Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

[JasonBenson]

While trying to remove the rear bolt on the lower unit, it broke off(the head of the bolt came off). This is the one up in the hole above the prop. Any suggestions on how to get this sucker out? A drill is too big to fit in there to drill out the rest without going at an angle. This is a 1981 90 horse Johnson. <br />10,000 lakes and no boat!

 

[DJ]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

Jman,<br /><br />Since the head broke off, you should be able to remove the rest of them and drop the lower unit. (don't forget to unhook the shift linkage under the bottom carb.)<br /><br />Removing the L/U should give you good access to it.

 

[JasonBenson]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

DJ, I wish it would. It seems the bolt is threaded through the housing and it's held up there pretty tight. There is one more bolt back there but it's for the trim tab. I've got a right angle drill and I'm ready to drill it out of the lower unit... then try an extractor on the rest of it on the 'midsection' housing once the lower unit is dropped.<br />10,000 lakes and no stinkin' boat!

 

[OBJ]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

Jman....pull the trim tab off and remove the bolt under it. Chances are also good that what's left of the broken off bolt is corroded in. But get the bolt under the tab first.

 

[JasonBenson]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

OBJ, It's the small bolt (1/2") up in the hole in front of the trim tab that broke. I have successfully removed 5 bolts for the lower unit. It's this bolt up in that hole that's broken off. Just to be clear, I remove 2 bolts on each side of the lower unit. One (larger bolt) at the back of the lower unit and broke off the head on the bolt up in the hole in front of the trim tab. I have not removed the trim tab bolt(though I fear it's frozen in place too). All your help is appreciated. Is the trim tab removal part of this lower unit removal?

 

[steviecops]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

Hi<br />I'm sure that you have to remove the trim tab, and also the bolt up under it, in order to drop your lower unit. With those two removed, you should be able to pull the lower unit off the broken bolt. <br /><br />I hate broken bolts <br /><br />Good luck<br />Steve

 

[JasonBenson]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

Well, Once again you guy's are right. Removed the trim tab, low and behold the bolt was there. Like Indiana Jones and the lost Ark... I removed the bolt. Time to BUY A MANUAL. When I looked at the impeller and housing all looked really good. However the impeller is a soft rubber type and is tight against the metal housing. Is this right? Seemed like a pretty tight fit. Thanks for all the help (again) you guys are great. <br />10,000 lakes and no stinkin boat!

 

[JasonBenson]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

Thought it over. Just bought a manual and full pump kit from this site(hope their parts finder works). It's cheap insurance to put in a whole new pump kit. Any advice is welcome. <br />10,000 lakes and no stinkin' boat

 

[OBJ]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

REAL good thinkin' on the pump kit Jman. How ya' makin' out on the busted bolt? Soak it down good with PB Blaster and let it set a while. Heat can also be applied with a propane torch if it don't come lose. Don't help the paint job but paintin' is easier than drillin' and tappin'.<br /><br />Keep us uptodate on your progress.

 

[JasonBenson]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

Perhaps not the best solution but I just left the rest of the bolt in place. I'm not sure what the bolt is for except to maybe drain something from the lower unit. For now it can hang tight while I get the water pump, tstats, and my freshly rebuilt power head installed. Now that I've purchased a manual I hope I won't need it much!! Once again, thanks to the guys on this board I hope to be boating soon.<br />10,000 lakes and no boat!

 

[OBJ]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

The bolt helps hold the lower unit on. Is there any of it sticking out from the midsection?

 

[JasonBenson]

Re: Help! Broken lower unit bolt. 1981 90 horse johnny

OBJ, There are no pieces of the bolt protruding through the lower unit at all. This bolt is small. I removed 2 bolts on each side of the LU. One right above the prop ( a little bigger bolt than on the sides)and one underneath the trim tab. So six bolts seemed to be holding the LU on. The one I broke off is in between the trim tab and the other bolt that held the LU up. If I listed the bolts on LU from the front to the back they would be 1-4 on the sides, 5 (came out), 6 (broke off), 7 (under trim tab and came out), 8 trim tab. Does this help describe the bolt that broke? It was not doing anything before I started this except plugging a hole. Hope I don't need this one to hold the LU on as drilling it out is tricky with all that nice soft aluminum surrounding it!<br />10,000 Lakes and no boat!