Dry Run a motor

[B-man]

When you guys say you've seen a motor frozen up, are you talking about the tell-tale pee hole? Or are you saying an engine was literally locked up frozen??

I've had a tell-tale freeze before, but the outboard has never overheated. The water pump is pumping, but the little tattle line was frozen. Gauges read good, no alarms.

If the engine is running, the impeller is spinning and pumping water. End of story.

Tilt down and drain. That's all you need to do.

Gravity drains the block to the impeller.

If you've ever replaced an impeller you've see that there is no way for a fin to completely seal off the intake (it drains out the intake when the engine is off).

If popping it off makes you feel better, have at it as long as it's wet, but it's not doing a damm thing once you see how a motor really drains.

[Kevin23]

Ive seen plenty of frozen water pumps and lines, duck hunting at below 0 temps does that when you do not blow out your motor. Never seen one freeze after clearing it at the ramp with a quick start. Just because youve never experienced it doesnt mean it is not a legitimate concern.

That all metal housing freezes solid before you make your second turn out of the parking lot when its 0 to -10 out, long before your motor self drains. The idea is to blow out most of the water, of course you arent going to get all of it.

Next you'll tell us you winterized your boat already.

[B-man]

Originally Posted by Kevin23

Ive seen plenty of frozen water pumps and lines, duck hunting at below 0 temps does that when you do not blow out your motor. Never seen one freeze after clearing it at the ramp with a quick start. Just because youve never experienced it doesnt mean it is not a legitimate concern.

That all metal housing freezes solid before you make your second turn out of the parking lot when its 0 to -10 out, long before your motor self drains. The idea is to blow out most of the water, of course you arent going to get all of it.

Next you'll tell us you winterized your boat already.

They're never "winterized", ready to go at a moment's notice I get out most months of the year, sometimes I skip January or February in a bad MN winter.

Wanted to get out this weekend on Superior, but I'm not diehard enough not to go open water fishing in single and negative digits lol You can have that. I like to at least see daytime highs in the 20's myself. If it's colder than that I have better things to do

You've had a water pump completely freeze (locked the motor up) even after tilting down right away at the ramp? I guess I could see that happening if it's -10.....but 99.9999% of people are not taking their boat out in that. That's nuts.

I've gravity drained my outboards with lows in the single digits and teens overnight and never had a problem the next day. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Like I said, I've had a tell-tail freeze, but never locked a water pump up.

[kswalleyer]

never done anything but gravity drained..fish all winter in below freezing temps.

Why wouldn't the manufacturer have this "dry run" process in their owners manual and/or designed into their engines somehow if it was important?

My guess is either way if fine...gravity drain or pop it a few seconds, whatever. ford chevy thing..but what do I know, I'm NOT a mechanic.

[clawman]

Originally Posted by kswalleyer

never done anything but gravity drained..fish all winter in below freezing temps.

Why wouldn't the manufacturer have this "dry run" process in their owners manual and/or designed into their engines somehow if it was important?

My guess is either way if fine...gravity drain or pop it a few seconds, whatever. ford chevy thing..but what do I know, I'm NOT a mechanic.

[Wrktfsh]

Yam f100 . Tech told me to tilt it, bump it over. Tilt down bump,again. Prior to doing this I had water in the pump that froze and slightly dislodged the shaft seals and cause h2o in the lower end. No problem since adopting the new practice

[hooli004]

Nope and any mechanic that tells you otherwise needs more training.

[Wrktfsh]

Whatever

[2catch1]

maybe depends on the motor. I don't think any of them have a one way check valve or anything between the lower unit intake and pump housing though. I would like to believe tilting it down is enough to let gravity drain the water out of the water pump housing and tube into the engine...unless this check valve does exist? like the tooth fairy and santa.

[TomP.]

Originally Posted by Kevin23

Ive seen plenty of frozen water pumps and lines, duck hunting at below 0 temps does that when you do not blow out your motor. Never seen one freeze after clearing it at the ramp with a quick start. Just because youve never experienced it doesnt mean it is not a legitimate concern.

That all metal housing freezes solid before you make your second turn out of the parking lot when its 0 to -10 out, long before your motor self drains. The idea is to blow out most of the water, of course you arent going to get all of it.

Next you'll tell us you winterized your boat already.

I could see how maybe this could happen as duck hunting your running shallow muddy, sandy, weedy areas and the coolling system gets partially plugged not allowing the motor to drain completely.