I have a 1972 Mercury 80hp inline 4 serial # 3146873. <br /><br />I was replacing the impeller, gaskets and seals. <br /><br />Here is the link to my lower unit. <br /><br /> http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...nbr=190&bdesc=GEAR+HOUSING+ASSEMBLY,+COMPLETE <br /><br />In the top of my water pump housing I did not have a seal. I did have Part number 37 which is a RING, RUBBER - CENTRIFUGAL SLINGER (DRIVE SHAFT, but I do not a seal for the top of the housing. <br /><br />Does somebody know where exactly this rubber slinger goes? Does it just go around the driveshaft, and slid down to the water pump housing? <br /><br />On the diagram for my lower unit it shows that I should have part number 27 which is the seal, and part number 37 which is the slinger. They show those two parts above my water pump housing, like you could slide the seal into the top of my housing. However, the top of my housing is just above the diameter of my shaft, so I couldn't slide a seal into the top of my housing if I wanted to. <br /><br />I could fit a seal between my insert and water pump body. Another words, I could fit a seal underneath my water pump body, between the insert and body. <br /><br />How come I do do not have a water pump seal, in the top of my housing that goes around the driveshaft? I never took the stainless insert out of my water pump body, and I do not have a seal between the insert and body.<br /><br /><br />If I look in my Clymer's Manual under the older style EZ shift, and the Model R Gear Housing Assembly, it only shows the Rubber slinger, and it doesn't show a seal, so I believe that the clymers has the right diagram, as I never had a seal. But why does the mercury diagrams show a seal?<br /><br />It also looks like at the top of my insert, that the impeller would seal in the slight groove at the top of my insert, so a seal would not be necessary. <br /><br />I am guessing that the slinger is just there to sling any water that comes through the top of the housing to the side of the case, and not allow it to work up the driveshaft, into the spline. <br /><br />Does anybody have any words of wisdom?<br /><br />At this point I am thinking I should reassemble and put the slinger about a 1/4 inch above the housing, and reassemble. <br /><br />What do you think?<br /><br />Thanks in advance for any help.
