Seagull 40 Plus Problems.....

[jamespaget]

I have a 40plus British seagull, which the last time i started it did not pump water through the telltale. Do they have impellers or do they rely on moving through the water to draw it into the cooling system? Is there anything I can do to make sure it is OK as I intend to use it as an auxillary....

thanks

 

[jwilson]

If I remember rightly there's an impeller at the bottom of the drive leg (the thin one of the two tubes).

 

[andy01842]

The impeller on a seagull should not wear as it should not touch anything. Usually needs a few revs to make water flow. They do silt up, an air line up the tell tail can work after a good poke with some stiff wire. The Saving old seagulls web site has loads of info and good advice.

 

[rjp]

Mine doesn't start pumping water for a couple of minutes after starting but is then fine.

 

[nordic_ranger]

Seagulls are basically bullet proof engines. They do have and impeller as previously said but it works on a centrifugal system the harder you rev it the greater the flow of water. The impeller rarely needs replaced. Look at the cooling water outlet because if it has been ran in the sea and not flushed out that will be your cause of lack of cooling water.
Poke it with soft wire to check if it is blocked, if you have compressed air blast it up the outlet hole. If you feel that you need to remove the cylinder head to unblock the cooling channels use heat on the block where the studs are or you will snap them and the have the job of drilling them out and re taping them. You should get away with reusing the same cylinder head gasket if you are careful. They are basic engineering.

 

[quimby]

Speed clean the tube by dropping bottom part of leg then using thick copper wire such as earth wire from household mains power cable, using 2pieces twisted together, fit into a electric drill then feed into into tube at a slow speed, gently pushing and pulling to clear muck from tube. It took me 10 minutes to do. the twisted wire acts like a long drill bit .

 

[shmoo]

[ QUOTE ]

if it has been ran in the sea and not flushed out that will be your cause of lack of cooling water.


[/ QUOTE ]


Be a little bit careful flushing it.

I am sure no one else would make this mistake but... I put the hose up the wrong hole (exhaust) and only realized when water came gushing out the carb! No real harm though: dried the plug on my shirt and it started 4th or 5th pull.



As said above, bulletproof.

 

[VicS]

As others have said the impeller rarely causes any problems because it does not wear.

If you are running in a tank or bin make sure the pump is fully immersed and because in those situations the turbulence can stop the pump working properly take the prop off.

It's normal for them not to pump at low revs.

Before you start ripping it apart try back flusing with a hose held tight against the water outlet under the block. Water should then flow out off the water intake slots NOT the exhaust outlet.

I will also PM you shortly Look out for the flashing envelope!

 

[andy01842]

if this link works it is a very helpfull site
SOS
Taking the head off is last resort. Most heads have cast into them DO NOT REMOVE.
I have and it took some time with a drill to clear the water ways. 3 of the 4 head bolts broke off!

 

[VicS]

Yes you'll find almost every thing you'll need to know about seagulls in the FAQs

And this is the Saving old Seagulls forums

 

[nordic_ranger]

Thats why I said 'heat then first' the block that is and really heat it as its cast iron and can take lots of heat. I've had a block a dull red with heat where the studs are and it did not do any harm to the block.

 

[Broombroomput]

Wire and drill worked for me............

 

[wotayottie]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a 40plus British seagull, which the last time i started it did not pump water through the telltale. Do they have impellers or do they rely on moving through the water to draw it into the cooling system? Is there anything I can do to make sure it is OK as I intend to use it as an auxillary....

thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

A Seagull is a "classic" outboard in the same way that an MGB is a "classic" car and a Commando a "classic" bike. And just like the other Brit classics, it ideally needs an owner with some mechanical abilities and even then it is not as reliable as modern kit. I've got 2 but would I use them as an auxiliary? No I wouldnt because you cant count on them in the same way you can (say) a Mariner.

The water impellor in the Seagull doesnt touch the sides so cooling water can escape through the clearances until a reasonable level of revs is reached. This can alkways be improved by cleaning out the water ways including the pipe up from the bottom of the leg. You may also find you need a new gasket at the bottom of the leg - this forms part of the water impellor chamber and if it fails then so does the water flow into the engine.

Best advice is to get a copy of the Seagull manual and take the thing to bits. Clean it out. Replace worn bits. Learn how it works. Its pretty simple really, and you will need to knmow how to look after it if you intend using it.

 

[mikejames]

When I first got my Seagull it would run for 5 minutes producing a dribble of water then steam. Paint on the cylinder block would blister and smoke. Then eventually it would lose power and stop.
Wait 5 mins and it would run again.

Then I took the head off without the benefit of heat managing two out of four bolts being left as sheared stubs, and now I have two huge M10 bolts as the two lower head bolts. - I was using cheap hole taps which blunted quickly on the cast iron and had to go up several sizes before I could make a workable thread in the hole.
I reused the gasket but added some high temperature silicone.

Inside I found almost solid rust not silt. Strangely the fuel tank was also pretty rusty inside like someone had left it in the sea for a while.

To ebay for a new tank and now I am almost happy except that it is quite heavy. I regard this as training for when I finally can afford a fourstroke because these are even heavier than the seagull for the same power.

 

[cliffordpope]

It's impossible to test it in a tank - too much spray all over the place. Even with the screw off there is still exhaust burbling out.

If the holes are clear and you can flush a hose straight through, it is probably all right, just try it. It needs the motion of the boat through the water to get a good flow. Don't mount the engine directly in line with the skeg - it impedes the water flow.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
It's impossible to test it in a tank - too much spray all over the place. Even with the screw off there is still exhaust burbling out

[/ QUOTE ] Funny I run my 40 Featherweight in a tank to flush it out at the end of every season and usualy again to check all is well before the start of the new season. Quite often I don't even take the prop off although I probably would with a 40 Plus. It makes a bit of a mess but I don't do it indoors!

 

[cliffordpope]

I didn't mean you couldn't run it in a tank to test it runs, and to flush it. I meant you can't, in my experience, check very certainly whether cooling water is coming out of the little hole in the block. partly because of all the spray from the prop and exhaust, partlybecause, as I say, the motor really needs to be moving through the water to get any flow through the cooling system.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
you can't, in my experience, check very certainly whether cooling water is coming out of the little hole in the block

[/ QUOTE ] Well I meant I do and have been doing so reguarly for about 25 years. The outlet is way above the water even on a Featherweight which has a shorter shaft than a "standard" length Forty plus.

 

[Guest]

I ran all my Seagulls in tanks to test and never had trouble seeing the water flow ....

 

[pappaecho]

Before you take drastic action try pushing a 1/4 inch drill bit up the exit hole in the head. You will be amazed at the amount of crud comes out, and this certainly cured my Century plus. All Seagulls are basically the same.
If you do take the head off pm me as I have a spare head gasket in the garden shed which is probably 20 yrs old and needs a new home!