Mariner outboard rebuild update

[morgandlm]

Thanks to VicS, Fire99 and Lakesailor for the advice on Mariner outboard spares and repairs. I have finally sorted out my 2.5 hp o/b engine. The job started as a response to finding wet oil in the final drive box but ended up as a complete power leg dismantle and cylinder head removal. The latter found the water channels totally blocked with solid scale, so for some time the head had been completely uncooled although the tell tail still showed flow because of the other cooling routes. It does go to show what a bullet proof little engine it is, since it always ran well despite this. I assume it never worked for long enough to really overheat.

Thanks to advice, especially from Fire99, I fitted generic (not Mariner) head gasket and power leg gasket and a Johnson impeller. This latter is much more robust (I was told) than the Mariner version and cheaper. All the power leg bolts have been replaced using some Johnson branded gasket gunk which prevents the threads and bolt shanks from corroding or seizing up. This had been a real problem in dismantling the power leg where bolt heads simply ripped off but the parts would still not separate. The same gasket gunk was used on the power leg gasket.

After re-assembly, the little engine started on the second pull and the cooling system seems to work a treat. So, after a couple of gaskets, two new oil/water seals, an O-ring, a handful of M6 bolts and lots of time (ask my wife!!) I now know a lot more about my little outboard and have some confidence in it.
Morgan

 

[Lakesailor]

That's great. Once you have seen with your own eyes that the cooling passages are clear you can give them some stick without worry. Hope you only used a trace of gasket goo. I just repaired an Evinrude which had silicone gasket on the power head. It has squeezed out and blocked the cooling water passage!

 

[duncan]

excellent - love a happy ending.