Now I’ve done it!

[rfrance0718]

My 6hp Tohatsu fired right up the other day, after I replaced the carb. I have 2 of these motors and I hadn't used this one for a couple of years because it was leaking gas. The new carb seems to have solved that problem, but I quickly noticed that I wasn't getting a cooling stream.

I had never replaced an impeller but I had watched the process and watched some videos. It seemed easy enough. Famous last words!

I confidently removed the 2 bolts  and loosened the gear shift linkage and expected the lower unit to drop right down. No such luck. It would wiggle some but it didn't want to budge. An internet search indicated that it was common for the splined shaft to be stuck and that some convincing might be needed.

I ended up wacking it pretty hard but it finally dropped and I thought that I was on my way. That was until I noticed that instead of coming out with the lower unit, the shaft had stayed up in the power head. Ouch!

At this point I've tried several things but no luck. I fashioned  a puller which didn't produce. My next move is to turn the motor over and try to get some penetrating oil to run down the shaft and do its magic. I also need to look into a real puller. We'll see.

The good news is that I have another, identical motor. It idles a bit high,but it runs fine otherwise. The only problem with it is that it has a 15 year old impeller as well. It streams, but  I'm thinking that I'll at least try to drop its lower unit and see if it comes apart the way it's supposed to.

I do have a friend who fixes airplanes for a living.

If anyone has 2 cents to donate I'm accepting all suggestions.

 

[Norm L.]

Bob, I can't help you on this but I know others here have done that job.

I could add a list of the 1-hour easy jobs I've started, a few that ran to multi-days and costs above hiring a professional. I have grown wiser.
Unfortunately, there are still task "This will be easy" requested by wife. I will tell her this is not easy. I will go ahead and Shazam!  It wasn't easy.

You will get some good answers.

[pgandw]

Famous last words:

• pilot:  Oh S***
• engineer:  This will be a piece of cake.
• redneck:  Hold my beer and watch this!

Fred W

[Wolverine]

I sympathize with you. Everything I attempt becomes a big project. I've gotten to the point I'll pay for a professional to save myself the aggravation. The mechanic who changes the oil in our Seidelmann shows me every time "how easy it is to do yourself". No thanks. I'll pay the $105. (that includes parts & labor, plus he adjusts the stuffing box when needed)

[Captain Kidd]

My wife says I'm the king of making easy hard.

Oh, and I have a motto for the jobs I do, "Why do it once, when you can do it twice!"

And what do they say? It'll cost twice as much and take twice as long as you thought. Bout right.

[Frank B.]

I did that job on that motor just shy of three years ago.  As I recall I had a similar problem.  Seems like I couldn't get the foot to break loose. I can't remember specifically what I did but I finally got it separated. Worried about getting it back in the right orientation so that the gears would shift properly but managed to and it all worked out. I should have done a video for future reference but it would be full of "expletives deleted". One thing I do know, is that when the water indicator is not flowing as often as not it is not the pump impeller but just a blockage in the indicator port. Mine did not look bad when I changed it.

[Riley Smith]

Yeah, the time I did mine the impeller looked fine. But as I had already opened it up, I changed it anyway. I can't remember any trouble though except keeping that tiny ball that is an actual key on an American motor from getting lost. I can't remember exactly how that is configured but the gear shift can hang a little and you have to be a little persuasive. You might tap the end of the shaft some with a mallet and wiggle it around. Just to loosen it up, not big whacks. Don't bend the shaft longitudinally at ALL.

[GlenG]

My standard evaluation regarding professional jobs at work, and home/boat projects...

It will take 90% of the budget, and 90% of the time allotted to do 90% of the job.  Then it will take ANOTHER 90% of the budget, and ANOTHER 90% of the allotted time to get that last 10% of the job done!

Just launched my Santana 21 for the season last Sunday.  Mast was left down at the ramp, and I fired up the 4 hp outboard to head to my home dock about 1/3 mile away...  Heavy wind picked up just at launch.  Motor hummed along perfect until I was just 100 yards from the dock.  Motor sputtered and quit.  Wind was sending me well north of the dock and out towards the far shore.   Frantic, I tried to restart the motor.  About a dozen pulls and it fired.  Spun it 180 deg to drag her back toward the dock.  Almost home and it quit again.  The west wind drifted me safely toward the dock this time and I grabbed a dock post just in time to keep her off the rocks at shore.  I fussed with the motor for another 1/2 hour and never got it running again.  The motor is now back in the shop... another project... are we having fun yet??
Actually, these challenges help keep my brain alert.  I don't need some boring pastime that doesn't get the heart rate up once in awhile.

[Riley Smith]

You've come to the right place!!!      

No, seriously, the threat of imminent bodily/ gear harm tends to focus one's thoughts doesn't itYou cannot view this attachment.

[noelH]

ICE and me just don't get along too well. Why I end up talking to and have evil thoughts towards Jonsrud, BabyBlue(NewHolland), Mercury....

DIY, more time than not end up an "interesting" learning experience. And usually a bit more expensive than it should be. Up here in the middle of nowhere it sometimes is a necessity. Local lumber yard use to always add ~50% to what I really needed. I measure once and cut twice. They are good at taking everything remaining back and giving you a refund.  So on the "bright" side I note it ended up costing me 25% less after I get my refund plus I have a new stack of kiln dried firewood.