Outboard lower unit rebuild

[Vancouvertechie]

Has anyone done this before?  Should I give it a try? 

VT

[Seattleflyfisher]

John.....YES

There are a ton of you tube videos on this subject. Easy job.

[gd2b50]

We had to do many things to our f60 before the sea trial. One was to replace a waterpump. If yours has come apart I would recomend back flushing the engine with the lower unit off. My outboard still overheated after the waterpump was replaced. I ended up removing it a second time. My yamaha has a back flush attachment built in. +1 on ytube.

[Sea Bear]

Are you interested in replacing the water pump, or rebuilding the gears & bearings in the lower unit?

[Vancouvertechie]

Rebuilding the gears and bearings in the lower unit.

[Threeweight]

You can buy complete re manufactured lower units to replace a bad one... the rebuild option takes some specialized tools, but other than that is pretty straight forward w/ a shop manual handy.

[Caston]

If your mechanically inclined I'm all for trying new things. Nothing ever seems as complicated as I imagined once its opened up.

[Vancouvertechie]

Thanks guys!  I am going to give it a shot unless I can find another lower unit new, used, or rebuilt.  For the time being I just obtained a 2001 50 HP Johnson 2-stroker...  I haven't run a compression test yet, but I will on Friday and do a test run. 

It's a start to getting me back on the water for now.  That is until I save enough coin for a new 4 stroke. 

I won't know how much work I will have ahead of me, but the initial cost was $200.00 for motor.  I did get a service manual, so I need to do some reading and youtube watching. 



So if anyone has experience with lower unit rebuild.  I can trade beer and what not for some assistance. 

VT

[amazing grace]

John, that does not look to be in bad shape. I have a 2000' Johnson on  a Wooldridge and it has been a great motor. Did TW tell you where to inquire about rebuilt ones. He mentioned it. Maybe you swap them lowers and some cash and you have a newly rebuilt unit. Depending on cost, that might be a quick and viable option. That motor could turn out to be another two stroke bad boy!
Good luck.

[Vancouvertechie]

AG,

I hope you are correct.  I was able to get the motor mounted last night with some help from a neighbor.  If I have time tonight I will do a compression and spark test and possibly throw some muffs on it. 

Then start tearing apart the lower end.  As SF mentioned there is one gentlemen on youtube that goes into detail on the Johnson/OMC line.  So what the heck. 

VT

[Sea Bear]

If the compression checks out, you got a great deal on that motor.  Here's hoping you get out on the water soon! 

[Vancouvertechie]

Well it looks pretty good so far.  I got 145 and 150 psi.  Which I am happy with.  I hooked up the oil injection, fuel and muffs and she fired up.  Now I can get to work on the lower end and see what I am dealing with.





VT

[Sea Bear]

Excellent!  Look pretty clean under the hood.   

[ak-angler]

Looks good so far. Any idea what's wrong with the lower unit?

[Vancouvertechie]

AK,

That is the 1000 dollar question.  From what the previous owner has told me it is hard to say exactly.  But I just picked up a bearing puller, micrometer and a couple of other odds and ends from Harbor Freight on my lunch. 

I hope to have a good idea tonight and then ask for some help from the forum members. 

Here is a quick video of me starting it last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-SR_BhZeNU

Seems to run o.k. 

VT

[woody]

Sweet.

Woody

[ak-angler]

VT - Congratulations on getting her fires lit! Video is even better than pictures. :biggrin:

Any description from the previous owner of what's wrong with the lower unit? Won't shift? Grinding sound when in gear? Propeller locked up? ... anything?

[Markshoreline]

By you're quite the man!  I'd be in SO much trouble if I started an outboard in the house....

[Vancouvertechie]

By you're quite the man!  I'd be in SO much trouble if I started an outboard in the house....

Do you like my garage floor?  It does make changing the oil in my cars nice. 

O.K. I dropped the lower end and drained a nice and very stinky oil/water mixture.  I mean it makes burnt hair smell like roses!!  The grommet and o-ring for the shift rod was loose and sitting above the housing that it screws into.  I can't seem to find my prop wrench so I can't get the prop shaft and bearing housing off until I do some looking.  I am interested in seeing what the gears look like. 

VT 

[Sea Bear]

This is a great thread, since losing a lower unit can be quite the nightmare.  Some of the older motors, you have a lot of trouble finding a used one.  It will be interesting to see how this turns out!  Rooting for ya!   :applause:

[Seattleflyfisher]

Mark, I started my old 2 stroke in the carport with the garage door up. I was in big trouble! The house smelled like an old 2 stroke oil for a day. :nono:

John.....nice project you are on!



SFF

[amazing grace]

VT, nice work. Those numbers are great. Nice to hear it run. You are going to love the torque and power of that motor. As I said earlier I love my Johnson 135 Ocean Pro. Unfortuantely it is going to the next owner :nono:. More on that in another thread. Good luck with the LUnit.

[Vancouvertechie]

Update:

I will get some photos of the forward and reverse pinion gears and what not.  The prop shaft looks good no major pitting and the gears look good also.  The bearing housing assembly came out really easy with the puller.  I did it by hand and no need for a wrench.   I need to find a way to loosen the nut on the bottom of the drive shaft and I can replace the pinion bearing #0382343.  The clutch dog looks good.  I am going to replace the bearings, thrust bearings, o-rings, fill & drain plugs and washer.  I hope to have it back together this week after cleaning the parts and waiting for the gasket set. 

Definitely going to replace the o-ring and bushing for the shift rod assembly.  I cannot believe that thing was not even screwed in when I dropped the lower end.  Need to pickup some loctite 680. 

The smell from the lower end oil was ten times worse than running the 2-stroke in the garage.  My wife could not smell the two-stroke after the test run, but when I broke open the lower unit she wanted the doors to the garage opened!

VT

[CanvasGuy]

Thanks john for the great info.. :applause:
were all rooting for you... GO JOHN!!!

[Markshoreline]

John
Do you have a diagnosis yet on why the lower end doesn't work?  What did it not do before, go into gear or not deliver thrust?