'95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

[BKS72]

I just finished overhauling a 95 Johnson 115 crossflow. I have a couple of minor issues to fix (plug wires, small fuel leak) but I do have one thing that is driving me nuts.

I'm leaking water at the front of the powerhead under the carbs. I can't see any leaks along the gasket so I'm not sure where its coming from. I'm going to pull the powerhead and see what I can see but is there anything beyond the obvious (improperly installed gasket, left a piece of old gasket material on the mating surface, etc) I should be looking for? All the hardware is installed and tight so I think its a probably something stupid I did but any other areas to check would be appreciated. The motor was originally a jet unit but I put a propped lower on it so I don't know if there would be any water gallery differences.

I installed a new water pump and t-stat kits while l had it apart and I'm getting good water flow out of the tell-tale.

Thanks!

Branden

 

[DargelJohn]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

I just finished overhauling a 95 Johnson 115 crossflow. I have a couple of minor issues to fix (plug wires, small fuel leak) but I do have one thing that is driving me nuts.

I'm leaking water at the front of the powerhead under the carbs. I can't see any leaks along the gasket so I'm not sure where its coming from. I'm going to pull the powerhead and see what I can see but is there anything beyond the obvious (improperly installed gasket, left a piece of old gasket material on the mating surface, etc) I should be looking for? All the hardware is installed and tight so I think its a probably something stupid I did but any other areas to check would be appreciated. The motor was originally a jet unit but I put a propped lower on it so I don't know if there would be any water gallery differences.

I installed a new water pump and t-stat kits while l had it apart and I'm getting good water flow out of the tell-tale.

Thanks!

Branden

So you can't see exactly where the water originates from? I would look closely at the T stat housing and the plate covers on the heads to make sure one of those is not the source.

 

[BKS72]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

So you can't see exactly where the water originates from? I would look closely at the T stat housing and the plate covers on the heads to make sure one of those is not the source.

Thanks! I was poked around the forum a bit more and took another look at the waterflow diagram in the manual. I wonder if I didn't do something really dumb like install the new thermostats backwards. Not much water at all coming through the discharge ports on the midsection. This is the first V4 I've owned so I wasn't sure how much water should be coming out of them.

 

[DargelJohn]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

At idle, there should be a fine mist of water/exhaust coming from the bypass (mid section) ports.

 

[BKS72]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

Cool that's what I'm seeing. Thanks!

 

[sw192cc]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

I have the same exact issues with the very same engine after fresh rebuild. The water is coming out below the powerhead gasket where the exhaust housing attaches to transom mount. I took off the front plastic cover (which the water hits when its running) and noticed the water was coming from the indentions fro them 7/16 head bolts that attach to the exhaust housing. As you I have no leaks around the powerhead base gasket. I am going to investigate as I don't think this is normal.
Anyone agree?

 

[DargelJohn]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

I have the same exact issues with the very same engine after fresh rebuild. The water is coming out below the powerhead gasket where the exhaust housing attaches to transom mount. I took off the front plastic cover (which the water hits when its running) and noticed the water was coming from the indentions fro them 7/16 head bolts that attach to the exhaust housing. As you I have no leaks around the powerhead base gasket. I am going to investigate as I don't think this is normal.
Anyone agree?

I rebuilt an '96 88SPL this year. Part of the procedure for reinstalling the powerhead was to torque the bolts and nuts that hold the powerhead. Leave the mid section skirt off, run the motor for the first time and then retorque the bolts and nuts. As you know, the powerhead base gasket is aluminum sandwiched between paper material. So, the retorque is probably needed to compensate for gasket shrink.

 

[BKS72]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

I'll doublecheck the manual for the torque specs and retighten. I tightened them up again after noticing the leak but I may not have cranked them down enough. I tend to try and err on the side of loose on cast aluminum.

 

[sw192cc]

Re: '95 115 -minor issues after rebuild

I'll try that too! I torques them to the recommended specs from the manual and it didn't seem like near enough.
Thanks DargelJohn!