30 Hp Johnson Outboard

[Mike75]

I HAVE A 1985 30 HP JOHNSON OUTBOARD MOUNTED ON A 1975 13 FOOT BOSTON WHALER. WHEN I REMOVED THE MOTOR TO DO SOME REPAIRS (CARB REBUILD AND LOWER UNIT/WATERPUMP CHECKS I BROKE ONE OF THE TWO large MOUNTING BOLTS; THEY WERE REALLY REALLY FROZEN ON, I DON'T THINK THE MOTOR HAS EVER BEEN REMOVED. ARE THESE TWO BOLTS "OPPOSING THREADS"? THERE'S ABOUT 3/8" OF AN INCH EXPOSED (ON THE BROKEN BOLT)...ENOUGH TO GET A GOOD GRIP WITH A PAIR OF VICE-GRIP PLIERS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO THE WRONG WAY AND JAM IT INTO THE BRACKET FURTHER...

Hope someone has crossed this bridge before me

Cheers,

Mike75

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

The transom clamp screws?

The parts list does not list separate left and right one so they must be the same (would have been surprised to find otherwise)

3/8" is enough to look at and compare with the other one anyway.

Soak it well in a dismantling fluid and heat it as well if you can. A whack with a hammer is always worth a try but dont break the bracket.

 

[Mike75]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

Hey Vic,

First, yeah the transom clamps (they "had" little plastic handles that I guess are used to loosen them)...Those were the first things to break off...

I'd have never thought to look at a engine parts list for this...but you're right, if they had been different there would have been two parts (I guess left and right?)

Since the one came out pretty easy...I might just try drilling the "stubborn one"....Right before checking for replies, here at iboat, I was reading some "general info" on broken bolt and stud removal...(the heating came up) as well as progressively drilling and then use an extractor or tap...

You're concern over possibly breaking the bracket helps too...Since I know it's some kind of cast aluminum that would be "THE LAST THING" I want to break/crack...

If (when) I get this broken piece out (and clean up the threads on the bracket holes)...Have you ever heard of substituting a "same diameter" steel bolt, for these standard bracket bolts...When I checked one of the Johnson Outboard parts list, you had referred to earlier,....these transom bolts are about $35.00 each (STICKER SHOCK) ...plus another 3 or 4 bucks for the round cap that actually snugs up against the inside of the transom...Seems like a bolt could be threaded into the bracket hole and then use some kind of stiff plastic (like maybe a disc cut from a piece of Trex deck board material or maybe even a piece of tire tread) either material could be "slightly drilled" so the end of the bolt would not slip off the disk...Besides, there are two "'additional" smaller bolts...that also go thru the bracket and transom, to secure the motor...

If this would work...I can save the money for gas and oil LOL

Thanks again for the help

Mike75

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

Deleted

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

No reason why you cant improvise. It depends on your own ingenuity I guess.

I don't know what thread is on those clamp screws hopefully not something non standard, just UNF.

They are stainless steel, I assume, so drilling will be a bit tricky and hard work! Lets hope with a bit of cunning and perseverance you can get the old one free.
I wonder is it worth cutting though it to free the motor from the boat then you can afford to get the bracket fairly hot. The idea is that the aluminium will expand and loosen its grip on the screw.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

I wish you luck. If they've been stuck awhile, likely they'll stay stuck and the bracket will break. Maybe you'll get lucky with lots of penetrating oil and heat. Brackets aren't hard to find though, if it doesn't work out. Check the auction site...lots of parts on there.

 

[WTL]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

Those stainless screws are very prone to breaking, I've had 3 break off flush on my 86 28 horse. I havent been able to extract them.

 

[bgillen]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

Be careful "whacing them with the hammer" if you break the transom mount your in for a major repair job. I would cut and drill them out myself instead of chancing breaking the mount.

 

[Mike75]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

Hey Vic,

That's the strage thing... I too, thought they would be stainless steel but when I cut thru the (now stuck bolt) to remove the motor it sure seemed easy (like they were aluminum)...Then when I tried (on the "exposed" part of the bolt to (a) first, grab it with vice-grips and remove..the threads really stripped fairly quickly and (b) when I tried drilling across this exposed part (to insert a small rod...hoping I could get better leverage - that broke off, without a lot-of-torque, too...I think the best chance now is to try using the plan of drilling thru and inserting an extractor....Will advise

This is my first post on iboats...wow, there a a bunch of "boaters" willing to help...Thanks

PS: Your profile indicates "retired"...Just a guess Royal Navy?

 

[Vic.S]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

Yes they can be aluminium (aluminum to you!) both Al and stainless steel ones are listed.

At least the Al ones are easier to drill.

Royal Navy ... heck no ... power generation industry and a short spell in education.

 

[rupertmja]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

I recently removed a broken bolt from my 115hp leg. Vice grips on as tight as I could, heat from gas flame, and it slowly begane to move - in out in out in out and slowly out. Took quite awhile but I got the thing out clean.

 

[Mike75]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

I recently removed a broken bolt from my 115hp leg. Vice grips on as tight as I could, heat from gas flame, and it slowly begane to move - in out in out in out and slowly out. Took quite awhile but I got the thing out clean.

Hey,

Thanks for the suggestion...You and I were thinking alike...I was able to "grab" the outside end of the bolt with vice grips....Did not apply heat, thou....(Sounds like that would have made a difference)...It just twisted the threads right off....

I think drilling the bolt and then using a bolt extractor (Easy Out) is my next move...Once I get this transom bolt fixed....the "actual" project is to pull the carb, rebuild/clean it so I can get this sucker into the water....We are looking at, at least three more months of nice weather (assuming hurricane season stays "to heck" away....

How's the weather down under?

Mike75

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

I'd skip the EZ Out and just drill it out. If you break off the hardened steel EZ Out, which is likely since the bolt is frozen solid and has already broken once, you probably won't be able to drill it out.

 

[F_R]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

As a retired outboard mechanic in a salt water area, I can tell you that I have drilled out hundreds of those clampscrews. Hint: deliberately drill it off-center and keep going to progressively bigger bits till you hit the threads on one side. You will then have a half-moon shaped piece of the clampscrew remaining. Using suitable punches, chisels, picks, or whatever, collapse that half-moon piece toward the center and pick it out. Clean up the threads with the proper size tap (probably 5/8" NC) and you are ready for the new ones. I have an allen socket steel bolt (like a giant setscrew) on one of mine for steering clearance, but a side benefit is that it makes the motor harder to steal if the crook has to go home to get an allen wrench.

Don't worry about breaking the bracket. They are incredibly tough stuff for an aluminum casting.

NO easy-outs. Hate them. Can't stand them. They should be put in jail for even making them.

 

[rupertmja]

Re: 30 Hp Johnson Outboard

Don't bother with bolt extractors - they are hardened and you won't be able to drill it if it busts off, and they bust pretty easily - everyone needs to do it once to learn the lesson

If there is some bolt left, even if rounded, just grip it super tight with vice grips, add heat, and work it free. Bash gently with a big hammer from time to time too.

If you have to drill it, grind it flat and centre punch it. I usually drill centre, though I do like the idea posted above to drill off centre, which is usually what happens anyway. I use a progressively bigger drill until the whole thing disintegrates. Sometimes, I get it perfectly clean with thread intact, others, I have to retap to a bigger size. You could also use an insert.