95 merc 15 hp cooling

Hello,

Yesterday I picked up a very nice merc 15hp 2 stroke that i want to use as a trolling motor. It was hard to find a remote operated 15 around here.

It's starts with hardly a bump of the key. Runs and shifts smoothly. The stream is not consistent and there is water and exhaust leaking mid shaft behind a u shaped clamp. I'm told the stream should be cool as it was going in and his is warm. True?

I haven't torn it apart yet, but I think there is a seal that keeps exhaust and water in the right places and it seems it's failed. Simple fix or take it to the merc doctor?

Thanks, Chris

 

How can the stream be cool when it has just circulated the engine to cool it. It should be quite warm.

The stream or tell tale is an indication that the pump is working.

 

That's what I get for getting info while watching YouTube clips on changing the impeller. I think the temp reference was that it should be pumping quite a bit and not have time to heat up a bunch.

In another video, I saw water coming out mid shaft behind the mount like mine does. Maybe normal too?

 

Not all motors have the pee stream plumbed from the same location. Some tap into the water jacket prior to the water warming up much, others get it from further into the cooling system and it will be warm. Small Mercs typically pull it from a warm area.

 

Thats probably true, the tell tale is simply to show the pump is working.