More Fun with Evinrude - Have You Seen This Before?

[HideAway]

As you know we've been having a real time with our 16 year old 8hp Evinrude.  Seems once one problem is fixed another happens.  Finally got the motor to run on both cylinders then ended up paddling HideAway back to the ramp!  With a canoe paddle in case you re wondering.

Lately Mr E has been leaking oil from the water intake and spouting steam from his telltale.  So yesterday we dropped the gear case off and had a look inside.
The oil leak is from a cracked gear case top -- Its made of plastic!!  Still can t believe it.  It ain t cheap to replace either!

Then I opened the water pump to find  - -  well look at it - I ve never seen this much damage

The photos are on HideAways blog   http://svhideaway.blogspot.com/

What could cause this?   Any ideas on how to prevent it from happening again -- the pump is 2-3 years old 

Gotta get it running by Labor Day for raft up - gotta love it!  Matt

[Tim Gardner]

If this is the first time you have checked the water pump impeller, at 14 years old, the pump owes you NADA.  They fatigue and fail usually every 300 hrs or when you are in critical need of iron wind.

TG

[Bob23]

Matt, the pump may be 2 or 3 years old but how long was it on the shelf before you bought it? It's my understanding that rubber deteriorates with age. Maybe it was old stock before it was installed?
Hmm...makes we wonder if the impeller in my 1988 Nissan 8hp 2 stroke was ever changed. I haven't touched it in the 5 years I've owned it...if it works, don't fix it is my motto. But I guess I should buy a spare to keep on board, eh?
You paddled your 23 with a canoe paddle? There must be some kind of award here at the site for such feats of biceptual magnatude!
Bob23

[brackish]

Noticed when I bought my boat last year, the PO had just had the five year old motor serviced.  On the service bill was changing the water pump impeller.  I thought that was kind of early, don't think it had a hundred hours on it.  No indication that it was giving them trouble, guess they just preemptively changed it.

Where is the Utube video instruction on paddling a 23?

[HideAway]

I think the impeller was replaced about three years ago - I paid someone to do it - Won't make that mistake again - I noticed the housing on the gear case was damaged by a screw driver when someone tried to pry the case off. As it was they tried to remove the extender and broke it so I had to get another -- bad scene all the way.

We ve been having over heating issues for a long time but it seemed to get better after I replaced the thermostat - which was broken - probably at the mfg - Then recently - did you read one of the earlier blogs I broke off the plastic - again plastic 90 el and ended up removing what they call the exhaust plate and found lots of crap in one of the channels - that all helped some.

A couple of years ago we cut a marker and sucked up a lot of sand - there was some grit in the impeller box - so make be that is a factor.  I ve been told, by a marine mechanic to replace the impeller every year - seems like a lot to me but we use use it year around here so we have more hours on it than most probably.

I m really upset with Evinrude using that plastic cap.  Plastic just does not last in this heat.

As to the paddling video -- I was wheezing too much to hold the camera!  May have to change the name to geezer wheezer   Matt

[Billy]

you just need to get one of these babies....

http://www.smalloutboards.com/antiques.htm

too bad they are all short shafts!

[Tim Gardner]

Heck, I power my 19 with a 1985 6HP Evinrude Yachttwin  -  25 years old - runs like a champ.  I change the pump impeller once every 3 years.
tg

[edbuchanan]

Hideaway,

I have a 1995 Johnson (same as Evinrude) 6 horsepower engine much like yours.  My solution to having a perfect engine has been to rebuild some section of it almost every year.  I ran into the ethanol demon this year, but aside from that episode, all has been good.  The little six hp took us on a nice 2 week vacation this this year, always starting on the second pull.

It is possible that the mechanic who rebuilt yours exceeded the torque specification for the bolts that hold down the pump housing, the crack looks like it is in the right place.

By the way, the thermostat in my engine had frozen allowing the engine to run cold.  The only external symptom was the telltale was running a little weak.  Molly has always run in salt water, with only yearly freshwater flushing.

Ernie (Molly, 23/II, 1984)

[HideAway]

Ernie - I seem to be doing it all in one year but I can t complain, much, its been a good engine - just getting old like me.  A lot of wear comes from the salt water and in our case a lot of sand.

Seeing those Johnson/Evinrudes still running after decades of use give me hope -- Wonder how many plastic parts were used in them? 

Fly the flag this weekend -- and those of you on the East coast - tie those Compacs down- Hope you all get by with no damage
Matt

[Salty19]

hang in there, Matt.  Sounds like you are coming around the corner on this, and the view is looking better.  Good luck...