cracked plastic water intake screen on 1987 Force 50 ((507F7C)

[inquizito]

The plastic water intake screen on my motor has cracked, and when the motor is run, what remains of internal casing can be pushed up the intake. (Before it broke, the screen slightly protruded into the intake area, keeping it from moving up?) I am not sure how far it may go, and need to know if it may impede the flow of cooling water. Do I need to extract it? And can it be removed without opening the engine leg? It appears to be an internally installed component. I see no way to replace it from the outside. And in salt water, the OEM plastic piece wouldn't be worth the trouble anyway. It didn't and wouldn't last. Anyone done this repair as an aftermarket upgrade?appears to flow upward with the water

[WillyBWright]

I suppose it could restrict flow a bit. Continuing degradation could have pieces get caught in undesirable areas. It should be replaced. Saltwater isn't the enemy here, sunlight is. Plastic is largely unaffected by salt. But UV radiation degrades it. It should have one in there or you can easily suck in junk large enough to clog things up in the cooling passages. The gearcase has to come off to do it. Might as well put a new water pump impeller in as long as you're there anyhow.

[inquizito]

Thanks for your response. I appreciate your information. That's about what I was thinking, and the sun damage makes sense. Wonder why they just didn't use brass or copper? I'm surprised the plastic screen lasted all these years. It was dry-mud brittle when I touched a little piece of it that was already broken, and it just crumbled. I actually thought about crushing it up from the outside in, just to prevent it from getting sucked up into the intake itself, but I am not sure I can get all of it out that way, without getting inside there. The impeller and water pump were already done - sure wish they'd gone ahead and switched that screen out too - It was costly going into that lower unit. Wonder how it might work to sand the outside area and J-B Weld a metal screen on there. Guess that would ruin the hydrodynamics pretty quick - and with my luck, then get itself sucked into the h20 intake.