I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

I'm going through the service manual right now trying to figure out what all I need to do before I can even try to start it. I just spent another 30 minutes going over every square inch of the motor looking for problems (cracks) and checking wiring and I just can't find anything wrong. Dood said the squirrels chewed up the wiring, but not any that I've seen so far!

I am starting to find soft spots in the wood here and there, but nothing that needs immediate attention. I really think I just need to work on investigating/starting the motor more than anything. If it runs, then this baby's going in the water as soon as possible.

There's a really nice launch on the Mississippi about two miles from my house just north of Lock and Dam #1. I could drop my boat in here and cruise all the way to Gulf of Mexico. Okay, okay, getting a little ahead of myself....

 

[ozenine]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

WOWOWOW!!!!
Congrats, it looks amazing. And for the 700! Wow.
Can't wait till you start her up!

OZ

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

UH-OH'S!

Found a very tiny hole seeping green fluid at the bottom starboard side of the lower unit. There's a little rusty trail from that hole to the bottom so it's been seeping for a while.

How bad is this?

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

Okay, time to display my newbie-hood.

I'm guessing the seeping fluid from the picture above is anti-freeze cause it's green, but on the outboard on my other boat the lower unit is full of gear oil. This lower unit has the same screws for draining and filling, but on THIS unit, is this gear oil or coolant?

When I open these two screws, what's gonna come out?

Where exactly do I drain the coolant from?

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

That is going to be your lower unit gear oil. Bottom is drain/fill plug, you fill it level with top plug out until oil comes out the top. Install top plug, remove oil pump and install bottom plug.
Mybe the gear oil it has in it is green, pull the plug and find out.
Does your engine have antifreeze in it or is it fresh water cooled, I would expect no antifreeze.

However some of us use green antifreeze to winterize. We fill the engine and manifold and some runs into the water pump of the outdrive or runs out the exahaust. You might be seeing some left over anitfreeze from winterization.

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

hey Elk -

The seller told me it was winterized and filled with anti-freeze. So I'm expecting that. But should there be anti-freeze at that point in the lower unit?

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

NO!!! The lower unit will or should be full or gear oil, No water either. You are refering to the o/d lower unit?:?

 

[Broadcast]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

Pops,

Congrats on the new ride. Know you've been on the prowl for a while now. Will keep an eye on your progress. Again, Congrats!

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

AND...

I'm screwed.

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

Here was my first hint:

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

There was some loose rust sitting in the threads of the plug holes, so I got out the shop vac to clean out the loose stuff so it wouldn't fall down into the cylinders.

Put the vacuum nozzle over cylinder 5 and saw droplets of water being sucked up. Aw.... crap.

Got out the flashlight, peered in and saw this:

Here's cylinder 1:

Right about then, the crazy old coot on our block who knows how to fix anything and everything showed up and started saying how this doesn't necessarily mean I'm screwed. He said things like "if the water had room to expand, it wouldn't crack the block" and "if you can turn the pulleys you could still be okay."

He brought over a bulb syringe thingy to suck out the water. Of course I can't turn the pulleys. I wedged a crow bar between the nuts on the top pulley wheel and pulled until the pulley slipped around the fan belt. I put a battery on it and shorted over the starter connections, spark but no crank - no click either. Put the battery on the charger and we'll try again tomorrow after it's all charged up.

I put a jack under the motor, removed the front motor mount, and raised up the motor just enough to expose the main crankshaft pulley. There's no nut there to try to turn, so I'll have to put a couple bolts through a 2X4 to grab the wheel so I can try to break it free.

Right now I'm thinking the motor is an anchor.

What a difference between how I felt about this yesterday and right now.

So where do we find used motors for cheep?

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

I did find the drain for the coolant and it came out looking like 100% anti-freeze:

So my best guess as to how the water got into the cylinders was that it leaked past the doghouse shroud onto the top of the motor, and right in through the spark plug holes while the boat was uncovered. That explains the rust on the threads.

The lack of green color in the water I sucked out of the cylinders could be reason for hope that it didn't crack between the cylinder walls and the coolant areas. But the water in cylinder 5 was very brown so there's real rust happening in there at the very least. And the fact that I can't turn the motor over is another very bad sign.

After sucking out the water, I poured a fair amount of oil into the cylinders and left it to soak while I fed the childrens their dinner, helped my daughter practice her Queen Elizabeth speech and put them to bed. I might go back out tonight still to try turning the motor with some 2x4 and bolt contraption, but I have very little hope at this point.

Guess I'll try to find another 165 so I can at least rob some parts off this one for the new one.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

Calm down ,your still only $$700 into a nice boat. You are probably a good guesser and I would not spend a lot of time on the engine. That much water if it even runs, it will leave you stranded somewhere. However whatever you do save what you can off the engine and e-bay or craigslist. There are some hard to come by parts there. Keep us posted as to your testing of things there uis still a lot of help here and tons of knowledge. We have all been ther one way or another.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

!st easy thing to do is pull the head and you should know then what your up agenst. Im not so sure I would want to try to turn the engine untill all the water is out of it I think you night have a cracked head but the frozen pistons will be a real concern even if you free them the rings most likley will do damaged.best way to free them is to remove the oil pan and take the Rod bearings off, then oil like crazy and tap the cylinders loose. Is the oil cleen? if so the damage is new and perhaps fixable as with no water in the oil it hasent been ran while leaking so bad. Good luck

 

[ts]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

No matter what shape the motor and outdrive are in, you still got a good deal, so don't stress.

I'm with Pugetsound on removing the head. Start disassembling and evaluating what you've got to work with, and do it carefully. All of the pieces that aren't broken have value for either resale as parts, or to reuse on another motor/outdrive. Make sure you take notes on the condition of the fluids as you go (which it sounds like you are doing).

Here's a reality check for you. I bought my boat for $700 also, and the motor that came with it doesn't work, but I still plan on going through it carefully/thoroughly so I can part out as much as possible. It is possible that I could bring down the cost of the boat itself to almost nothing as others have done. Really, $700 for a good hull and a trailer is money well spent.

So be cool and remember the boat was still priced well even with a bum motor/outdrive. With patience and persistence you'll get it all together without spending a fortune.


-

 

[ts]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

I wedged a crow bar between the nuts on the top pulley wheel and pulled until the pulley slipped around the fan belt.

papa, does the top pulley have the water pump behind it? I'm trying to dig back in my memory, and sometimes I confuse the merc motors, but I recall running across a water pump that was frozen with rust at some point. You may want to take off the belt and then try to turn it over.

I put a jack under the motor, removed the front motor mount, and raised up the motor just enough to expose the main crankshaft pulley. There's no nut there to try to turn, so I'll have to put a couple bolts through a 2X4 to grab the wheel so I can try to break it free.

AH, you may want to be careful you're not binding against the shaft that goes from the outdrive into the hub attached to the crank on the backend of the motor. If you get this out of alignment and try to crank it I believe you'll be bound up and won't be able to turn it no matter what you do. If you're going to lift the front of the motor, I'd take the outdrive off first. It's a pretty simple procedure. If memory serves, you disconnect the trim cylinders from the outdrive, remove 6 (I think) nuts, and slide the outdrive back, the shaft will come with it sliding straight back out of the coupler I mentioned above. I'm with you on turning the motor over "by hand". Save your starter from burning up.

---

 

[paparoof]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

With patience and persistence you'll get it all together without spending a fortune.

Nope, I'm done. I'm selling all my fishing gear and buying a train set.

Okay, just kidding.

Just tried to turn it with a five-foot 2X4 with a couple half-inch bolts through it. Broke the 2x4. I think she's done.

So... let's keep an eye out for a gently used 165 for Paparoof - eh? Preferably one that was only driven by a little old lady to church on Sundays.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

Dam I had a train for sale to.. Good luck

 

[jasoutside]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

Like the other fellas have said, and I mentioned earlier, even IF the motor is junk you still got a good deal there. IF and when you confirm it's toast, all is not lost, eh! You could sell off the parts and cut your investment of $700 in half and maybe even free eh! Of course, you'd still need an engine but they are out there. And, check it out, you are still way ahead of me and my issues!!!

It's all good buddy, keep on keeping on!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: I'm an owner! 1975 Islander 22

You got a great deal. And there's probably well more than $700 in motor and drive parts there anyway even with a bad motor. I agree with the others that I wouldn't mess with the existing engine much. The guys up in the I/O repair section swear by http://www.rapidomarine.com/ for engines.

Not to IN ANY WAY discredit the already good advice you've gotten so far (especially from Pugentsound) but your best bet is to post your engine and drive questions in the I/O repair section. We have some real gurus on this site that can answer ANY question you have but they tend not to venture out of I/O repair much. Good luck with it.