Water pump and cooling questions 2002 df115

[OrEgoneguy]

So I just bought a new to me boat that has a 2002 df115 on it. I was not able to put it in the water before I bought it. The boat had been sitting unused for about a year so I drained the gas tank and put in some gas and she fired no problem on muffs. Water was flowing out the through prop exuast and dribbling out of the tell tale. Soon the water stopped flowing out of the telltale and since the boat had been sitting for some time I decided I would go ahead and replace the impeller. I pulled the lower unit and there was a drop of oil running down the top of the drive shaft...is this normal??? Then I pulled the housing off and discovered the impeller looked brand spanking new. Put the housing back on bolted the lower unit and fired it up on the muffs...NO water through the exuast anymore and no water through the tell tale. I dropped the Lowe unit again and put the house directly on the pipe the water pump attaches to and after about 5 to 10 seconds water started coming through the tell tale and flowing out where the exuast would exit??? Bolted it back on and nothing fired it up on the muffs and nothing. So I thought maybe the drive shaft wasn't turning. Put it in gear and the prop started moving so that's not it either. I then went down to the boat ramp thinking it just didn't like running on muffs. Fired it up in the water and water came out the tell tale for a few seconds and then stopped.

I should also note the manual said to use sure bond when putting the pump back together and I did not use any and the suzuki video didn't show any. I also don't have a torque wrench so I guessed on the tightening of the water pump.


Any ideas???

[Moonlighter]

Sometimes these Suzukis can be problematic running on muffs. Some muffs simply wont work.

If you are going to use muffs, the best ones to use are the small round ones that are very soft rubber. And make sure you have strong water pressure.

I would suggest however due to what you have experienced so far, you get a dum of water and put the motor into it, lower the motor so that the anti-vent plate on the motor is under water and run it like that. It may still take 30 seconds or so for the water to start flowing out of the telltale. I would have a piece of heavy mono or weedeater line to push up into the telltale in case there is some grit partially blocking it.

If still no joy, next thing to try is to replace the water pump stainless housing. If it is even a tiny bit deformed, and you may not even be able to see it, then the pump will not pump well. Its best to replace both impeller and this housing as a set when the water pump is serviced.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[Tidnish]

I have a 2004 DF115 and have experienced a similar issue. Changed impeller, didn't pump. Went back to old impeller, pumped. Repeated several times.

I've replaced Mercury impellers before without issues but the Suzuki one stumped me for awhile.

I finally looked at parts diagrams and saw there was some sort of bung seal where the top of the water pump housing mated with the water tube in the leg. It wasn't on my motor so I bought some parts but when I went to install them, they were not correct. I ended up using a section of silicon hose over the water tube and making sure there was a seal between the pump housing and this tube.

Put it back together and it worked as it should.

[Tidnish]

And I should add that I felt the fundamental issue was water being pumped by the impeller was simply running out of the joint between the pump housing and water tube. Maybe this was the problem, maybe not, but it all works now!