hole in outdrive and chunk from skag

[koberlee]

Well I had my boat in the water all last week while on vacation and just pulled it out and returned home and now I have a chunk missing out of my skag and a hole in the lower unit behind the prop. I do not know if this is repairable or if it means replacing the whole drive housing. I am new to outdrives and have never seen any thing like this it does not seemed to have affected the oil. I do not even recall hitting a rock or any optsticals. I isnpected the the unit when i pulled it out of the water yesterday and every thing looked good we trailered it home over 100 miles and then i see this when we get home. The prop is in the same condition as when we put it in the water so I wonder if something happened while towing it down the freeway.
I have posted pictures since i do not know the proper termonology yet as to describe the exact locations. Please help and let me know what I can do to fix this.

 

[Don S]

Re: hole in outdrive and chunk from skag

How long did that sit in salt water with no anodes on the drive? That is just corrosion!

 

[koberlee]

Re: hole in outdrive and chunk from skag

it has never been in salt water always in fresh water

 

[Don S]

Re: hole in outdrive and chunk from skag

You have some serious electrolisis going on there. Better be finding out why before you loose the drive completely. And it doesn't look that far off.

Might want to read this section out of the OEM manual.
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6A7R3.PDF

 

[koberlee]

Re: hole in outdrive and chunk from skag

what looks like corosion is actualy lime scale build up from being in lakes in michigan is what i was told by a local marina.

 

[koberlee]

Re: hole in outdrive and chunk from skag

Don,
I am going to go check that right now and see that that is working and if not I may have found my culprit and been miss lead by the marina guy. If it is corosion then how do i fix where the hole is do I have to replace that part of the drive or can it be patched. It does not seem that portion of the drive contains oil but then again im not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to these. Thanks for your help.