Homemade water pump tube?

[Sputter]

A prior owner converted my 1956 Johnson Seahorse to a long shaft.  I’m making it the original standard (short) shaft, but I’m keeping the conversion parts and don’t want to cut 5 inches off of the water tube.

A closer look at the water tube makes me think it was homemade from 3/8″ nominal copper tubing.  It’s lightly stamped “Dorman One Foot” with an arrow (see picture).  The only Dorman I’m familiar with is the aftermarket autoparts company.

Has anyone had luck making a water tube from copper or some other material?

I figure that I can just copy the bends in the one I’ve got, and it would cost less than buying a used part.

Thanks!

1956 Johnson 15 Hp, FD-10
1958 Johnson 5.5 Hp, CD-15

[green-thumbs]

If the water tube is a later replacement as you suspect. look
it over to see how well it held up. Assuming the motor saw extensive use and the tube is in
good condition you may conclude the material is right for the the application. Soft copper tubing is more easily bent and flared than steel tubing as well as being easier to source. IF you can use the old tube as a pattern to make a jig the replacement tube will be faster and easier to
to make. Leave a little extra at both ends and trim to length after installing. I have made several for my Early Mercury/Wizards. Other brands and models may be more or less the same.Good Luck

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Sputter

[Sputter]

Thanks Green-Thumbs,

The tube is in good shape.  It was in there a long time based on oxidation and the dried up impeller, but I don’t know if the motor was run much.  Thankfully, there are only a couple of bends to replicate so I’m going to try and make one.

I saw some used tubes on eBay, and some had a small hole drilled in the side while others didn’t.  The one I removed doesn’t have the hole.  I think on some motors the hole lets the “leaking” water somehow seals exhaust from blowing past the drive shaft.  I could swear I read that somewhere, but maybe I’m losing my marbles!

1956 Johnson 15 Hp, FD-10
1958 Johnson 5.5 Hp, CD-15

[joecb]

That hole in the tube, does as you say  or to spray and cool the leg? Can’t recall , someone will

Joe B

[Steve D]

Larry, I think you’re getting the hole in the water tube confused with the hole in the impeller housing that does what you mention, that Frank R. so nicely explained recently. I can only remember one person on here saying he had to put a hole in the tube to cool a hot exhaust housing. There may have been a special situation that called for that out of the ordinary fix. Of all the motors of this era I’ve owned and worked on over 25-30 years, I’ve never had a need to do it. But if you saw some on ebay with the holes maybe it’s more common than I think.

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Sputter

[labrador-guy]

Larry I have found several water tubes with a small hole drilled in its side.  I think it’s been drilled for extra cooling of the leg and to make sure the water pump upper housing gets filled with water.  When these water pumps are working properly, they pump a lot of water.   That little drilling will help to keep the paint on the leg and the water pump working.

dale

[Sputter]

The attached picture is what got me wondering about drilling a hole in the water tube.  It’s from T-Mike’s Vintage Outboards eBay store.  The part number for my 15 Hp Johnson FD-10 is 303917.  Some of the water tubes in the picture have a hole in the side while others don’t.

1956 Johnson 15 Hp, FD-10
1958 Johnson 5.5 Hp, CD-15

[Sputter]

1956 Johnson 15 Hp, FD-10
1958 Johnson 5.5 Hp, CD-15

[Author]

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