Is water pump working?

Question

How can I test to be sure my water pump is working before I go to the lake and burn up my motor. `72 65hp johnson. thank you.

Answer 1

You can also go to a marina and buy earmuffs that hook to a garden hose and fit over your water intake. As stated above just look for a stream of water coming out the back of the engine.

Answer 2

I use a cut down rain water barrel to drop the outboard leg into.

Fill the barrel until water reaches the anti-cavitation fin or a bit higher, start engine and make sure water come from the small tell-tale at the back of the lower cover.

If no flow- ensure tell-tale pipe is clear (use a bit of wire),

If still no flow, don't risk using engine until pump checked.

Do not run the engine without water as you will burn out the pump rotor very quickly.

Answer 3

You have essentially two correct answers, but looking at the year of your engine I would like to add some clarity.

If memory serves, the 1972 engine doesn't have what we today think of as a "tell-tale." Meaning that nice little stream of water that comes out of a tube on the starboard side of the engine.

Using my poor memory I believe there is and exhaust port, usually one or two outlets together, centered in the rear of the engine, just below the fiberglass engine cover, maybe a little lower. And again, if memory serves, water doesn't flow in a stream from there, but kinda comes bubbling/spraying out. This will be the place to check for exhaust water, and whether or not the impeller is working.

Also, like the idea of using the earmuffs, just in case there is "thru-hub" exhaust you can see it also. If the hub is in the water you can see it exhaust water.