1978 85hp lower unit upper bearing housing

[diskjunkie]

Hi,
I found that my upper bearing housing seal was leaking oil out AND water in. This is on the driveshaft, just below the water pump.

The parts diagram shows parts 385556 - bearing housing - and seal 321453 - oil retainer. There are 2 seals installed face-to-face, as normal.

I ordered a compatible (?) part - 394610 - which supposedly replaced 385556. The new one came without the sleeve bearing, but included both seals already installed.

Unfortunately the parts diagram doesn't show a replacement sleeve bearing. It appears to be pressed in, so I can't get the old bearing out of the old housing. I guess I assumed the new housing would include that bearing, since it can't be ordered separately.

Can anyone confirm whether the bearing housing is supposed to include the sleeve bearing?

The walleye are getting away, and my boat is on the trailer. D'ooohhhh.

Thanks,
Walt

 

[diskjunkie]

Re: 1978 85hp lower unit upper bearing housing

A little more on the situation...

My outer seal was trashed. The lower seal looks ok, but leaked when I pressurized the lower unit to around 10psi. It looked a lot harder to replace, if even possible. So I popped out what was left of the outer seal with a screwdriver. Went to put in the new seal I just got and... it doesn't fit.

The new seal (321453) is 1.250" OD. The old one is 1.375".

The new bearing housing (missing the bearing, but complete with 2 seals) uses seals that are also 1.375" What the heck?

The shaft size appears to be the same on all (0.875").

I am starting to think the lower unit is off some other year, maybe a different size motor.

I can trash my good remaining seal in my old housing and see if I can get the bearing out, and put it in the new one, possibly trashing my only bearing.

Or, I can try to get the new seals out of the new housing and put them in my old one.

Or, I can go nuts trying to figure out what the heck I have and why I'm having such a hard time finding parts that fit...

 

[F_R]

Re: 1978 85hp lower unit upper bearing housing

I tried to follow the numbers on that part through the years and came up with several part numbers. But they all ultimately end up being superceded by 439476---including both numbers you posted.

So, unfortunatly, that's all I have been able to figure out.

 

[diskjunkie]

Re: 1978 85hp lower unit upper bearing housing

It looks like the seals are different.
Lower seal is 329923 (sierra 18-2062) and the upper seal is 239922 (18-2061)

I still have no idea what year I'm dealing with, maybe 1979.

One other bit of weirdness. The impeller doesn't have a standard woodruff key, it has a chicklet that lies flat against a flat spot on the shaft, so I don't know what the heck to order for my impeller.

Maybe I should get a canoe.

(I got a paddle boat, needs a new motor. That's another story.)

 

[ezeke]

Re: 1978 85hp lower unit upper bearing housing

You can use BRP impeller #0385528 (now 777212) or Sierra 18-3003, either of which have the slotted hub. You can also use the newer model with the old key, it's a little sloppy but it works fine.

 

[diskjunkie]

Re: 1978 85hp lower unit upper bearing housing

Hmmm. The impeller I think I need is a sierra 18-3059. I have one very similar to the 18-3003 (or maybe I even have that exact one) and there's no way it will work.

On the positive side, I found the bearing. It's a sierra 18-1344. To make a long story short, for some model years the bearing is available separately.

Looks like my lower unit is from between 1986 and 1991, but still no idea exactly what year it is, and it's definitely from a different size motor, since the 85hp wasn't offered between 81 and 90.

Makes me wonder what happened to the original lower unit. I probably don't want to know.

Thanks everyone for your attention.

 

[ezeke]

Re: 1978 85hp lower unit upper bearing housing

I think that your problem is that you don't have a 1978 gearcase. It's probably from 1983 or newer. Does the gearcase have a rectangular anode or space for one located above the A/V plate?

The 1978 gearcases had the old style keyed driveshaft without the flat recess for the teardrop key.