Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

[Fordiesel69]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Allmand,

If you do have the L6 engine, I have the outside parts you need to fix yours. PM me if you would like to discuss further.

 

[Allmand]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Allmand,

If you do have the L6 engine, I have the outside parts you need to fix yours. PM me if you would like to discuss further.

I do have the L6, I tried to send you a message but I got a message saying your PM limit has been reached and that you need to delete some.....but here is the message I tried to send:

Thanks for letting me know. Upon further inspection it looks like the bell housing simply broke loose at the pins that go into the gimbal ring. I do not see any damage to the gimbal ring or gimbal housing..only the pins and the bell housing. Of course I will also be buying a bellows kit, gimbal ring, u-joints and gasket kit. My drive shaft looks pretty bad....

Do you have the bell housing with the pins and a drive shaft? Or do you think I could use that drive shaft?

 

[Allmand]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Gotcha!

 

[sschefer]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Suprisingly enough the castings that Merc used in those were not very high quality. However, they are designed to wistand a 15mph hit. Alumininum casting does fatigue with age unlike iron that acutally gets stronger. A prop strike is propbably harder on a lower unit than a direct implact since you not only have foward/reverse motion you also go side to side as the prop tries to climb over the submeged object. That tweak is probably what finished it off.

 

[bridweezul]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Allmond,

How does the transom look? If the outdrive has taken numberous hits the transom could have been damaged. Hopefully not though.

 

[Allmand]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

exactly what I am thinking. When you look at where it broke...the aluminum almost looks like pot metal. So I guess it was pretty weak. I think with the age and my few hard hits were the last straw. I am going to replace the bell housing, pins, shifter bushings, and all the rest of the regular maintenance parts, put it back together, say a prayer, and fire it up.

 

[Allmand]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Allmond,

How does the transom look? If the outdrive has taken numberous hits the transom could have been damaged. Hopefully not though.

luckily the transom feel strong and solid.....it's 3/4 inch of solid fiber glass. We pulled on the gimbal housing in all directions and the transom felt solid....also grabbed both sides of the inside transom plate and pulled side to side, front to back. Felt very solid. Knocked with my knuckles on the rest and no soft spots anywhere. The boat itself is built like a tank. I think the metal around the pins that hold the bell housing to the gimbal housing was just weak. It looked like that old pot metal used on toys. I think it was weak. Hopefully thats all it was...but what else holds the drive shaft in??? I know it can just be the bell housing.....could it?

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Hopefully thats all it was...but what else holds the drive shaft in??? I know it can just be the bell housing.....could it?

Yep. Drive bolted to the bell housing is all that holds it in. The splines are engaged in the coupler on the engine flywheel. Engine alignment needs to be checked and corrected if needed before you reinstall the drive. Grease the splines well before installing the drive.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Beat me to it..100 % on the alignment bar or more tragedy awaits you

 

[Allmand]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Beat me to it..100 % on the alignment bar or more tragedy awaits you

Thanks guys...I will be sure to get the alignment bar. I really apprciate everyones help. Once I start getting into it I will be back on this thread I am sure. But it looks pretty straight forward from here.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

You've had a pretty major collision on that outdrive, and pulling the motor is not really that big of a deal. You really need to visually check your coupler to make sure it's still good.

The coupler is designed to self destruct in the case of a collision--to save your motor. Also, it'll also tear up if the outdrive and engine are not perfectly aligned.

I'd hate for you go to through all the expense of fixing the outdrive components--only to still have a torn coupler. Sounds as if you need to find a good salvage yard for parts on such an old boat.

 

[Allmand]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Yeah, It would be best to check the coupler. Is there a way to check without pulling the motor? Its in inline 6

 

[Allmand]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Can I see the coupler and the shape its in after moving the Gimbal bearing out of the way?

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Can I see the coupler and the shape its in after moving the Gimbal bearing out of the way?

I dont know for sure, so consider this a "bump" so it moves back up to the top of the forum

 

[macds]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

Dude, do you have any machinist/toolmaker friends??
What you have there really doesnt look that bad. If the gimbal ring is ok, what i would do is machine down the area on the drive that is broken and fit 6160 pieces in place, those old school aluminum castings are crap, the amount of porosity in those things is incredible, you WONT be able to PROPERLY weld it to hold up . You for sure need need a bearing and bellows. Soda blast or glass bead the drive shaft, replace the u joint, pressure test the drive to make sure seals are good (looks like the input shaft seal is leaking because of all the rust on the gimbal bearing, AND you likely dont have any lube in the top end) Have your machinist friend make you an alignment shaft for $20 (cause itll take less than an hour plus material). For what youre going to spend on USED parts, you can build it better for cheaper, if you know someone who will help you out. Then again, i cant REALLY tell from the pics, but as long as the drive housings are ok, and shafts/gears are ok, its really not so bad bro. I wouldnt personally buy some unknown crap to fix this, cause you never know what youre getting, been there done that..... sent the post card and bought the t-shirt lol
Dont go to a machine shop and ask, cause youll cry, but if you a have a friend
All that failing, i have a complete setup you can have for $400 plus shipping, but the drive needs resealing.

I guess it all come down to how handy and technical you can be.

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Nearly blew off entire outdrive!!! Major damage! Where should i start!

you WONT be able to PROPERLY weld it to hold up

I don't think he had any intention on welding the bell. I'm sure he is going to replace it.