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Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
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RE: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
I have thought about this as well.
Probably depends most on how much pressure your pump will create. A bilge pump type livewell pump I don't think would do the trick. I tried using a coil hose w/ one of these and there is not even enough pressure to push water through the hose.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
that is a good idea,i once had the woodruff rust out really quickly on my o/b water pump,got towed in ,maybe i could of done that, now that i thinkk about it ,that motor was to old for that feature,but it will work on my new motor,i am going to try to remember that, thanks
__________________ we do three types of work, good, cheap and quick you can have any two.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
I know it doesn't apply since the situation I will talk about was an inboard drive. Anything that can suck water out can be used to drain the bilge. When I was about 15 I had a 17ft Shamrock with an inboard. One day I was washing it down and didn't notice I had left the hose running in the back while it was still in the water. After a little bit I walked to one side of the boat and the water that had collected in the bilge shifted to that side and brought the gunnels of the boat within about 6in of the water.
I remembered reading a boating magazine article where it said to open the raw water wash down in an inboard to help drain the bilge. I opened it up and damned if it didn't work great. Anything that sucks water in and spits it out the other end can help drain the bilge of a boat.
__________________ 2001 20 Seacraft "Exodus"
Surf City, NC
RE: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
I don't believe you are supposed to run your outboard while hooked up to the flush port. I could be wrong. Seems I've heard guys say their temp alarms going off flushing with the motor running hooked to the flush port.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
About 20 years ago I was stuck in the harbor on a cold afternoon when the pump went out. I pulled the bilge pump out and threw it overboard with the hose hooked to the thermostat input on my old 140hp Evinrude. I could idle only but I could move and made it out of the harbor where I could call for help.
The flush port is not always acceptable to run the engine because it could starve the pump for water and cause damage. If the pump isn't working anyway I'd hook a washdown hose to it in a heartbeat if I needed to get out of trouble. As long as the engine didn't overheat what's it going to hurt?
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
I've done it before with my FW washdown on a yamaha OX 66 200. Had to cut off the shower head and use a bic pen for a union with the flush port hose. Routed the intake of the pump to a 5 gallon bucket and kept refilling the bucket on about a 4 mile trip back home. Used electrical tape and some spare fuel hose I had on the boat.
The impeller spun the center hub and would not pump. The wash down pump kept the motor cool at cruising speeds with no problems.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
BAD BAD BAD idea... You are never supposed to start the boat with it just hooked up to the freshwater port. You will burn it up. But hey in an emergency I may try it running at like 1500 rpms just to get me home.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
Yup, since the water pump is underwater (and likely toast anyway) that is obviously not a concern. My washdown pump provided plenty of water to cool and the relief ports and teltale stream had water coming out as usual. The heads did not get too hot a cruise speed.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
Where do people get the don't run on the flush port?
May be true for some engines.
My '99 johnson 90hp manual says to flush and run on this port.
Just not at high RPM.
It kills me when there are people who know more than the owners manual.
I'm wierd though.......
I actually READ my owners manual.....
and I follow it.
Don't mean to offend anyone.
If your pump has enough flow to cool the engine.......and
its an emergency.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
Quote:
GWcpa - 3/19/2008 10:36 AM
I've done it before with my FW washdown on a yamaha OX 66 200. Had to cut off the shower head and use a bic pen for a union with the flush port hose. Routed the intake of the pump to a 5 gallon bucket and kept refilling the bucket on about a 4 mile trip back home. Used electrical tape and some spare fuel hose I had on the boat.
The impeller spun the center hub and would not pump. The wash down pump kept the motor cool at cruising speeds with no problems.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
The reason for not running some outboards on the flush system port is that there is no water cooling/lubricating the water pump. As noted if it is not cooling, most likely it is toast. I think you could run the engine at low speed. I had a genset water pump go out, and I used a water puppy raw water pump to cool it until I could rebuild it.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
Quote:
thataway - 3/20/2008 7:09 PM
The reason for not running some outboards on the flush system port is that there is no water cooling/lubricating the water pump. As noted if it is not cooling, most likely it is toast. I think you could run the engine at low speed. I had a genset water pump go out, and I used a water puppy raw water pump to cool it until I could rebuild it.
The water pump is already toast...thats why your running on a different pump. Its submerged anyway.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
i too was stuck on my trailer,water pump went out,there i was in my driveway,i had to get home ,so i knew i would ruin my water pump, but what the heck,got out, hooked up my garden hose to the flush port, got me home......wait,i was home,oh never mind, some people really take this stuff way to serious,
__________________ we do three types of work, good, cheap and quick you can have any two.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
I actually went out in the garage today to see what I could rig up for an emergency "get me home" setup. Within 10 minutes, I pieced together my setup. I used a raw water washdown pump, 2 garden hoses, a "Y" to go to each engine, and a stone filter that I used to use for my salt water tank. The stone filter goes on the end of the intake hose, which would be stuck overboard, and connects to the raw water wash pump intake side. From there, the hose runs out and to the "Y". This is a regular garden hose "Y" and it has a cut off valve for each side. Which means, I can connect to both outboards if I wanted to, or, just connect to one, and turn the other side off using the valve. From the outlet(s), I have my garden hose fittings, which connect to my flushdown ports, as usual. For electrical, I soldered on 2 heavy duty alligator clips, with about 10ft of wire for plenty of leeway. All of this fits into a old gym bag that I had laying around, and now sits in my storage bin, under my console. Voila.. instant emergency kit to get me home.
Re: Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump??
Uhhhh....there is no water lubricating the water pump when you use the flush port???
So all the water I see pouring out of the water pump intakes must be beer! Awesome! I have a magical engine!
Not that I start the engine on the flush port. I use the ear muffs. But when I do connect to the hose port plenty of water pours out both sides of the water pump intake.
__________________ 1999 20 foot Seagull power cat
Single 135 Optimax outboard
Using the wash down pump as an emergency water pump?? 
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