No water to top of heads on Bridgeport 2.4 and overheating

**mxr181** · 09-12-2023, 04:05 PM

Did you end up figuring anything out last weekend? I know you saw my thread but I also just got a Bridgeport sitting on a standard mid section and hoping to have it running tonight, this is likely going to be my next issue to solve to get it on the water.

**62 bugzilla** · 09-12-2023, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by mxr181

Did you end up figuring anything out last weekend? I know you saw my thread but I also just got a Bridgeport sitting on a standard mid section and hoping to have it running tonight, this is likely going to be my next issue to solve to get it on the water.

did not get a chance weather did not cooperate. Will fill you in and if you could do the same would be great. I’m going the methodical route this time starting at bottom inlet and working way to top. Think I’m going back to original no poppet valve and washers instead of thermostats and try and get it right the way it’s supposed to run. I did get water to top with poppet valve but still no pressures on gauge so I think it’s in the water pump system somewhere. Keep me in loop.

**mxr181** · 09-12-2023, 07:25 PM

Sounds good!

**mxr181** · 09-12-2023, 09:20 PM

Sure enough, got mine fired up, hose hooked up and no flow out of the motor at all. Not the lower unit / water pump I will be using but don’t have a flush adaptor for sport master. Did confirm motor has not been ran on this mid section and it’s a standard 2.4L mid

**pcrussell50** · 09-13-2023, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by mxr181

Sure enough, got mine fired up, hose hooked up and no flow out of the motor at all. Not the lower unit / water pump I will be using but don’t have a flush adaptor for sport master. Did confirm motor has not been ran on this mid section and it’s a standard 2.4L mid

For the record, in the video clip I posted back in post #4, I didn’t use any kind of adapter to get the hose on the copper tube. I had one of those small hole water jet ends. Just a cheap $1.99* plastic one from Ace. Like this one: https://www.acehardware.com/departme...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

And I simply held it in place with one hand and the phone/camera in the other. This is a VERY easy test for blockages.

*looks like it's gone up by 60 cents. But mine didn't have the shutoff either, lol

-Peter

**mxr181** · 09-13-2023, 10:34 PM

So the hose adaptor I got from Walmart on Sunday is just a piece of junk. Pulled the lower today and hooked the hose directly up to the copper pipe and I got water out the dual pissers and slight water pressure, if I blocked the pissers it gained more water pressure so I’m guessing whatever mid / adaptor plates I have seem to be ok, I will attach pic of what I think it poppet plate that does have a line coming from rear exterior fitting at top of the midsection. Both of my thermostat ports are ran directly out instead of tied together like my last motor and the rest of the photos I’ve seen. Gotta have washers because I got water flow before I even started the engine. Pretty sure this is a std 150/175 mid section as the lower has a smaller bullet than my old 2.4 200. Should I put thermostats in?

**mxr181** · 09-13-2023, 10:39 PM

Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help with your scenario, hopefully pics help

**62 bugzilla** · 09-14-2023, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by mxr181

So the hose adaptor I got from Walmart on Sunday is just a piece of junk. Pulled the lower today and hooked the hose directly up to the copper pipe and I got water out the dual pissers and slight water pressure, if I blocked the pissers it gained more water pressure so I’m guessing whatever mid / adaptor plates I have seem to be ok, I will attach pic of what I think it poppet plate that does have a line coming from rear exterior fitting at top of the midsection. Both of my thermostat ports are ran directly out instead of tied together like my last motor and the rest of the photos I’ve seen. Gotta have washers because I got water flow before I even started the engine. Pretty sure this is a std 150/175 mid section as the lower has a smaller bullet than my old 2.4 200. Should I put thermostats in?

So good news in that respect you don't have a blockage thru motor which I don't think I do either but haven't done this test. I want to see if it drains off to much pressure thru the midplate dumps which is what I was worried about too. I was told these motor are NOT suppose to have tstats in them and have the washer restrictors which mine does. I believe it's done this way to help cool them at higher than 6000 rpm constant which makes them different from normal motors. I have the same flat poppet plate in mine as well. When I ran mine originally it had water to hose from poppet area but had no flow to top at all and no pressure on water gauge at all even when I revved it up. I also did lake test and it overheated quickly. I was told it could have little to no pressure at idle but should dribble out top hoses at idle and then when reving have 15 psi. I will be doing testing soon. Thanks for your input and let me know more of what you find.

**62 bugzilla** · 10-03-2023, 05:23 PM

So today I got the poppet valve installed with the rubber pieces to receive it. The motor since not designed to use a poppet valve the plastic insert into the block would not fit with the rubber insert used to seal the poppet valve so I modified it to fit. The plastic piece starts at 1.5” and the receiving area in block is approx 1.36 which I figured out using a washer that fit snug enough to get close. I then rigged up attachment to drill to spin it in some 60 grit sandpaper until it fit. Took it down to 1.40 and started test fitting it. Fit at about 1.38 snug with out having to tap it in. Used small dab of 3m weather strip adhesive to make sure it stays in place but able to exchange without to much trouble. Now have all assembled and ready for testing which I will do later this week. I’m finishing up all new gauges and switches now too. I will let you know how it goes hope I get good pressure or at least better than without seal in place.

**skialot2** · 10-03-2023, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by mxr181

Pretty sure this is a std 150/175 mid section as the lower has a smaller bullet than my old 2.4 200. Should I put thermostats in?

A standard 150, 175, 200 all use the same size mid-section and lower units. The 150's use a 2.0 ratio. The 175/200's use a 1.87 ratio but the bullets are the same size. If you have a smaller bullet, you have a lower unit from a 150 XR4 or XR6. They are faster but not as durable.

**tlwjkw** · 10-03-2023, 07:58 PM

one thing i noticed that needs ta be changed.. looks like you are using tha billet poppet cover that came with tha BP?.. thats a no no.. it doesn't need tha hose or tha bib.. it needs ta be a regular poppet cover with tha tiny hole and without a bib.. and yes on tha T-stats.

and be sure ya stake tha grommet....

**tlwjkw** · 10-03-2023, 08:37 PM

also noticed ya have an opening on tha port side of tha adapter.. it needs a 90* fitting.. can be jus discharged inta tha air or tied inta tha port head discharge.. ya get very little discharge from it.. any way ya wanna do it.. tha one in tha center-rear is justa an idle relief discharge.. doesn't really need to go anywhere..

all those fittings are there ta be used with stock, production cowls and are justa a pain in tha butt with hi perf. type cowls....

**62 bugzilla** · 10-04-2023, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by tlwjkw

also noticed ya have an opening on tha port side of tha adapter.. It needs a 90* fitting.. Can be jus discharged inta tha air or tied inta tha port head discharge.. Ya get very little discharge from it.. Any way ya wanna do it.. Tha one in tha center-rear is justa an idle relief discharge.. Doesn't really need to go anywhere..

All those fittings are there ta be used with stock, production cowls and are justa a pain in tha butt with hi perf. Type cowls....

heres the stock poppet cover i'm using.

**tlwjkw** · 10-04-2023, 01:32 PM

...............

**pcrussell50** · 10-04-2023, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by 62 bugzilla

So today I got the poppet valve installed with the rubber pieces to receive it. The motor since not designed to use a poppet valve the plastic insert into the block would not fit with the rubber insert used to seal the poppet valve so I modified it to fit. The plastic piece starts at 1.5” and the receiving area in block is approx 1.36 which I figured out using a washer that fit snug enough to get close. I then rigged up attachment to drill to spin it in some 60 grit sandpaper until it fit. Took it down to 1.40 and started test fitting it. Fit at about 1.38 snug with out having to tap it in. Used small dab of 3m weather strip adhesive to make sure it stays in place but able to exchange without to much trouble. Now have all assembled and ready for testing which I will do later this week. I’m finishing up all new gauges and switches now too. I will let you know how it goes hope I get good pressure or at least better than without seal in place.

This was a great read and I'm glad it seems like it's working out, but I'm still troubled about why you would have to go through this process. Why would Mercury cast a block with poppet chambers, but yet with a unique bore size so that you can't actually use a poppet? Unless they are all cast that way, and then the poppets are sanded by hand and hand-fit at the factory. Maybe all of us with poppets had them hand fit by a factory worker?

===

Originally Posted by tlwjkw

one thing i noticed that needs ta be changed.. looks like you are using tha billet poppet cover that came with tha BP?.. thats a no no.. it doesn't need tha hose or tha bib.. it needs ta be a regular poppet cover with tha tiny hole and without a bib.. and yes on tha T-stats.

and be sure ya stake tha grommet....

So TL... My stock 2.4/200 has a four-bolt (two chamber) poppet with a barb on the aft chamber that runs a hose up to the starboard thermostat. Yet my two 2.0/150's have a two-bolt poppet setup (only one chamber used), with no hose barb or extra hose up the the thermostat.

Why did the the 2.4/200 have the extra plumbing? And is it OK to remove the complexity, and run the 2.4/200 with the same 2-bolt (one chamber) poppet setup as the 2.0/150?

There is a guy in another thread who has a 2.4/200 and wants to know if it's OK to run it with the one-chamber poppet and no hose running from the poppet up to the starboard thermostat.

-Peter