Running Volvo 290 Outdrives out of the water?

[Scarron]

I want to try to run my engines up with the boat out of the water, in the unlikely event that they actually fire, how do I feed the engines with cooling water? Do I need to connect a hose to the raw water pick up hose where it drops into the outdrive or can I just run water into the open top of the strainer?

I thought I heard somewhere about about flooding the exhaust manifold and backing up into the cylinders if the engines don't fire. But perhaps I was dreaming - again!

Thanks in advance.

Paul

 

[Medskipper]

Actually you can get a pair of outdrive muffs which connect to a hose pipe and run the engines with no problem!

Barry

 

[Solitaire]

You buy a pair - or just one and use on each engine seperately - of these:

They are called flush muffs. You then put a hose to the muffs and put them over the water intake on the leg. It looks like a grid.

Most chandleries sell them. I have a set, I see you are Hampshore based so if you would like to borrow them then PM me.

It is an easy process, but don't turn the water on to full, just half way will do.

 

[gimmesunshine]

muffs are only about £8.
another way is to run them in a big bucket eg cut down water butt with hose constantly feeding it and over flowing, to avoid the water heating up too much. Maybe a little quieter this way too.

 

[PCUK]

Or take a hose directly fom the raw water pump into a bucket that is being topped with a hose.
Obviously never run a mains hose direct to the water pump!

 

[spannerman]

Ignore the bad advice on muffs, they will not work on Volvos as there is a hole at the lower front edge of the torpedo housing and you will just suck up air and destroy the impellors.
The simplest method is slide the 'S' shaped hose off the fitting half way up the drive and insert a metre of hose that fits snugly and tighten the hoseclamp. Place the other end of the hose in a bucket which is supplied by a hose pipe, the engine can now suck water at its own pace, this also works for winterising, just fill the bucket with a 50/50 antifreeze/water mix and run the engine till its gone after flushing. All Volvo mechanics do it this way over here.

 

[BarryH]

Plug the hole with a suitable dowel. Been doing that with mine for years......

 

[Scarron]

Thanks all for the advice, I have a pair of muffs somewhere that I used with my Mariner 135 Outboard, but as others have suggested I didnt reckon they would fit the intakes on the 290. So I ll try the hose into a bucket method, mind you might be a while yet - spent all day re-connecting the Morse cable steering, seems bloody heavy tho, I have greased the top and bottom bearings so must be something else, oh well better strip the blimmin lot!

 

[Dave_Snelson]

I'm with spannerman on this (esp as I have 2 x 290DP on my boat) and the only thing I would add is that the hole on the bottom of the torpedo can be plugged with a wooden taper, if really necessary.

 

[DAKA]

If you only want to fire up and shut down after a few minutes just take out the impeller .

takes a bout 5 minutes, takes half an hour to get the bloody thing back in again but the practice is good /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif


THIS IS NO GOOD FOR DIRECT COOLED ENGINES