What is this and why am I a dumbass?

[86IROC]

I was in the process of winterizing my boat and following the service manual. It said to raise the outdrive and remove the drain plug on the port side. I removed the one in the center of the outdrive as it has lots of wear on it like it's been removed a lot.
Well..whatever it was screwed into isn't there anymore. :facepalm:

The manual also said to remove the upper and lower drain plugs from the starboard side. I only see one in the area that the arrow points too and there is no screw there. The hole was full of silicone.

I have a second parts outdrive and there is no screw in that one either or threads in the case. What is suppose to be there?

 

[Don S]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

In your upper photo, the screw you took out is the wrong one, you will have to pull the drive and turn it upside down to get the piece up there to put the screw into. The screw forward of that one is the one you remove.

Look at the pictures in this thread http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=334348

In your lower pictures, there are plastic wear plates/guides and shims that go there to prevent excess side to side movement of the drive.

Items 59,60,61,62 in the picture below.

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Tks Don. What is the big screw for?
There are no plastic guides on either side of the drive..I'll order some for the spring.

 

[Don S]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Tks Don. What is the big screw for?

No one really knows for sure, I assumed since it had a SS plate behind it that is was to keep the water flow from eroding away the aluminum housing. But that is just a wild guess.
Originally there was a heavy decal over the screw so you couldn't see it.

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

No one really knows for sure, I assumed since it had a SS plate behind it that is was to keep the water flow from eroding away the aluminum housing. But that is just a wild guess.
Originally there was a heavy decal over the screw so you couldn't see it.

Leave it to me to remove the mystery screw..
ETA..can I get into the water jacket where the nut is by removing the water pump assembly..or am I stuck with removing the out drive?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Bummer...the dreaded "do not remove" screw.

 

[Don S]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

ETA..can I get into the water jacket where the nut is by removing the water pump assembly..or am I stuck with removing the out drive?

No, as I stated in my first reply, you have to remove the drive to get to it.

Removing the drive is also something that should be done for basic yearly preventive maintenance. It's the only way you can grease the coupler splines, and check the alignment. Without doing that, you could find yourself pulling the engine to replace the coupler.

Besides, pulling the drive is a 10 minute job.

 

[emoney]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

I noticed that Don is only tackling the first question, so I guess I'll try and help with the 2nd one. Odds are, your problem is testosterone based. Couple that with genetics and you're left with a disease that's symptoms are pretty basic: don't read things like owner's manuals, or maps, etc. You'll probably find that you'll repeat mistakes like these quite frequently. There is a cure, however it takes time; you'll need to get old and decrepit. OUtside of that, the only real fix for "dumbass" is going to that big boating haven in the sky and you really don't want to take that option.

On the brightside, many of us suffer from the same ailments and have been known to continue on for years. I know several folks that have had the same problem and lived to be even 100. And it could be worse. That screw could've been an electric plug and you might've had a fork or knife in your hand when inserted. So you've got that going for you.

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

No, as I stated in my first reply, you have to remove the drive to get to it.

Removing the drive is also something that should be done for basic yearly preventive maintenance. It's the only way you can grease the coupler splines, and check the alignment. Without doing that, you could find yourself pulling the engine to replace the coupler.

Besides, pulling the drive is a 10 minute job.

Okay...you convinced me.
I'm going to assume checking the alignment is explained in the service manual?
emoney..I've been doing the dumbass thing for many years..I've pretty much given up on curing it. lol

 

[Don S]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

You might eventually find what you want in the OEM manual, but not in the details you are wanting. Take a visit to the stickies at the top of the forum and do some reading. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=288430

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Don
Will it hurt the outdrive or anything else if I leave it off for the winter? I need to order the gasket to replace the out drive and I don't have an alignment tool. This is getting more involved then I have time for right now.
I replaced the mystery screw, got what was left of the water out of the drive..
So can I wrap up the outdrive still on the stern and call it a day?

 

[Don S]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

No, it won't hurt anything.

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

No, it won't hurt anything.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Just stuff some rags in the holes, and tie up the rams so they are not just hanging.

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Just stuff some rags in the holes, and tie up the rams so they are not just hanging.

I have the rams hung up with bungie cords..
I can get the alignment tool off fleabay so I might order it and see if I can out it back on. I'd rather that then have it apart all winter.

 

[projo198]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

I have the rams hung up with bungie cords..
I can get the alignment tool off fleabay so I might order it and see if I can out it back on. I'd rather that then have it apart all winter.

I wouldn't worry about having it off during the winter, to be honest I considered doing that myself and just keeping the lower in my garage over the summer.

Very sorry to hear you pulled that screw lol... luckily I did some research first and mine is still covered by the dummy sticker.

Good call on the Ebay alignment bar. It is actually pretty easy to do and my lower wen't back on MUCH easier once I did it. Before I knew to align the motor I had to crank the boat while my buddy pushed on the lower just to get it back in. Bad practice, but I was new to boating. After I did the alignment the lower slipped right in with just me holding it.

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

I won't point out this pic....


:redface:

I'm getting an alignment tool made at work and new gaskets on the way.

 

[Maclin]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

I have been holding this back this comment, but here goes... My neighbor did that (took the bolt "out") on his new-to-him boat with OMC Cobra before I could even warn him about it, he did not think it was important and went out to the lake and water was coming out. He had had major overheats earlier in the summer with a different boat, so he knew water was important to keep IN. He plugged it with a spare bilge plug he had, and has been happy ever since. I think something is rattling around in there waiting to do some damage every now and then but I really do not know to what. Right after he did that at the lake and came back home I was talking to him about his boat (he just got it) and he told me about the bolt and the plug. I nodded and smiled at his resourcefulness, and told him lots of people take that thing off, but I had never heard anything about a plug being used. He is a mechanic more or less by trade, so I know he knows something came loose inside so I am leaving it at that.

 

[86IROC]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Maclin
There is a small rectangular piece of stainless steel in the water jacket banging around. Whether or not it will get sucked up into the cooling system I don't know..but the time and effort it takes to pull the out drive and screw that screw back into it IMHO is much cheaper then the possible damage that could happen if it gets sucked into the water pump or blocks a water jacket.

 

[Maclin]

Re: What is this and why am I a dumbass?

Thanks 86IROC, good stuff. Next time I am talking boats with him I will catch up on the status of his plug fix and ask if he has tried to find the plate that dropped off inside.