Epiphany Sailingvideo
WOW Electrolsis ate Mercury 9.9 water pump base! Cleand carburetor and serviced it also.
March 4, 2024 · 9 min · 854 views
What this video covers
A Mercury 9.9 outboard engine failing to pump water requires a full teardown of the lower unit to address severe galvanic corrosion on the water pump base.3:41 Electrolysis, likely caused by stray current at the Boot Key Harbor dinghy docks, eroded the aluminum housing and compromised the O-ring seal, preventing the pump from maintaining pressure.2:06 Replacing the corroded base, gasket, and oil seal restores the pump's integrity, though residual debris in the discharge port may still restrict flow.5:15 The service also includes a full carburetor overhaul to resolve rough idling and starting issues, using brake cleaner to clear gummed passages and debris from the fuel inlet.5:59 While the engine runs on the first pull after the carburetor cleaning, the dinghy sustained a puncture against the davits due to wakes from passing powerboats during the repair.7:39 Replacing the factory zinc with an additional anode helps mitigate further electrolysis damage to the outboard's aluminum components.
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