1985 115hp 2BBL OMC Shift rod seal?

[Auxlarry]

Took the boat out yesterday afternoon to do some checking on possible electrical component problems and found something very interesting.
With the cowling off (good trick on a Sea Drive) and up on plane we noticed water entering the lower area through the shift rod opening. Not a little water but a lot that I believe is being sucked into my airbox (shudder) and being injested by the engine.
Is there supposed to be a seal around the shift rod? If not, what could be causing this?
I have removed and installed this lower unit many, many times and don't remember a seal being there.
I thought about my water pump tube not being aligned properly but my tell tale works well as well as the normal 3 psi of water pressure as I run.
Also, where can I find a new rubber seal for the top cowling/cover?

Larry

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: 1985 115hp 2BBL OMC Shift rod seal?

Look at www.shop2.evinrude.com for parts diagrams and part numbers.

3 PSI sounds awful low, should be around 5 PSI at idle and 15 or so at running speeds. Between that and the fact that it takes a good bit of force to move all that water up your shift tube it sounds like there's a leak somewhere.

 

[Auxlarry]

Re: 1985 115hp 2BBL OMC Shift rod seal?

Metric -
In the 20 years I have owned this engine I have always seen 3-4 psi at run speed and almost 0 on the gauge at idle and have never had an overheat issue and always have good flow at the tell tale.
I agree with the amount of force it takes to push water up the shift tube and thought about a leak but while watching it closly at speed that is where the water is coming from. As you back down to the 4000 rpm range you can see it drain back down the hole.
In the 5 minutes or so of run time while watching it pushed about an inch of water in the lower cowl and since this is a Sea Drive I had fun bringing it down off plane while trimming/tilting the engine up so it did not become a submersible engine (which I believe was the OMC engineers idea when they designed the Sea Drive, "first semi-submersible 2 stroke in the world"...LOL)
I have always had to pay attention when coming off plane to keep the backwash from being sucked into the rear air intake on this motor and as long as I have owned it I have always have a wet engine from rear splash!