??Question??

[grize]

I'm planning on running my outboard for the first time this year and was wondering, if I remove the prop will it affect or harm my engine at all. The thing is it is a direct drive 5hp and every time I run it in the bucket I end up drenched and my yard is soaked.

Thanks
Grize

[TONGA]

you should have a load on her but if you keep the rpm down you should be ok

[jpollman]

I don't know how big of a bucket you're using but I usually test my 40 hp Evinrude in a garbage can. I've had no problems at all. It may splash a little bit but not a problem. I can idle it and engage forward and reverse and it works well. Maybe you should just try a bigger bucket. ;)

[garyrodbender]

I`ve used the garbage can, but have a pair if the mouse ears that connect to your hose and at the hole of lower unit were the water comes in...makes it alot easier.imho

[grize]

when I said bucket what I meant was a 50 gal drum that I cut the top off of for running small outboards in, my problem is that the motor is a direct drive short shaft and I have to run it at idle and then at a higher speed(slightly above 1/2) to clean it out and to make sure my carb adjustments are ok and everything is working properly. At idle it doesn't make too much of a mess but when I run the throttle up it really starts to dump out the water and I end up with a flooded driveway and yard, not a really big problem but I was just trying to find a cleaner way to do this. Thanks everyone for your input.

[Joe_G]

So. you're mostly interested in when you throttle up a bit, you get a mess going. High RPM with no opposing load on the crank and piston rod sounds like an explosion just waiting for a place to happen. I'd have to get Tonga's opinion on this one before I could even believe myself on this one though. Just a theory:rolleyes:

[jpollman]

I just had another thought. I know they make "test props" that are designed to be run on engines in test tanks. They are designed to put a load on the engine while running it in a tank instead of on the lake. Maybe this is something you could use.

Just another option.

Not that this is the correct one for your engine but I just found a couple on ebay. This is what they look like :

Test prop on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2473179267&category=26456&sspagename=WDVW)

[Joe_G]

You ain't filling that bucket up to the top are you? An inch or 2 above the cavitation plate, or wherever the water intake is should do the trick. I've run a few 5 and 10 horse Mercs in the trash can and hardly ever had anything splash out. Except that one time the prop cut thru the side of the plastic can.

[grize]

I only fill the drum up to where the motor sucks in water but at 1/2 throttle it kicks up alot of water and I have to keep the hose on and in the can so I dont run it too low as for running it without the prop it was an idea a freind came up with and I wasn't sure if it would work, but it sounds like my gut feeling was dead on that it was a bad idea, thanks everyone for your input, should have all the bugs worked out of this thing by Sat

[Joe_G]

Just curious......What year and kind of motor is it? Never heard of a direct drive 5 horse?

[TONGA]

if you must rev her up you will need a load on that engine,,,maybe you can find a test wheel that you can barrow
or maybe you can just make some kind of splash cover for your drum?

[grize]

Joe,
not sure if I used the correct term(direct drive) for it but it is a 5 hp montgomery wards sea king made by clinton engine corp. I was told that it was made in the early 70's. It doesn't have a gear selector on it, just start and go, if you want reverse turn the motor around, I bought it 2 yrs ago and finally got it running last year.Well just to update everyone I started it sat and she fired right up let it idle for about 10 min and then shut it down seemed to run pretty well, didn't have time to really play with it so I still have a little while before I'll know for sure everything is in good working order. Hopefully I will have it ready to take out for this weekend.