Hey guys. I have a 1992 Force 70HP. I had a fairly serious water intrusion into the lower unit recently (still working that out) and something I noticed was that my drain plug gasket/seal/washer/whatever was pretty much shot. It was the paper crush gasket type, and I'm fairly certain that if I'd rubbed it between my fingers, it would have disintigrated.
The other day I was in a Tractor Supply Co. store and happened past their o-rings. A package of o-rings caught my eye that looked to be just about the same size as my drain plug gasket. I was curious and they were only $2, and were spec'd for water, grease, oil, etc., so I bought them on a lark. When I got them home, I'll be daggone if they're not just about *exactly* the same size as the crush gasket. Same outer diameter and same thickness.. I had to pull the drain plug anyway, so I went ahead and stuck one on the drain plug just to see if it would go up in the inset without hanging over and having plug itself pinching it in half of something like that...it fit perfectly. I tightened it down and it got really snug.. I pulled it again right away to inspect it for damage, and it was actually kinda difficult to get back out.. The plug itself seemed tighter in the hole, and I had to hook the o-ring with a smaller screwdriver to get it back out.. And it didn't look like it was marred or anything like that from installing it and tightening the plug on top of it.
I know the *actual* gaskets are cheap enough that nobody should really be looking for replacements, but my local merc dealer gets $1/ea out of them and, like I said, these things were $2 for a 10 or 15 pack.. Plus, my merc dealer is about 45mi from my house..
My question is whether there's any reason *not* to run an o-ring instead of a bona-fide Quicksilver gasket/crush washer?
The other day I was in a Tractor Supply Co. store and happened past their o-rings. A package of o-rings caught my eye that looked to be just about the same size as my drain plug gasket. I was curious and they were only $2, and were spec'd for water, grease, oil, etc., so I bought them on a lark. When I got them home, I'll be daggone if they're not just about *exactly* the same size as the crush gasket. Same outer diameter and same thickness.. I had to pull the drain plug anyway, so I went ahead and stuck one on the drain plug just to see if it would go up in the inset without hanging over and having plug itself pinching it in half of something like that...it fit perfectly. I tightened it down and it got really snug.. I pulled it again right away to inspect it for damage, and it was actually kinda difficult to get back out.. The plug itself seemed tighter in the hole, and I had to hook the o-ring with a smaller screwdriver to get it back out.. And it didn't look like it was marred or anything like that from installing it and tightening the plug on top of it.
I know the *actual* gaskets are cheap enough that nobody should really be looking for replacements, but my local merc dealer gets $1/ea out of them and, like I said, these things were $2 for a 10 or 15 pack.. Plus, my merc dealer is about 45mi from my house..
My question is whether there's any reason *not* to run an o-ring instead of a bona-fide Quicksilver gasket/crush washer?
I'll run to the merc dealer and grab some of the gaskets next time I'm out that way. Or, better yet...does anybody know of a reliable internet parts supplier where I can order some cheaper than $1/ea? I'm looking for a good parts website anyway...every one I've seen so far (aside from iBoats, I guess) seems a little, um....shady? lol