1983 85HP Force leaking water at the base of engine?

[ShaneDasRip]

Hey everyone! First time posting.

I've had this boat a week. Trying to understand all of the ins and outs of it and the outboard. I have found so many great posts already but nothing specific for this issue.

While float testing it today, we noticed water coming out of a bolt hole. It's on the Port side of the engine behind the electrical connections. While reving the engine the water amount would change.

So two questions:
1. Is this normal? If not, what could be causing it?
2. Should there be a bolt there? If so, how do I get to it?


Thanks in advance!

Picture here:


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PErkvwrYhSZhbp1xsd84LMLw-cZCGHti/view?usp=sharing

 

[Nordin]

There should be a stud there with a washer and a nut.
Partnumber F85859 stud, 37828 plain washer and 82670912 nut 3/18-16.
Check parts diagram at Mercrusierparts, Crowley marine or at this web site.

 

[ShaneDasRip]

Fantastic response Nordin!

Physically looking at it, it seems that I would have to remove the Powerhead from the Motor leg, then remove that spacer plate from the Powerhead? Or, i might just be able to thread in the new stud from there saving me from having to buy a new gasket, 27-819381.

Looking around the diagrams I didn't see a gasket for the spacer plate and Motor leg. I'm coming from a vehicle background, is there a special type of RTV sealant to use?

The stud is no longer available but it is a "Stud (3/8-16 X 2-1/4") With Dri Loc".
1. What is a Dri loc? can I use blue thread locker? and achieve the same?
2. Does this bolt have to be anything special? Stainless, Grade 8? Or, can I just pick up a general stud from Ace Hardware.

Pondering thought: If a previous owner didn't remove that stud, and it fell out, where would it have gone? did it pass through the motor leg and fall out the exhaust, or could it be caught up somewhere?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Any thread locker will work.
Any bolt/stud will work.
The torques aren't that much that you need heavy duty hardware.

If it fell out? then it should be at the base of the motor? or the PO has it.

 

[ShaneDasRip]

I was able to tear it apart last night with the help of my lovely assistant, my wife! It helps having smaller hands.

I went to ace hardware and they had automotive bolts. No 2 1/4" but they had a 2".

After taking off the motor leg cover, removing the 6 Allen bolts, and the 6 hex bolts in the engine bay. Some of those bolts were terrible to remove. We had to shift ilthe boat fwd and rev around a bit to get clearance. Also, the middle one we finally had to remove a nut that handled the shift linkage.

Got it all down, connected a come a long to a garage rafter to lift it up. Removed all old gasket material, used the max seal or something like that, resistance to water, oil, and high temp. For the new bolt stud in, tightened everything back together and now I'm waiting 24 hrs for the rtv to seal. We stayed up till about 1 am working on it.

Tomorrow morning is float test no 2.

 

[ShaneDasRip]

Well the float test went mostly well. haha.

I tossed the boat into the water and started it. I was only able to keep the engine running for 15 seconds. Finally I took the cowling off and it ran just fine.

So, we took it around the lake a couple times. Even got it up to 35MPH.

I got it back to the dock and spent an hour adjusting the carbs trying to get it to run with the cowling on. It would run forever with it of. Put it on and 15 seconds later it would die.

Finally I found out that when I put the motor leg cover on..... the idle exhaust boot didn't fully seat and it was letting exhaust back into the engine bay causing the engine to die from lack of oxygen.


So lesson learned. If your engine dies after 15 seconds, it's because of exhaust.

After seating the exhaust boot it would idle. I still had a rough idle but that's another problem for another forum.

Also, some bubblegum (epoxy) fell of the bottom and it filled up with water so, another problem for another forum.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Glad it's working.