Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

[brianzarna]

Hello,

I have a 1963 Sea King 5 hp tiller motor. I just got it a few weeks ago. Put in new 24:1 fuel mix and it ran AWESOME on three different trips.

Yesterday it stalled on me then wouldn't start. The pull cord was REAL HARD to pull. There was a decent size oil slick in the water.

I took it out of the water. I removed the spark plugs. They look good. I sprayed WD40 in the plugs and now I am able to turn the flywheel by hand and with the pull cord but it is still pretty hard.

I noticed oil dripping (I thought from the prop) but it was actually from a very small hole directly over the prop. It almost looks like this hole was drilled (about 1/32" dia.). The WD40 that I sprayed in the spark plugs made its way down to this hole and dripped out.

I unscrewed the lower unit oil screws and drained the "oil". About 2 cups of water came rushing out followed by 2 tablespoons full of grey/brown sludge. I blew out the lower unit oil with an air compressor...

That's where I'm at. Any ideas if I may have damaged it beyond repair? Any suggestions?

THANKS A TON!

Brian

 

[brianzarna]

Re: Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

Update:

I changed the lower unit oil and put the spark plugs back in. There is still WD40 dripping from that small hole above the prop.

I tried to pull start it again and it sounds like it might actually start.....but...it is at least 2-3 times harder to pull the cord than it was before everything went to hell.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

drop the lower unit, and see if the motor pulls easier? is this a shift F N R motor or a direst drive ( just forward). they lower unit is probably rusted inside, bearing, gears. it will have to be resealed anyway. with that much water in it.

 

[brianzarna]

Re: Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

Thanks for the reply. This is a shift motor. Is there anything that I should know before dropping the lower unit? This is way above my pay grade.

 

[brianzarna]

Re: Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

With regard to the hole above the prop (on the bottom of the cavitation plate) could it be where someone installed a zinc anode? Do i need to re-install one? Can I just fill the hole?

Thanks.

 

[EN2]

Re: Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

Does this motor have the shock absorber drive? As for the small hole, it is a drain leave it be.

 

[OptsyEagle]

Re: Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

I can't tell you about the shock absorber but do not fill the little hole. That is there to allow the water in your water pump to drain out when the motor is removed from the water. The oily residue from that hole will be unburnt 2 stroke oil and carbon seeping from your exhaust. That is a normal condition and in fact whenever you drop the lower unit, you should actually make sure that hole is free and clear off crud that builds up, so it can drain properly.

When was the last time the lower unit oil was changed? With the amount of water in there your gears were obviously running on water and not the nice thick oil they prefer. TD is correct. You most likely had rusted gearparts in there and since you were running it filled with water, perhaps a piece has broken off and siezed up the lower unit.

I would drop the lower unit. Verify that the powerhead turns over much easier, which I suspect it will. Then I would open up the gearcase and determine what damage has been done, if any. If it is salvagable, I would then reseal the lower unit and you should be good to go.

Those are my thoughts anyways.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Lower unit has water in it, hard to pull start.

My money is on it being much easier to turn over without the lower unit in place. Therefore a re-build is on the cards.