Awakening a 1986 Envinrude 140

[Acipenser]

Today I began awakening a 1986 Evinrude 140 E140TLCD that has not been run in at least 14 years. I originally posted about this way back in 2002, but got completely side tracked with a new son. So here we are 13 years later!! I am totally new to outboard motor repair, or any motor repair for that matter, but want to give this a try. I have been reading numerous posts about what needs to be done. I have a service manual, and am hoping this engine will turn out ok.

I pulled the lower unit to replace the impeller today. When I drained the gear lube, it was pretty black and smelled burned, but I did not find any metal shavings on the magnet. It was not milky at all. So appears that there may have been overheating issues. I removed the water pump, and the impeller was curved but intact. However there was a lot of pitting on the drive shaft where the impeller sits. Don't know how this happened. Inside of impeller looked smooth. The rest of the drive shaft above the impeller was fine. A little very light rust. Splines look good. Will this require a new drive shaft? Pretty worried about this.





Also when I rotate the propeller, there is a click in the gear case. It happens when I turn it either way, is that normal?

I removed the spark plugs and squirted some oil into each cylinder. The flywheel rotates without any appreciable resistance. So I guess the pistons are not stuck. Next two things I plan on doing are checking the spark and compression test. Can these be done without the lower unit attached? Or do I need to wait until I get the lower unit put back together?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[boobie]

Your spark and compression tests can be done with he lower unit off. That drive shaft is very questionable. All you can do is clean it up and try it.

 

[SparkieBoat]

Fresh oil in gear case, new impeller, I would squirt 2 cycle oil generously through the carbs with the butterflies opened into each cylinder to lube up the crankshaft. I would use the drive shaft. I would also change the gear lube after a few outings to make sure that my gearcase is still sealing from water intrusion.

 

[V153]

Not sure I'd run that driveshaft. I had one break right there and it didn't look nearly as rough as yours. Then again it could run forever. Ya never know.

 

[Bosunsmate]

just hook a hose up at low pressure on to the water inlet in to the Powerhead then you can run the motor as long as you want with the LU off to check its not misfiring when warm etc.
I wouldnt worry about that driveshaft but ive never had one break on me yet

 

[V153]

My '86 90 twisted the shaft off just above the impeller housing. Never really did determine why. Didn't hit anything. Guess it just decided that was the day it was gonna break?

 

[V153]

Btw should you decide to connect a hose directly to the water tube and run the motor without the lower? Be very very careful with water pressure. If you crank that hose wide open to full 'house pressure' you run the real risk of blowing water past the water jacket gasket(s).

 

[racerone]

Corrosion like that is never a good thing.---BUT , but consider this fact.----The impeller for 1986 is the same for 90 to 300 hp models.---So unless the specs on the material is vastly different this shaft for the 140 hp should last a while yet.---Just my opinion.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Btw should you decide to connect a hose directly to the water tube and run the motor without the lower? Be very very careful with water pressure. If you crank that hose wide open to full 'house pressure' you run the real risk of blowing water past the water jacket gasket(s).

I do it the whole time, a couple of turns of the tap and i run it like that for ages, its the noise thats the big issue, no muffler brrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Acipenser]

Well did the compression test and spark test today. Good news - 140 in each cylinder. Almost identical as far as I could tell. Spark jumped 1/2" gap for each wire as well. Never done a spark test before so not sure how bright or often the spark should be, but looked good to me. I cleaned out two of the carburetors as well. They were pretty oiled up - dark oily substance and a lot of it. Used two carburetor repair kits and sprayed everything out very well with carb cleaner. Blew dry with compressed air. Need to get two more carburetor repair kits to do the other side.

The oil line was disconnected. Not sure if that was done on purpose or if it came off the VRO in the last decade. Leaning towards on purpose, as it looks like someone replaced the VRO with a normal fuel pump at sometime in the past. At least it does not seem to have an oil connection that I can see. Here is a couple pictures. Does it look like it was replaced?



Anything to worry about regarding the clicking in the gear case when the prop is turned? Happens turning either way. It is in neutral. The propeller shaft does not turn when turning the drive shaft.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Sometimes if the gear isnt completely in neutral you will get a click, if the shift rod has come out of adjustment. Ive never owned tht motor so i cant say f a click is normal or not but to me id be concerned that the clutch dog is getting a little knick which is the clicking.
Cant help you on the VRO, but id suggest running premix and not using the vro, oil in the carbs sounds really wrong unless its some kind of fogging leftover

 

[racerone]

There is no oil mixing done on that pump.---It is a non mixing replacement.

 

[boobie]

Be sure to use 50:1 premix fuel.

 

[glust]

A lot of folks know this but since you said you were new to marine motors I want to mention the shift rod height. When you drop the lower you remove the shift shaft rod also. DO NOT rotate this shift shaft. The number of turns determine the length of the shift shaft rod and it is measured sometimes in 32 nds of an inch. One turn of the rod could mean the difference between being in alignment or out. If your turned it or are not sure, get the correct measurement and check it twice. Don't ask me how I know, but you will run through shift clutch dogs if it isn't right. Good luck with your project.

 

[Acipenser]

Been busy with work for awhile. Finally getting back to engine.
Changed out water pump with Sierra 18-3392 water pump repair kit with housing, but have run into some problems. I can't get the housing to seat completely down. See pictures.


This kit come with an o-ring that goes below the impellor. The previous water pump did not have this o-ring. There is an instruction flyer in the kit that says that the o-ring is necessary for proper installation.

I have tried to reinstall the pump a couple times but it always has a small gap on that one side. I can't figure out what could be wrong.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Acipenser]

Looks like that gap is ok. The housing has a recessed area there. Not sure why it is not totally flat all the way around but it is not.

 

[Acipenser]

Well had several issues getting the lower unit back on. But finally I think I figured most of them out. But I still think I have a problem.

During the multiple times that I tried to get the lower unit to go back on, I think that I might have messed up the length on the shift rod. During my install failures and removal cycles the rod would turn slightly. I would turn it back to where I thought it came from, but after a few too many attempts, I forgot if the bend in the rod was supposed to be in the forward or aft direction. So I may have turned it the wrong way. Right now, it is connected and facing forward. But I have problems shifting into reverse or forward. When I move the control forward, it does not want to go. If someone gently rotates the prop shaft, then it will go into forward. It will go into neutral without issues. But then will not go into reverse without rotating the prop shaft again. Cycle can be repeated in either direction. Easy to go into neutral, but then will not go into forward or reverse without turning the prop shaft.

I also could not get the lower unit to completely mate back up with the midsection. It was less than 1/4 from flush. I am pretty sure it was from the new exhaust seals that were not seating easily or all the way. I used a couple of the bolts and it came together easily. Hopefully I did not mess something up that way either.

A very frustrating day trying to get the lower unit back on. Hopefully some one can give me some easy advice on what to do next.

Thanks.

 

[SparkieBoat]

I hope everything was lined up properly, your water pump pushing water to the powerhead (is the motor peeing) ? the shifting thing I have see before, try shifting in and out of gear with the motor running. test run it on the water and make sure that it is going all the way into reverse and forward, if it is jumping and not going all the way into a gear adjust the shifter cable at the grommet until it shifts all the way into both gears.

 

[Acipenser]

I think that everything lined up properly. I know that the splines on the drive shaft are engaged as I had to slightly rotate the prop shaft to get it to mount, and when I turn the fly wheel by hand the prop shaft turns. I made sure that the water tube was entering the water pump when putting the lower unit back on. The only thing that might not be lined up would be the exhaust since I think that the seals were causing the issues with the lower unit completely seating when I put it together.

Do you think that I would have any issues trying to start the engine in a tub of water?

This engine has not been started in a very long time and that is the next step.

 

[Acipenser]

Anyone think that I might damage the engine by trying to start it in a tub of water? I don't want to mess things up now.