Broken bearing cage

1989 85HP serial 856X9E
Classic sob story,
I was installing a new piston and I guess when I was "finessing" the piston, connecting rod and greased needle bearings into place, the bearing cage and needles had slid down out of place
Unaware this had happened but aware that something wasnt quite right, I pushed the flywheel a little too far and CLICK. My heart sunk. When I pulled the piston back out of the cylinder I found the cage broken in 3 pieces.
Its item no 7 in the exploded diagram. P/N 31-62596A2
Can anyone help me out with either finding a new one or maybe ya got one from a dead motor that you are willing to part with.
Im really reaching out here.
Anyone??? Please.

Re: Broken bearing cage

Man I feel your pain! I bout cry when I hear them little sounds.


The only place I know of to get what you need is here at iboats or maxrules.com if someone dosent have what you need.

Re: Broken bearing cage

Nope, doesnt look like its happening here.
This sux too. every thing is ready to go back together.
I absolutely dont want to dump anymore money into this thing.
It has treated me decent for 7 years but is coming to an end.
New boat motor and trailer package next year!!

Oh, please, please, someone help me!!

Re: Broken bearing cage

I might have one.Post a pic or send me a pic.I can't look until tomorrow AM. My goodie box is in a differnt place.I will get back to you tomorrow afternoon.
Jerry

Re: Broken bearing cage

just did a google for that part number, If Jerry has one that would definately be cheaper

www.itgmarine.com/Chrysler-Force-Replacement-Parts/150PHC.htm

Re: Broken bearing cage

Jerry,
Man you could really save my summer!!!
Id would seriously owe you one!!
Ill take a picture and post it tonight.
Im not sure how to post it here.
Whats you email address and Ill send it tonight from home.

Bax,
That site is far better than the mercruiser site.
They want 132 bucks for the darn thing. Thats more that I paid for the piston!!
Rediculous.
62 bucks is still outragous.
But, I it will save the summer.
Ill be parting that motor out when spring comes.

Thanks guys!!!
Anyone else wanna try to save the summer??
We're not there yet

Re: Broken bearing cage

Oh, one other thing I just thought of.
When I pulled the intake adapter with the reed blocks on it, I noticed that one of them is cracked.
I think I can fix it but a replacement would be nice.
On a hole shot, it sputters a little bit. I bet that little bit of leakage is causing it.

Re: Broken bearing cage

you don't want to have it break and suck a petal into the cylinder either.....summer over sooner then

Re: Broken bearing cage

now i am not sure there the same but i think they might be i have one out of a force 50 .. if your sure its the same i will send it to you .. let me know

Re: Broken bearing cage

Wayne, the 50 HP isnt the same. Thanks for the offer though.

Baxtr. Yep, I agree. I was ready to just piece that rod bearing together and use it that way but the half assed stunt would also end my summer too.

Here are the pictures of the rod bearing and cage. Notice too, the count on the needle bearings. Hmmm wonder where that missing one is??
I AM losing sleep on that one!!!! I cant win for losing.
They were all there when I started!! Now what??
Jerry, if this pans out. Good things are gonna happen for ya! (at least Ill be wishing that on you)

I added a pic of my cooked piston. Any opinions on why it may have failed??

Re: Broken bearing cage

just a guess but it looks like a HOT spot / melt down from carbon being stuck in the rings

Re: Broken bearing cage

That is CLASSIC lean run detonation damage. Check the carb for clogging or for a low speed needle set too lean. 85 Hp carbs should be no leaner than 3/4 turn out from lightly seated, 7/8 is better--even if idle suffers a bit. Typically, one carb goes lean for whatever reason and the other two carry the engine. The lean one goes into detonation and melts the piston. By the time you hear it, it is too late. Since some crap (chips of diaphragm or brass from the button valves) can get into a carb from the fuel pump, it is best to always put a cheap plastic fuel filter in the line after the fuel pump.

Double check the floor--just to be sure you did not drop the roller. A missing roller in most cases is serious. Depending upon where it is, it can do MAJOR damage. So, take great pains to account for it.

If you had all the rollers before you broke the cage, It is possible that one went into the bypass. During running it will pass through the cylinder, damaging the piston, head, and cylinder. If you can not adequately see, remove the bypass cover.

It may have also gone down the exhaust in which case, no damage will be done. However, do not consider this as a possibility unless all others are negative. Then, remove the lower unit to see if the roller is lying there.

Those rollers will fit under the crankshaft cheeks. They can not get into the center bearings but again, during running, they will do major damage. So: If you feel around the bottom of the crank cheek with a piece of 1/16 welding wire, if it is there, you will eventually get it out.


BTW: Typically, with a piston that badly damaged, the cylinder is scored. If it is scored and you replace the piston without boring it oversized, that cylinder will deliver poor compression (depending upon the degree of scoring) and the engine will not perform up to par. At a MINIMUM, the cylinder should be honed to remove rubbed on aluminum and reduce minor scoring if present.

Re: Broken bearing cage

Frank, The info you just presented me is priceless and probably saved me another meltdown.

When that happened, we had just gone maybe 15 miles or so through 3 lakes at full throttle.
I was actually hearing it running a little wierd.
The rpm's were dropping off a little bit then they would come back up and so on.
As we entered the last lake, there was a no wake zone under a causeway that we needed to get through.
Once we got out of it, we took back off running again and it never reached the full RPM's. It runs, on a good day maybe 4800 RPM's. The cylinders are a bit sloppy from the last rebuild where I just honed them out and put in new pistons.
But it ran and I was happy.
Its been like this for a few years and its got a ton on hours on it.
This time it only reached 4400 RPM's and stayed there for about 10 minutes till it failed.
When I opened it up and pulled the piston there was a little bit of scoring on the cylinder and I was able to hone it out.
I do understand that there will be a loss of performance with them not being perfectly round from a bore job and there will be a little "blow-bye".
I can live with it.
I lost that needle I believe in the front of the intake. I actually wasnt looking and didnt have my big jimmy dean sausage fingers in the intake, instead I was below it and I think it slid off my finger on that angled vent piece of the lower cowling. What its purpose is, Im not sure.
However, Ive been all through that cylinder compartment looking for it and am pretty convinced its outside the internals of the engine.
That Jerry fella is hooking me up with the bearing cage and tossing in the needles. God Bless Him for doing that.
Im gonna certainly pay that forward some day here.
Now, per your suggestions.
I will install an inline filter in front of the onboard filter at the motor.
I will also do a carb job and pay close attention to to #1.
Ya know, the funny thing here is that I didnt have to take all three pistons out for this problem. The one I where I had this problem is one of the good ones. But I had to know if they were ok.
My guess is the piston or actually the rod (having some hours on it) isnt as tight on the wrist pin as a new one is.
Where im working on this is in direct afternoon sun and its an oven.
So, the actual viscosity of the grease Im using as "stick-um" to hold the pieces in place doesnt get the job done.
Sooo, what Im gonna do is put my grease in the fridge to help its stickieness and do the job in the morning when its cool so stuff is a bit more stiff.
Maybe it will go together easier.