crack in housing drive shaft of my outboard

[garcyaaranda]

Hi, here are two pics of crack in mercury 115 four strokes (built in 2005).
May someone tell me if it is necessary to weld or to repair this part?
The motor rounds and goes ok, only bad smell sometimes..
Thank you

 

[jfm]

I'm not sure if that is the housing for the shift shaft or the drive shaft or both. You will be able to tell. Anyway, apart from gluing the crack closed to keep fingers out (spinning drive shaft even when engine is in neutral) you don't need to repair that part. It isn't structural and doesn't need to be watertight. A whole new casting is $650 btw! Good luck