my fitting. Sure wish I would have checked that first. :(

[SalmonBum]

I just changed my impeller on my small boat last week. It was toast, basically from all the shallow water motoring I did. You should really change them every other yr if used alot, expecially in shallow water.

[ESOX]

Yes, impellers should be changed at least every other year.
But I agree with GF, I use my boat like an ATV, my pee hole gets clogged with bits of weeds, mud, leaves etc so often the motor is on a first name basis with the urologist.;) First try to spray water into the hole from the outside. If that fails, try running a small wire up there. Also check to make sure the intakes arent clogged with clay.

[Spanky]

try a bl;ast of air from a compressor and air nozzel. I often have mud dobber wasps build a nest in my "tell tale hole" each summer, and when i get out the river boat, it usually doesn't pee like it should. Just a wire and a blasty of air usually does it. But just becuase it doesn't have water comming out doesn't mean the engine isn't pumping. The prop, and exhaust ports let the majority of the water out. Mine freezes alot in the colder( telltale) winter weather, I used to worry about it. This winter, mine hasn't pee'd at all, and I got probably 50 hrs run time,I know if it overheats, the siren will go off(it hasn't yet), Its just an indicator.

As far as the muck removal, I would put a pair of water muffs on the unit and flush it out after blasting it on the outside, and around the screen real good.;)

[jpollman]

Thanks Spanky,
I really like it a lot better when it's referred to as the "tell tale". When ESOX starts saying things like "My pee hole gets clogged with bits of weeds, mud, and leaves I start to get worried. :lol: :lol:

One time my telltale wasn't pumping much on my '91 Merc 90 ELPTO and I had just changed the impeller. I just took a bamboo shish-cabob skewer and pushed it up the telltale a short distance and pulled it out. I fired her up and VOILA, a good strong stream.

John

[ESOX]

If you got the compressed air route, which is very efective, don't do what I did once. I stuck my rupper tipped non OSHA approved nozzle right up to the hole and gave it a shot of air......125 PSI blew the hose right off the fitting. The bigger problem was that it broke the hose barb right off the fitting with it.

[QuakrTrakr]

Yes, impellers should be changed at least every other year.


Really? Every other year? I've never changed an impeller on any outboard I've had. I've never had a problem.

[SalmonBum]

I change my OB that are used in shallow water ever other yr and my Big boat every 3 yrs. My buddies that fish St Clair all the time do there's every yr.

[steve ypsi]

Really? Every other year? I've never changed an impeller on any outboard I've had. I've never had a problem.
I never changed one less it stopped pumping, I bought a new 25 HP Mariner in 1983, never changed it ever, In 1995 or there abouts my boys asked if they could have it to take back to fl, they ran it until 2002 7 years in salt, never flushed it, I went out in the bay with them and they couldn't run it wide open because it had half the normal flow or less, they loaned it to every body and there brother during this time, I said you need to replace that impeller and as far as I know its still running at 23 years old, I had other motors over 40 years of fishing and never changed one until it quit pumping
I guess I have been lucky

[FishTales]

I guess I have been lucky
I have a 1986 Crestliner with Omc Cobra outdrive, didn't change mine till last year, the new impeller has 10 fins, the old one still had 9, one missing.
Never had a cooling problem, just thought it might be time to do it.
Rich

[shadow7663]

Every other year is more of a preventitive maint. I strongly recomend changing every other year! You dont want to be several miles out on the water when she stops pumping. That would be enough to piss off the pope..:lol:

[ih772]

It's a real PITA when it stops pumping when you're out on the water. Change it every other year unless you like getting towed back to port.

[sullyxlh]

I pulled a dummy and got caught in some shallow water:sad:
How do I go about cleaning it out? Is there a way to flush it out, or does it need to be torn apart? that's not a dummy,we all get caught in shallow water sometime or another,a "dummy" would be tearing apart your motor without a manual,get one if you don,t have one yet,they are invaluable,it will answer most of your own questions,and save you alot of cash.

[QuakrTrakr]

I don't know about that. There ARE dummies out there. I rescued one last year that was fishing nighttime walleye without a spotlight, gps, or even running lights on his boat. He left an hour before I did to get back to the ramp. As I got back in the channel, I saw him 1/4 mile away, stuck up in shallow.

[icedperch]

Thanks everybody!
I am going to try to the compressed air trick until I get all the parts and manual together to replace. I bought the boat used so i don't know how the previous owner ran it. So, replacing the impeller probably isn't a bad idea.

Another question. What is the best manual, and the best place to get it? I've hit West Marine by us and they don't have one in stock for a '99 Mercury?! Where is the cheapest place for parts near Grand Rapids?

[schaaed1]

icedperch - Check your library! Best manual would be the Merc service Manual ... but the library will not have that. I'm betting that you'll be able to get a Seloc manual through the lib. They may not have it in you local Lib, but if it is in the west Michigan system ... they can order it for you.

I was on line two days ago (I'm in Fremont) and ordered a couple books from a couple of locations around GR .... got a call today that they are in.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to get the manual for yourself ... but in the meantime, not a bad alternative.

Ed