72 Johnson 65hp water in bottom two plugs

[johnnyo34]

I took all 3 spark plugs out of my 72 Johnson 65hp I turn it over with the starter & there is water spraying out of the bottom & middle plug holes..
Is that an inmdication of head gaskets??? it looks like there's another gasket in the same area.. Would one of them be blown??? yet the motor starts & runs pretty decent & then quits. probably accumulates too much water.. Had no problem with the motor last year.. ran real fine..

 

[CaptainHook]

Re: 72 Johnson 65hp water in bottom two plugs

The other gasket your looking at is probably the head cover gasket. This is only a water jacket on the front of the head. This gasket wouldn't leak water into the cylinders.

Most likely I would say it is either the head gasket or the exhaust cover gasket. I actually had a leaking exhaust gasket on a johnson 75hp 3 cyl and it would let water in 2 cylinders and put the fire out.

Make sure you spray some wd40 in those 2 cyls until you get to open it up. I didn't do that with mine and in 1 week she was rusted solid!!!

 

[F_R]

Re: 72 Johnson 65hp water in bottom two plugs

Leaking exhaust cover gaskets were a major problem in those motors. At even the slightest hint of overheating, the baffle plate in there warps and then the gasket leaks--squirting water in through the exhaust ports. The problem has destroyed many of those motors long ago and is still doing it.

 

[johnnyo34]

Re: 72 Johnson 65hp water in bottom two plugs

Thanks for your replies.. I pulled the head & it is the gasket. Last year I replaced the Exhaust gaskets & took the plates down to the local automotive shop & they planed & checked everything.. I will take the head down tomorrow & Get them to check it for being straight & clean it up.. ordered a new head gasket..

 

[CaptainHook]

Re: 72 Johnson 65hp water in bottom two plugs

At least it is a pretty easy fix!! Good thing you caught it before that water did it in!!

 

[johnnyo34]

Re: 72 Johnson 65hp water in bottom two plugs

Yes, thanks a lot for your replies & help.. Last year before I put it away for the winter, it ran real nice.. As a matter of fact I didn't know I had to put electric shift oil in the leg, & I had regular leg oil in it. Of course I couldn't put it into neutral, so it trolled all over the lake in neutral.. Ran just fine lol.. then when I stasrted it this spring I noticed this problem.. Hope it'll be OK from now on..
John