Water leak from cowling when tilting motor up

[Bob G.]

Motor info is in my signature.

Yesterday while fishing, I raised the motor to minimize getting floating stuff in the water cooling system. I noticed that water dripped from the starboard side of the cowling at the point of the grey plastic piece. Water pressure at idle was 3psi and over 18 at 4500RPM or so. I didn't run WOT due to the fuel usage between 50mph and 65mph.

After fishing I pulled the cowling off and expected to see a lot of water but saw some moisture under the Legris fitting for the water pressure hose to the pressure thing at the top of the motor. I eliminated the T fitting for the water pressure gauge at the console when I installed a MercMonitor a few years back.

I took the cowling and lower cowlings off today. I ran the motor on the muffs just now and only saw moisture by the Legris fitting for water pressure. I removed it and installed another piece. I do know that at idle is not the same as running on plane with the poppet open and water going through the speedometer pitot hose. My speedometer pitot is terminated at the pressure fitting on the starboard side of the motor just like a new motor is before rigging. I took off the Legris hose and water ran out of the front of the lower unit. I cut the end off and installed with a fresh end.

Does anyone know how much pressure goes to the speedometer pitot? I might try to rig something to the lower unit to put pressure on it to see if it leaks. If that doesn't work, I'll have to run the motor with the cowling off at the lake with someone watching the motor. Any ideas is greatly appreciated.

I don't plan on running the motor on the lake until I resolve this issue except for testing.

One other thing I noticed when I took the cowling off today when I removed the cowling is that the little ball that is in the port side rear water drain hose was laying at the back of the motor. I put it back where it belongs.

Cowling.jpg

[EuropeanAM]

Pitot pressure varies- can be anything from zero to 100 psi for most boats, depending on speed.

Water pressure: If you had even a small leak at idle, it may well be a jetting stream at WOT when pressure climbs. Best to address the obvious problem, then monitor for any further problems (before searching for obscure items that might, or might not exist).

[Bob G.]

Thanks Don. My plan is to run the motor on the lake with the cowling off and have my GF watch the motor at speed which won’t be until next week. I’ll update the post with anything I find.

[21 Outrage]

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check that the 2 fittings which the water dump hoses go into at the bottom above the midsection aren’t corroded, both of mine were 3 years ago and led to a similar situation which would have only got worse if not addressed

[Bob G.]

Update:

Ran the motor on the lake today with the cowling off. My GF watched the motor and saw nothing leaking. All was good until I came off plane when water washed over the motor. If water was leaking anywhere, would not see it at this point. Went back to the ramp and put the cowling back on. Ran around on the lake and did not have any issues with water running out of the upper part of the cowling when tilting the motor. Will monitor on future trips on the lake.

[EuropeanAM]