The 75hp powerhead is ported differently, and may have higher compression, the carbs and WOT timing specs may be different also. These are high performance engines that really don’t do well on conventional non performance hulls…They don’t have a lot of mid range torque, and are meant to be wound up….The engines usually suffer slow detonation damage when bogged down on conventional hulls, often over propped.
The exhaust covers on this engine are a complicated arrangement of water passages and exhaust passages meant to help “scavenge” more power out of the engines through “exhaust tuning”…These covers often get loose, allowing the cooling water to mix with the exhaust, usually ending up with water in the powerhead. Sometimes, piston skirts will break and crack/poke a hole in the crankcase into one of the exhaust cover water passages. In any event, seems doubtful you will find too many salvageable parts when you pull the powerhead apart, journals are most likely damaged. But, you never know….Once the powerhead is pulled/stripped, it is certainly worth the hour it will take to pull the powerhead apart and inspect it, you never know….
You don’t need any controls to run the engine on your stand, provided your stand is strong enough and won’t tip/break when you start the engine. I would remove the gearcase, and attempt to start it anyway. Simply connect a large battery cable to the engine ground, and a positive cable to the hot side of the solenoid. A little jumper lead from the hot side of the solenoid to the yellow/red lead on the solenoid terminal will engage the starter. Run the engine for a few minutes with no gearcase or water until it heats up enough to expel any left over water inside. Let the engine cool down then run it again….
Again, only attempt this if the engine is securely bolted to a sturdy stand that won’t tip over when the engine starts. Make sure there are no fuel leaks that might spark up a fire as well….
I guess I really should have started my reply with this question: Are you sure the water isn’t coming from a bad fuel supply that has water in it??
