I am looking for confirmation with an issue I am having with my 1990 70 HP evinrude. I had water flowing form between the block and the exhaust plate and I took it to a mechanic. He put a helicoil in and put it back together. Well of course the water started flowing again so this time I took it down. I extracted several of the bolts and retapped four of the six bolts and I put two heli coils back in and started to put it together. I noticed that the exhaust plate holes were wore baddly but I put it together due to an important meeting with a fish! I fished a couple of days and all was well until the third day. To make my winded story shorter the problem came back with three bolts worked loose and three broke. The only thing I can see is the exhaust plate was worn where the bolts go through which would allow for side to side movement,I think. Any comments would be great.
