Input please....

[252Life]

I've got an 86 115 OMC sea drive on the back of my Islander. A few weeks ago I couldn't start it because there was no gas going to the ball. Turned out the line between the tank and ball swelled up due to bad (old) gas.

In the process of fixing that, I told the guys at the shop about a lack of power I've been experiencing. Cleaning and servicing the carb didn't help. The carb does not need rebuilding. They dug a little deeper and found 2 things....

#1 The intake side of the #1 cylinder has a small grove that is causing pressure to escape. This is what is causing the power loss. Who knows what caused the groove, but it will only get worse. They said that it can be rebuilt over the winter for about 2 grand.:mad: :yikes: :rant:

#2 The drain bolt in the gear casing is stripped. They can't tighten it all the way and it is leaking oil. They tried silicon and that doesn't work. They say that I need a new gear casing because a new hole cant be drilled.

Im looking for solutions. I have HAD IT UP TO HERE with this motor!!! Now it's looking like another 2 to 3 grand to fix it. And even if I do fix these issues whose to say that new ones won't pop up. Im on the verge of looking for a new-rebuilt motor.

DangerDan, thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder on the way home from receiving this news, and thanks for the suggestions.

Any other input, suggestions? Thanks

[Jacob Huffman]

Put the $3000 towards a new motor ? Sell the old one for parts or what ever...Just my 2cents..

[waterfoul]

Are you handy with tools and putting things back together (taking them apart is EASY!)???

The groove is most likely ring wear or from a broken ring/bearing material rubbing the groove into the cylinder wall. Sleaving the cylinder is about the only way to fix this short of getting a new powerhead. $2000 seems a bit high for this though... I've seen chevy big blocks (mine!) get a sleeve for less than that including the new rings and bearings. But I did the dissassembly and reassembly myself.

The stripped plug is a fairly easy fix if you feel confident about taking the lower unit apart... drill and tap it bigger ... or weld it up and re-drill and tap it the normal size.

Option #3 is to get a new motor.... for the quoted $2000-3000 you can get a pretty decent used motor.

[TONGA]

what kind of comp numbers did they give you? for all jugs? also did this power loss happen all of a sudden?

[252Life]

Upper left 140

Lower left 125
Upper right (one that has the groove) 125
Lower right 137

and they were real vague on the price, haven't submitted a formal quote but I assume the numbers they were talking was for only the upper right.

And the lack of power has always seemed to be there. I always chalked it up to being an under powered boat. However, this spring and into the summer, I couldn't hit 10 knots, where the years before I could do 20. Strangely though, sometimes during the summer the engine would spike up and get to 17, 18 and would stay up there until I eased back. Then the next time it would only get up to 7....always hitting the same rpm's

[SabikiRig]

252,

Few things to thing about:

1. Sea Drive Parts are getting hard to find.

2. I do not think you can just bolt up an outboard to a Sea Drive Bracket. Your going to need to remove the Sea Drive and install a Gil or Armstrong Bracket and change the controls. A new outboard may be an expensive refit.

[252Life]

I was waiting for someone to say that, thanks Sab:dizzy:

[waterfoul]

Ah... Seadrive... what an awsome idea that was.... well maybe not.

I don't think your compression numbers are all that bad. The one with the "groove" has the same as one of the others... have you actually seen this "groove?"

Now, if you are getting differing mph (knots are for snailboters) at the same rpm's on different days.... there has to be something else going on. Prop slippage (rubber hub dried out and slipping??)

Or, you may have gotten enough water into the lower to do some damage already... not what you want to hear I'm sure... but you should have it looked at... if oil can drain out under no pressure (other than gravity) when the lower is submerged the pressure of the water will force water into the lower.

[252Life]

I don't think your compression numbers are all that bad. The one with the "groove" has the same as one of the others... have you actually seen this "groove?"

I've seen it and felt it. Obviously Im not a mechanic, but there is a definate impression in there, albiet very small

Or, you may have gotten enough water into the lower to do some damage already... not what you want to hear I'm sure... but you should have it looked at... if oil can drain out under no pressure (other than gravity) when the lower is submerged the pressure of the water will force water into the lower.

This sounds more plausible to me. If there were a groove then the comp would be down, right? But it isn't. Something sounds fishy

[waterfoul]

Get a second opinion on something that expensive.

[252Life]

Oh yea...definately plan on it!

[SabikiRig]

252,

Is that Sea Drive Loop Charged?

General Rule of thumb regarding comression on 2 stokes is +/- 10%. Your pretty close if not there already. Loss or low compression could cause staring issues that you described.

Had a few snowmobiles do the same thing (starting) and the problem was loss of or no compression. I personally have not seen Gas Lines swell due to bad gas.

Have seen them deteriorate due to age........