Cracking around prop

[splitshot]

Re: Cracking around prop

You dont have to pull it to refill it but it will be easier if you go to Walmart and go to the automotive dept and look for the marine lower unit gear oil, there will be a gear oil pump with a hose and a screw in connector around the oil...this thing works good..mine was about $10

the easiest way i have found to fill it is from the drain hole with the upper (fill plug) out...this way the air escapes and its full when the oil comes out of the fill hole (its a flat headed screw that should be the closest to where the lower unit meets the mid section) same side as the drain plug...but if your doesnt have water in it and its not too dark i wouldnt worry with changing it especially if you plan on putting another unit on before too long

working on these motors kind of gets addictive so there are alot of us here all weekend !!

 

[jonesg]

Re: Cracking around prop

There are ( or were ) several sacrificial ZINC anodes around the lower leg to prevent just what you have now. They usually look like oblong slugs of metal screwed in various spots. When they are worn away the corrosion jumps to the aluminum instead.

Dissimilar metals in salt water cause a flow of ions from one to the other, like metal evaporation and just as energy is transfered with evaporation, the flow of ions leaves the cathode metal missing some of its electrons, the result is the original metal turns to ash. Thats what you see now.
The salt water is the electrolyte, imagine a lemon battery. See wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion

What you can't see is the internal corrosion, it might be just as bad around the water pump.

Get a factory manual, we all use them, they make service work very easy.
www.kencook.com

look up parts here

http://shop2.evinrude.com/ext/index.aspx?s1=bf6ad09c53cead335fcfd8a6471c0f7f

or
http://shop2.evinrude.com/ext/

The sad thing is zinc anodes are cheap and ez to replace.

 

[F_R]

Re: Cracking around prop

We had a case where a guy bought a new motor and put it on his boat and in a few weeks he was back with the lower unit looking like that one. He had just painted his boat with copper anti-fouling paint. Copper paint + salt water + aluminum motor = one big battery. must have been great paint though. Bet he didn't have any barnacles.

 

[stourm]

Re: Cracking around prop

Actually, those anodes are still there and actually only look just like the rest of the motor but aren't eaten away like you would expect. Since the rest of the outside of the engine is also pitted up to the waterline, although not to the same extent as the lower unit, should I have any concerns for the future of that part of it as well?

I went out a bit ago to try and drain the lower unit oil to see what kind of shape that it was in, and couldn't even budge that stupid screw. Any tips and tricks to removing it? I had only a standard screwdriver so maybe if I tried to find a really long one to add a little extra torque? Any really good 'creeping oils' that might help loosen it up? It'd be nice to know if the lower unit is still at least useable until I can replace it.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Cracking around prop

$20 impact driver works.
You must use new seals on the screws.

 

[stourm]

Re: Cracking around prop

I am pretty sure my father has an air powered impact driver so I will probably try that. I found a post on Ebay for a lower unit that is about 4 hours away from me and would like to know if it will fit my engine. My Evinrude is a 1977 140 hp with model number 140743S. Here is what the post says about the lower unit that is for sale on Ebay.

"I am selling a lower unit for Evinrude 125hp V4.This unit is in very good condition and you can use it for standard Evinrude or Sport Evinrude. The metal pipe is 19 inches long if you count the top of the water pump, and is 3/4 of a inch wide."

Do you guys think that this lower will fit my model of motor? I don't have a way to check and the auction ends in just over a day. It's the closest one that I have found so far tonight looking around. I have plenty of time before the fishing season but not sure how big of a job this will become so want to get a good start on it as quickly as possible. If this one doesn't work out I will start calling around the local marine repair shops.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Cracking around prop

Go buy a huge flat screwdriver. That's what I did for all my LU drain screws. Longer wont help the torque, a thicker handle will help the torque though. Or use vice grips on the screwdriver handle.

And I agree with the others. I'd get another LU. Try some used places like these:

tcoutboard.com
salvagemarine.com
marinepartsoutlet.com
sea-way.com
outboard-parts.com
laingsoutboards.com

 

[jonesg]

Re: Cracking around prop

I wouldn't use an air impact, it'll beat that screw to chewing gum in a flash.
a big screwdriver with a square shaft to accept a wrench will work, give a few taps with a hammer first.

 

[Big Bubba]

Re: Cracking around prop

Stourm,
That guy on Ebay that has the lower in Kentucky has a phone number. Call him and find out what his model# is from his boat motor that the lower is comming off of and call your local Johny rude dealer and see if that model# engine the guy selling the lower unit will fit your model# engine and if it does you might be able to talk to him and see if he will cut you a deal and see how much it will cost to ship it to you from his location if you decide to buy it from him. It might cost as much in gas money you know if you would drive to his location and back to your house. I bet it will fit though but I would do as I just described first to make sure. Best of luck, Bob

 

[F_R]

Re: Cracking around prop

$20 impact driver works.
You must use new seals on the screws.

He was talking about a hand impact driver, the kind you swat with a hammer. Works every time.

 

[stourm]

Re: Cracking around prop

You know guys, I have gone from feeling pretty good about the boat I just bought to feeling completely disheartened. I am just disgusted with the whole thing at this point and I have only had the bloody thing for less than a week. Feel like offering it up for sale for whatever someone will offer me and be done with. *SIGH* Sorry guys, I am just really disappointed. My wife and I looked for a boat all last summer and passed up several trying to find one that was water-ready and didn't need a new floor or seats or wiring. We decided to go ahead and wait because the main reason we wanted to get one was to take our son, who is now 3 years old, out fishing. He was too young last year so since it wasn't a big deal that we didn't find one.

This year though we wanted to get him started boating and fishing and thought we had found a good boat. It cranked and ran fine, everything worked on it, the floor was good, etc. Because of my inexperience I didn't catch the problems with the lower part of the motor. I saw it, but just assumed it was something normal for an engine that spent the better part of its life sitting in the water. I didn't realize the extent of the damage until after I got it home. Anyway, I am posting some more pictures of the motor below and would like to know what other problems might be in store for me with the rest of the outer casing. Thanks again for all the help you guys have been offering me. I will go later and try to find a screwdriver that can get that screw off. One step at a time with this thing right now for me.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Cracking around prop

From the waterline on the motor, it would appear that the boat spent a good amount of time either flooded or waterlogged. The marks indicate that the motor was far lower in the water than a normal setup would permit.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Cracking around prop

As usual, F_R hits the nail squarely on the head. What you are seeing is corrosion. The cracking is a direct result of the aluminum becoming extremely thin. Don't waste you time trying to weld this - its well beyond an ability to provide any appreciable service life. I also don't think that the part would take a bead anyway, because it is so thin that the welder would just burn through it.

I also agree with F_R that you are going to suffer from significant cavitation if you try to run this motor as it is. With the gaps that you have adjacent to the forward edge of the prop hub, exhaust gas is going to bypass the hub and create air pockets in the water that the prop is trying to "grab."

After looking at the second set of photos, I agree with Ezeke on the level of apparent immersion. There is something going on that doesn't make sense - first, why would anyone leave the motor down while in the water, all summer? Presumably, the T&T works, because you have the motor tilted up in your pics. If that's the case, the previous owner of this boat is one lazy person! Second, why was the motor sitting that low? Either the boat was partially submerged, or the boat is very overpowered and the transom was sitting much lower than it should, due to shear weight.

Frankly, I wonder if the owner made the bad decision to buy this motor from someone else, because his original motor "went south." To me, this motor looks like it came off of a "toon" (pontoon boat), because some folks who own them, leave the motors down all of the time. Its also not unusual to see outboards mounted very low on some toons.

I'm sorry to be a bearer of bad news, but you have some serious problems here. You can be sure that the level of pitting and deterioration that is evident on the outside, also exists on the inside of the midsection. You also have significant corrosion around the bottom of the swivel bracket. My concern in this area is the structural integrety of the lower mounting points, because if the mount breaks at high speed, you could find yourself in significant danger.

My thought at this point would be to first determine if the motor is properly sized for the boat. If it is, the next thing on my list would be to find out why the boat was sitting so low. If it was habitually allowed to remain partially submerged, that floor that you think is OK, might not be and the stringers might be rotten too.

Do some homework, including having a very frank discussion with the seller, before you spend further money on this boat!

 

[steelespike]

Re: Cracking around prop

If you just want to take the little one fishing you could find a pretty good basic 16ft fishing boat with say a 20 or 25 hp for 1600 probably not too pretty but a good sized functional boat.Maybe you could sell your power head clean up the boat and trailer and sell them.

 

[splitshot]

Re: Cracking around prop

Just get another lower unit and problem solved

 

[Big Bubba]

Re: Cracking around prop

I agree with Splitshot and get another lower unit. I would also get the mid section also becuase I didn't realize that it was that bad that far up from the lower unit. Like I said the guy in Kentucky looks like he has the mid section to and with the lower off anyway might as well change out the mid section while your at it as well as the lower leg unit. Then you should be able to be good to go with her and take your 3 year old boy and wife out fishing on a warm sunny day. I can't wait to get out in my Pontoon boat this year but it will be short becuase I deploy for 6 months in July this year. Well better enjoy it while I can when the season starts up. Stourm let us know how it turns out or what your going to do next. Take care, Bob.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Cracking around prop

I would also inspect the bottom end of the swivel bracket and associated parts. Replacing the exhaust housing isn't going to prevent problems if those items are severely damaged too. I very definately would not just slap a gearbox on this motor and call it a day.

Frankly, if this were were my motor, I would find another one with a blown powerhead, and swap mine for the bad one. To me, the cost and effort required in fixing this motor just isn't worth it.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Cracking around prop

The leg looks like it came off a different motor, the corrosion doesn't transfer straight across the swivel bracket.

So I'd swap it out for a better leg .
Keep the old leg for the gears etc, ya never know.

If the transom and stringers are good you're in the clear and not in as bad shape as thought.

But it pays to listen to the pro's here before just gassing up and going off fishing , we ignore them at our peril.

I would go through the boat, visually inspect stringers and transom, I don't find banging on things with a rubber mallet to be usefull in the least.

Then go through the trailer, change the wheel bearings.!

 

[cribber]

Re: Cracking around prop

Did some digging around on Craigslist and found a guy parting out a boat in Bartlett Tn.

http://memphis.craigslist.org/boa/1007472782.html

1985 90hp Rude for $800 and for a grand he'll throw in the boat and trailer and other goodies. Take your time and shop around... you've got time on your side and listen to the experts here. Good luck!!!

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Cracking around prop

The leg looks like it came off a different motor, the corrosion doesn't transfer straight across the swivel bracket.

That's an interesting point. I just downloaded the photo and blew it up in a photo editor. On close inspection, you can see a waterline on the swivel bracket that corresponds to the midsection. You can also see a similar line on the T&T pump housing. What is strange, however, is that the level of pitting is substantially less. The same is true of the transom brackets.

I'm trying not to make the OP feel bad, but this is not a motor that I would have bought. If he can get the seller to take the whole rig back with a full refund, that's something I think would be best.