cooling system on 500efi

[Rude]

i'm definitely showing my ignorance by asking this question, but how does the cooling system work on the 500efi? i've looked in the manual trying to find out how i can check to make sure there is enough coolant in the system but i don't see where there is any type of reservoir. is it cooled completely by lake water? i'm paranoid about running this motor without enough coolant. anyone....anyone........

[kc0000]

Unless you added "closed cooling" then I think the motor is completly cooled by the lake, therefore no reservoir to top off. As long as you motor is running 180 degrees then you should be fine.

Check the oil!

[jkpruitt]

Unless you have a closed loop-cooling system, which I doubt, you cannot check or add water to the system. Water is brought into the system one of two ways. Either you have an engine driven Â*seawater pump pulling water through the bottom of the hull, and pumping it to the engine or, your out-drive has an internal water pump, which pumps cool lake water most likely through your oil-coolers and then into the thermostat housing on the top the engine. From there, depending on whether the engine is cold or hot, the lake water is sent directly to the exhaust manifolds: COLD, or is routed to the engine mounted water pump, circulated through the engine, and then through the exhaust manifolds: HOT, which is then returned to the lake, either through the out-drive and propeller or, through the through-transon exhaust if you are running through-hull exhaust.

If by some change you are running a closed-loop cooling system, somewhere you will see a reservoir tank, pressure cap, and hoses, in which there should be antifreeze. Again, I doubt of you are running a closed-loop cooling system.

Are you running through-transon exhaust? If so, does water come out of the exhaust?

This is a crude explanation, but should help you get the idea.

Ken

[Rude]

thanx for the help guys! jk, i think you'd have to draw me a picture for it to make sense to me http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif so what are these sea strainers i'm always hearing about, where do they go, how do they work, should i have one......and on and on and on......

[jkpruitt]

Typically, a closed-loop cooling system will run a sea strainer; although, you could run one on a fresh water cooling system as well. Do you have a swimming pool? If so, do you have a strainer on the suction side of the pump? Enough said?

Ken

[RiverLife]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kc0000 @ Jan. 24 2003, 08:10 am)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Check the oil![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
All of them! Remember that the engine is not the only part that uses oil.

[THOR]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (RiverLife @ Jan. 24 2003, 8:27 pm)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kc0000 @ Jan. 24 2003, 08:10 am)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Check the oil![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
All of them! Â*Remember that the engine is not the only part that uses oil.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Really? LMAO http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Inheat]

Rude,
Let me help you out here. Open your engine hatch and on the front left side of your motor down low you will see a belt driven pump with two hoses attatched. One hose goes to the back of the boat centered high in the Gimbal ring. This is where the lake water is drawn from the outdrive. The second hose crosses under the oil pan and hooks to the oil, power steering and fuel cooler. From the cooler it routes to the intake manifold where water is distributed to both motor and exhaust. I could continue to explain what is happening when the thermestat is closed but I think you should be getting a clear picture at this time. A lot of guys will have different maintenance Ideas at this point and all probably good but this is what has kept my motors alive year after year. Check the impellor every winter no excuses. This said I have averaged 5 years of use running 35 to 50 hours a season, but have always caught a bad or worn impellor before I was dead in the water. Your mercury does have an audible alarm for engine temp that should sound in the event of an overheat but mine has failed in the past. This may be over-Kill but while I am on the trailor at the ramp I always wait to see water out the exhuast before I pull off. You will also hear the exhaust note raise if there is no water present. Hope this helps, and hope to actually meet some of you cool people this SUMMER!!!

[digginfordollars]

I change the impellor every year. I think it costs like thirty bucks or something and is easy to change if you have good access.

[Rude]

inheat, THANX A BUNCH!! i'll have to print that out and actually look at what you're talking about. i really appreciate it! D4$, 30 BUCKS http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif HOW DO YOU GET OFF SO CHEAP!!! when i blew out my impeller/pump last year it cost me $300 to get it fixed http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/insane.gif if you can do it for $30, YOU'RE HIRED http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Essex502]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (digginfordollars @ Feb. 04 2003, 1:45 pm)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I change the impellor every year. I think it costs like thirty bucks or something and is easy to change if you have good access.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I have mine changed every year as well when I have the boat serviced. Cheap insurance!

[MOWtown]

IN HEAT, RUDE,
I could'nt agree more. About 8 years ago, I was with 3 friends camping in NorCal (about 3 hrs from home). On Sat. morn, we go to launch my old Sanger flat and never got it off the trailer. I immediatly noticed no water in the exhaust...my neovane impeller was in pieces!!!
At first, I didn't think that this was a big deal but after I spent half of Saturday going to different "Mayberry" auto parts stores and NOT finding the correct impellar, I new the weekend was shot. My friends were bummed, I was embarassed, and I learned a lesson: fishing is no substitute for boating! Change the impellar every year!!!

[OutCole'd]

Rude, I'm with you. When mine went out last year, it was over $300.00 to get it replaced in Havasu. I think if I had some tools with me, I could have changed it myself. The parts are $30.00. I will be changing mine myself this year before I go out & save the $$$.

[Rude]

the guy that did the work on mine said something about having to backflush the system since i blew the impeller apart. he wanted to make to get all of the pieces out of the system. i suppose if you made sure it was changed before it went out it may not be that bad to change. i changed the one on my evinrude once and it was a BITCH!!! if you can really do it yourself for about $30, that's VERY cheap insurance!

[jkpruitt]

It is a $30.00 and (10) minute job on a King Cobra.

[Essex502]

Does anybody know where you can order an impellor? It seems like it would be good practice to toss one into the boat for emergency replacement.

[Inheat]

All the boat dealers in the Denver area carry them in stock, I would think the same for your area.

[Essex502]

I'm sure the dealers would have them as well as service facilities. I was looking more for a website. The time to drive to my boat builder is more than a coupla' clicks on a website.

[Inheat]

OH, I see, ya know we are a little slow out here in colorady.
Try Boost Power or Teague I have ordered from both. http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Essex502]

Cool, thanks! Actually I almost drive by Teague every night coming home from work. Must have had a brain fart today!