Re: Question Regarding A 85 Hp Force Lower Unit
Phonedr8: That lower unit is just barely "broken"-in. Yuk Yuk.
Seriously, That skeg is really thin and breaks off easily--One good hit can do it. A new skeg costs about 40 bucks unless you have some heavy duty hard aluminum to cut one from. A welder will charge about 100 bucks for the welding. The front end looks banged up a bit but there is a lot of meat there--you would be surprised how thick it is. It doesn't look like it is leaking. The oil coming down the leg troubles me because I can't see from where it is coming. It could be residual engine oil or it could be gearcase oil. If it smells sulphury it is gearcase oil and you have a leaking seal--probably the top seal under the water pump or the O ring seal on the front of the lower water pump plate. If it smells sharp and sort of gasoliney then it is residual and nothing to worry about.
You need to drain the gearcase anyway to have the skeg welded, so drain it and see if any free water comes out or if the oil is milky in color. Either condition indicates leaking seals (and sometimes it is as simple as leakers on the fill and drain plugs, just tighten them adequately)--or, of course, the worst case--a cracked gearcase.
The prop is repairable--I've seen them WAY worse and fixed, 40-90 buck range, but you may just be better off buying a good used one.
Given the light damage to the prop, I doubt that there is any internal gear damage. There could be, of course, but not very likely.
