Cleaning an Outboard inside and out

[Mr. Fisher]

Hello all,

I really appreciate the info the forums have provided me after I made an uneducated and rushed decision to buy a boat. I currently have a 15ft Thundercraft Capri. The PO did not have the time, money or knowledge to properly take care of it. I have wanted to get into boating for sometime and stumbled upon this boat for $350. I knew it needed work. What I didn't know is how much. I am in the process of following several threads concerning rebuilding of the floors and such. I have not been as successful finding info about the motor.

The boat came with a 1978 35HP Johnson, the PO stated ran well. Based on the info from iBoats I wanted to do preventive maintenance such as the water pump rebuild and change lower unit oil. I soon realized I was fooled due to no oil in the lower unit. So I decided I wanted to disassemble the motor, overhaul it and repaint. When starting the dis-assembly process I noticed the PO got carried away with the grease gun as there were handful size chunks of grease around the motor mount and had some sort of oil inside of the upper unit coating everything under the cowl. In the middle unit, on the drive shaft and water tube there is a thick black substance that is caked on. It looks like oil, grease and carbon all rolled into one.

I am cleaning the middle unit currently and don't know what the best item to use is. I have used a degreaser similar to Simple green and I have sprayed engine degreaser and have seen some minor results. What do you guys use to clean not only the powerhead but bolts, inside middle unit, water tube drive shaft ect?

Thanks

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Cleaning an Outboard inside and out

Degreasers, brake cleaner, lots of elbow grease. High pressure power washer, car wash, the hotter the better. It's not always a fun job but the rewards are worth it in the end.

Really heavy grease build up might need to be scraped off first to give the solvents/cleaners a chance to work. On the powerhead any open ports to intake or exhaust should have some towling put in them and then taped off to help keep the crud out.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Cleaning an Outboard inside and out

Oh BTW, Welcome aboard. Great to hear that you've at least been doing some reading here. That will help you out a lot in the long run.

 

[Whoopbass]

Re: Cleaning an Outboard inside and out

Go to the dollar store and buy several cans of oven cleaner. What you can't get off with the oven cleaner you can mix ajax up with some liquid laundry detergent and scrub the gunk off with one of those scotch brite type green scouring pads. Cut them into strips so you can get into small spaces.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Cleaning an Outboard inside and out

Putty knife to start, screwdriver for tighter spaces, degreaser on a rag, patience w/ a sixpack. I speak from which I know. Been there done that. I bought before coming here also.