crack in outdrive

gfk71jr

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Dec 21, 2012
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was just servicing alpha 1 outdrive 88 3.7 noticed crack above weep hole can that be repaired or will i have to replace housing??
 

Don S

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Re: crack in outdrive

Assuming you are referring to the leading edge of the lower unit, As long as water is not getting into the drive oil, it should be ok. There is a pocket that will hold water if the weep hole is plugged up, which can freeze and crack.
 

gfk71jr

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Re: crack in outdrive

Assuming you are referring to the leading edge of the lower unit, As long as water is not getting into the drive oil, it should be ok. There is a pocket that will hold water if the weep hole is plugged up, which can freeze and crack.

thanks don, no water in oil the crack extends on bothsides up above the weephole about 2 inches.would that be the cause of my overheating problem while running on muffs??can i use some type of epoxy to seal the crack? i no thats not the correct way to do it ,but i just purchased the boat and got her running i want to do a sea trial before i have to purchase a new housing,what would you suggest?? thanks for your help "once again":facepalm:
 

Don S

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Re: crack in outdrive

Shouldn't have anything to do with an overheat at all. It's just an empty area in the drive not used for anything.
Post a picture of the cracks, I wouldn't attempt to say without seeing first.

You can probably just leave the cracks alone (depending on what they look like and where they are) and it won't hurt anything. pictures will tell more.
 

Bondo

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Re: crack in outdrive

thanks don, no water in oil the crack extends on bothsides up above the weephole about 2 inches.would that be the cause of my overheating problem while running on muffs??can i use some type of epoxy to seal the crack? i no thats not the correct way to do it ,but i just purchased the boat and got her running i want to do a sea trial before i have to purchase a new housing,what would you suggest?? thanks for your help "once again":facepalm:

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,... Ya can't do a sea trail, til ya fix the overheating...
so it ain't quite "Runnin' " just yet...

Drop the lower unit, 'n change out the Impeller,...
That's always the 1st place to look in a boat motor overheat situation...

'n while ya got it apart, you can knock the cracked piece back into place, 'n clean the crud outa the water pocket, 'n weep hole...
 

gfk71jr

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Re: crack in outdrive

thanks,will try to get some pics, the cracks just pour water with muffs on. they are pretty big!!
 

gfk71jr

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Re: crack in outdrive

thanks bond-o going to get to that this weekend,just wasnt sure if that big ole crack was going to effect the "sea trial" didnt want to change impeller wright away if crack was going to b repaired or housing replaced.
 

Don S

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Re: crack in outdrive

You can't do a test run with it overheating. Overheating is the worst possible thing that can happen to those 3.7 engine.
It almost guarantees a head gasket replace, along with other problems.
 

Capt Ken

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Re: crack in outdrive

Then you warp the aluminum block and get to sell it for scrap.
 

tazrig

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Re: crack in outdrive

Besides, even if you replace the impeller on the drive unit, which is the first place to start anyway, you wouldn't be throwing out any money. If you have to replace the housing you would be taking the impeller assembly out of the old housing and transferring it to the new housing in any event.
 

gfk71jr

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Re: crack in outdrive

You can't do a test run with it overheating. Overheating is the worst possible thing that can happen to those 3.7 engine.
It almost guarantees a head gasket replace, along with other problems.

i hope its not a head gasket issue theres no water in the oil,no blow back through resivor ,,im praying for impeller,guess i need to start at square one,compression, leakdown. but she does run good i just havent let it run over about 190
 

gfk71jr

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Re: crack in outdrive

yea Ken ,can probably get more for the block than what i purchased boat for:lol:
 
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