Cracking around prop

[stourm]

This weekend my wife and I bought our first boat. It is a used boat, but I thought that it was in good shape and a good buy for the price. It is a 1980 Procraft, 17' long with a 140 hp Evenrude engine. The floor was solid, all the electronics work, and it was garage kept for most of its life when it wasn't being used for fishing. According to the owner it was kept in a covered slip during the fishing season. The engine runs good, but there is severe oxidation all down the engine from where it sat in the water in the slip. I am a little worried about some cracking around the prop area that appears to have resulted from years sitting in the water. I don't know enough about boats yet to know whether or not this is an issue, and if so, what I should do about it. I am going to try to post some pictures here for you guys and really hope to hear back from the very seasoned and expert boaters here at iBoats so I don't make a rookie mistake and ruin the motor. Oh, by the way, I paid $1600 for this boat and motor along with three older depth finders, boat cover, foot powered trolling motor, and trailer. Do you guys think it was a good buy? Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Cracking around prop

Was this boat in salt water?You have a serious corrosion problem.
I'm not a real expert but it appears the gearcase is corroded all the way through.There is a good chance water has gotten inside and ruined it.
at the very least you need a gearcase.I guess you didn't get a test ride,allways the best way to test a boat.Did you hear it run?To rebuild the gearcase my uneducated guess is at least $1,000 a used leg installed 500 or 600.And I may not even be close.I'm way outside the shop rate loop.
There may be other serious corrosion on the motor and/or boat.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Cracking around prop

Ditto. Looks like it's corroded past the carrier.
In any event, it's time for a lower unit.

 

[stourm]

Re: Cracking around prop

I didn't get to go out in the water with it no, but it does appear to run fine. I have hooked up a motor flusher to it and cranked it up and I moved the throttle lever forward quite a bit to make sure that it engaged and it appeared to do fine. The prop spun much faster and water started pumping out of the holes toward the top of the engine instead of just toward the bottom part of it when I moved the throttle forward. I don't know if this helps or not, but I hope that it means that the gearcase hasn't been compromised.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Cracking around prop

Bekfore you go out next time, lower the motor and pull the lower unit drain plug (if you can even get it out). I'll bet all that comes out is water or air. There is no way this lower can hold any oil. Without oil it will soon lock up. You bought yourself a problem in my view.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Cracking around prop

I will almost guarantee that the "spool" that holds the prop shaft will be welded into the gearcase by corrosion and almost impossible to get out for any repair. With the amount of loose aluminum showing in the photos, that lower will also probably leak exhaust around the prop hub. And the prop doesn't look that decent either.

While it may run decently now, unfortunately, you are looking at, in the very near future, a complete replacement of the lower unit. If you are very lucky, the corrosion will be confined to just the lower unit and you may be able to find a good used one off a blown engine. BUT, that still will set you back at least a couple of hundred or more.

This is one case where you should have posted the photos before buying. If the boat is in really good shape, you didn't get hurt too badly, but realistically, this was one to run, not walk away from. Sorry, but it needs to be said.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Cracking around prop

YIKES!!!!!

Get on Ebay and start looking for a lower cause that one is done, I would almost do this before I took it out and if you do take it out don't get too far from the launch, that could let go at any time.

The area that is cracked is a non stressed area and it cracked because there isn't enough metal left to hold it together, it is one of thinner parts of the lower so it failed first but the main case can't be far behind.

All motors have what is called a sacrificial anode on them, it is suppose to corrode easier than the engine so it goes first but once it is gone the engine begins to corrode.

Done is done and you are where you are, best case you can find a good used lower on Ebay for a $200-$300 and you should be able to get it on yourself with help from the iboats crew if you are at all mechanically savy and the corrosion is limited to the lower unit, it really isn't hard to do.

Good luck.