Water pressure gauge hookup.

[fastbackford]

My console is completely devoid of instrumentation so I figure I need to get some. I have a 1988ish Evinrude 70hp and I want to hook a water pressure gauge to it but for the life of me I can't figure out how / where it connects.

I bought a repair/maintenance manual but that didn't answer the question so now I'm scratching my ass and blinking. Can anybody drop any knowlege on me or post up a link? Thanks

[GregF]

Look for a plug at the bottom of the water manifold, probably near where the "pee hole" hose connects. You can also T off the pee hose but that might not be the most accurate measurement. It will still be a good point of reference when something changes.

[WoodenPontoon]

I have a 90 HP Evinrude which I did as Greg mentioned. I put a tee on the hose for the pee stream. The numbers may not be accurate but you will definitely see gauge movements.

Good Luck,
Dan

[hyper]

I put mine into a hole that had a plug in it near the head where the spark plugs are. Works great and is a direct water port plug.

[killerkernrich]

WHY?? if it is peeing what is the worry?

[GregF]

The problem is you can't really tell the difference between 3 psi "pee" and 17 psi "pee". If you are only pumping 3 psi, you will have overheating problems BTDT.
The gauge will also warn you of impending problems before they become problems.
I can tell you more about the condition of your water pump with a water pressure gauge than by looking at the impeller.

[killerkernrich]

I look at the pee stream at Idle and at 4000/5000 looks good to me.
BUT I do see the point of having gauges for taking the quess work out. Sometimes gauges fail.

[GregF]

A water pressure gauge is about as simple as it gets, just a hose and a pressure gauge. If it failed you would have water dripping.

[RonKMiller]

With my 87 Yamaha there is a huge difference between my pee stream at idle versus powering it up. At idle it pisses steadily, as soon as the RPM's increase it comes out quite forcefully and literally drills a hole in the water. I just rebuilt the impeller, so I would not be surprised that over time it loses some of it's force.

The pressure gauge responds accordingly from near zero to almost the top of the scale. I've taken a black fine tip permanent magic marker to the glass to index what max pressure is currently - hopefully this reference mark will let me know in the future when it's time to consider another rebuild - instead of just guessing.

[hyper]

THE REASON YOU NEED IT IS SIMPLE, people sometimes throw plastic "Ice" bags in the water, why I have not idea as it pisses me off. If you run over one of these plastic bags and it wraps around your foot. You engine will over heat before you know what is going on. Yes it iwll run hot and you will not know it until the warning buzzer goes off. By then the engine has already burnt up the impeller from not having water in the foot and the engine is trying to cease. Isnt the few $$ you pay for a guage to see water pressure worth it? Lets see 50 bucks v/s 6000 for a engine? I think the 50 bucks is the way to go. I can tell if anything is around my foot now. Sometime in the fall leaves get trapped by the pontoons and funnel to my foot. Water pressure will drop and prop will cavitate. I just stop back up and all is fine again.

Get yourself a water pressure guage before you buy anthing else for it.

[GregF]

All the more reason for a gauge monitor. I have mine set to go off at about 160 degrees, long before the engine overheat beeper goes off.

BTW you are not going to hurt your impeller before the engine overheat alarm goes off but it is tough on the engine. Turning the engine off may be worse than just stopping, backing up and trying to get the bag off enough to pump some water. You want cool water in there as fast as possible.
Again that is why the water pressure gauge is good. You can tell immediately whether you are moving water.
Let it idle a few minutes until the temp goes down before you tilt it up and inspect for bits of bag if you can. There will be parts of that motor a lot hotter than where the sensor is. You want that to equalize or you can warp a head.

Again, that is why I like the gauge monitor. I have an early warning.

http://gfretwell.com/electrical/gauge%20monitor.jpg

[WoodenPontoon]

WHY?? if it is peeing what is the worry?

I cannot see the pee stream or even the engine unless I'm on the sundeck. The gauge is my only way of "watching" the engine.

[hyper]

Yea I put a light on my dash so that when the buzzer goes off the Red light comes on. reason I did this was that when playing the radio loud and cruzin the river with the motor at 4200 RPM's I missed hearing the buzzer. I learned the hard way that you need to have as many safeguards as you can.

Do you know what it feels like to be 40 miles from home on the water and your engine locks up because you did hear the buzzer going off? I can tell you it really sucks!! A pressure guage and a light is the way to go. Also the monitor seems to be a good idea also.

And yes if a bag is around the foot just right to completely block the water inlet ports and you run the engine like I did without hearing the buzzer, it can burn up the inpeller....That will never happen again to me.

Jeff

[killerkernrich]

where do you mount the press. gauge?? in the dash or on the motor?

[curtiscapk]

dash