Mercruiser question - Temperature problem

[abl1111]

" Did you pull the end caps off of the exchanger and look for crap in there. "

- I pulled off one side - the other side is a little more work to remove because the oil filter bracket must be removed first. The one side was clean - at least the end was - can the small holes can get clogged within ?

" When was the last check of the raw water pumps impeller? "

- In four years - not once ! I think I am going to attack that immediately. Seems like a b*tch of a job because it is really tight !

" i had the same motor pull the end caps off the heat exchanger and run a wire or air through the tubes should fix the problem!! "

- Even with a Southbay, thru-hull strainer stuff can get stuck in there ??

" You can take you engine serial number to www.-go-fast.com and do a parts earch with pictures to get exploded diagrams of everything. The raw water path on my 2006 model was from the pump through the power steering fluid cooler on the back of the engine then to the heat exchanger and out each end of the heat exchanger into the elbows. "

- I'll check that site. I really need to buy a Mercruiser shop manual ! I feel blind without clear directions.

" I'm assuming there's good raw water flow out the exhaust??? "

- Boat's in water - I had assumed I was getting good flow ( now, nothing is off the table ) - how do you check w/ her in the water ?

" The issue could be the circulation of the fluid inside the block "

- No idea

" What about a gauge that gives you temp instead of high/low/just right? "

- Mercruiser does not make it - mechanic wants me to get the SmartCraft stuff. I like analog - it's simple.

" Also, when you jumped out the harness, did you also jump out the ground? "

- I bypassed positive, negative and sender/harness wires. Still HOT.

This is my first foray into an i/o. Grew up with and watched my Dad wrestle w/ them for years - I swore I would NEVER own one. I have had OB's on every boat but my 23' Tsunami. This boat had twin i/o's and I converted her to one. She handles great. I am very under-educated with how the 'flow' of cooling happens.

I am mechanical, but have no experience with the i/o ( and no shop manual ). Looks like I'm on a fastrack right now !