Powerhead base damage

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youshomd

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2000 Johnson 115 oceanpro, Went to replace what I thought was a leaking powerhead to exhaust gasket only to discover the front base of the motor was cracked and deformed causing the leak. It's all a part of the crank case, so I afraid the only option may be a new powerhead. Anyone experience this before? What would cause this?

Kind of sucks because the engine runs strong. Here's a pic. Think it can be welded?

Mike

PC260486.jpg
 
Y

youshomd

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Here's more pics. It's towards the front of the engine. The part that is cracked and bent upwards should be a flat mating surface.PC260487.jpgPC260493.jpg
 
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boobie

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Before replacing the p/h I would take it to a good machine/welding shop and see if they could do something with it. If you find the right guy it could probably be repaired at less cost than a new p/h.
 
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youshomd

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Spoke with someone regarding welding, it can be done but would have to be milled afterwards. Would require a bare block, complete disassembly, then reassembly. Big job, not sure I'm up to it. Before I take that big of a plunge, I may try gasket sealant. doubt if it will work but worth a shot for $10 vs. $1000+. The leak doesn't seem to affect performance.

Not sure what would have caused this, the casting is pretty thin in that area. I wonder if this is somewhat of a common problem with this block?
 
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boobie

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Was this a salt water mtr ? You may want to try Gray Marine Tex to patch it along with the sealer and see what happens.
 
1946Zephyr

1946Zephyr

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Well, I do have another idea that would be a lot less expesive and should do good to fix the problem. Take the base gasket to a sheetmetal shop local to you that has a laser and have them cut a piece of 14 guage stainless to match the base gasket.
What these guys will do, is draw your base gasket with AutoCAD or Solid Works to match perfectly, then send the file to the laser to burn it out. Slick as a whistle. I've worked in many shops that can and will do it. If you like, I can purchase the base gasket for you and price it for you them send both pieces to you. (gasket and plate)
 
Cheetah 210es

Cheetah 210es

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Re: Powerhead base damage

1946Zephyr said:
Well, I do have another idea that would be a lot less expesive and should do good to fix the problem. Take the base gasket to a sheetmetal shop local to you that has a laser and have them cut a piece of 14 guage stainless to match the base gasket.
What these guys will do, is draw your base gasket with AutoCAD or Solid Works to match perfectly, then send the file to the laser to burn it out. Slick as a whistle. I've worked in many shops that can and will do it. If you like, I can purchase the base gasket for you and price it for you them send both pieces to you. (gasket and plate)
Click to expand...

+1 :)
 
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youshomd

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Good idea but adding thickness between the exhaust housing and block will cause misalignment of the mouniting bolts in the front of the engine (the horizontal ones). If the sealer doesn't work I may see if I can modify the exhuast housing by welding a piece large enough to create a seal where the block isn't damaged, This would eliminate having to tear down the engine. There's no actual passage thru the powerhead where it leaks, the powerhead is solid over the front opening in the exhaust housing.

Thanks for the input.
 
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youshomd

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Re: Powerhead base damage

View attachment exhaust housing.pdfIf it were that thin wouldn't it just bend where the damage is? The front horizontal mounting botls are 5/8", probably not a lot of play there. Here?s the parts diagram with what I was thinking for modifying the exhaust housing.
 
1946Zephyr

1946Zephyr

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Re: Powerhead base damage

How did that part get damaged? That kinda puzzles me.
 
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youshomd

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Not sure, bought it used. It's a fairly thin piece of the casting. Didn't look all the corroded, maybe a bad casting to begin with?
 
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Haffiman

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Re: Powerhead base damage

The damaged part is not a sealing surface and has no significance or function. Just 'left over' from casting. The sealing is all about the 1/2" walls between the different 'chambers'. Just re-surface the cylinder and crank case (put together as one unit) and re-assemble.
 
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youshomd

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Re: Powerhead base damage

Haffiman,
It seals over the front chamber in the exhaust housing. Not sure of the function of this, but I assume its either a equalizing or compression chamber. You can see in pic 487 the outline of where the chamber meets the powerhead, notice how it extends beyond the crack. The gasket is not solid as shown in the parts diagram, it's actually cut where that front chamber is.
 
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Haffiman

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Re: Powerhead base damage

It is no 'front chamber of exhaust housing'. It is just an open space down the leg.
Your exhaust should go down the exhaust tubes at the back and out through the prop, provided that your big rubber seal between leg and exhaust is not leaking. The important sealing areas are around the exhaust channels and water inlet. Just have it milled, and if needed weld up the sealing surfaces.
 
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youshomd

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Re: Powerhead base damage

View attachment ex.pdfHere?s a blow up of the exhaust housing. The actual gasket has a cut out where the front chamber is. If the chamber highlighted in blue is not connected to the exhaust system in any way I shouldn?t have a problem? I will need to take a closer look when I have it apart again. I have an exhaust flow diagram from a SELOC manual which shows exhaust flowing from the head to/from that chamber as I have indicated in red.
If I recall, there was also some carbon build up in there as well. If that chamber is isolated from the exhaust system and serves no real purpose, I should have no issue once it is put back together with a new gasket. I guess I can always fill that chamber with water and see if it flows out the exhaust.
Thanks
 
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