restoring a lower unit

[woodsman]

Hey guys, I am in need of some opinions here. I can post pics later if need be, but I have purchased a case (coned 200) and was stripping the paint to get down to the base stuff to have a great paint job and found a scary sight! The case has a crack around the curvature of the bottom in front of the skeg. It isn't always around the bottom, but rather starts in the middle and goes up one side and is about 3" long. Is this an area were someone could fix something like this? Or did I pay way over price for some aluminum scrap metal? PM's are welcome for suggestions.

 

[SLOmofo]

Pictures would help!

 

[LakeAnna]

Woodsman sounds like you may be looking at a crack in the filler rather than the case it self. Like Gary said pictures would help a bunch... It's not uncommon at all for the filler to give you trouble as it gets some age on it.

 

[woodsman]

pics coming. or going to try anyways..lol

 

[woodsman]

I dont know how to make them large but here are a few pics of it taken from my cell.

 

[SLOmofo]

http://s178.photobucket.com/ is your friend. Looks like normal crack in filler that happens over time. Water intrudes and then swells or freezes causing crack. What you want to know is that the nose cone was welded on, then the filler added.

Use IMG to copy and then paste on the post; even I can do it.

 

[woodsman]

I wondered how everyone got their pics on here large like that. Ill have to look into that photobcket.
Okay as you all stated, it was the filler. I dove into it and found that it was filler only. I got it prepped and new filler back in its place and sanded and ready for pain again. Thanks so much for the insight. hope to have a sweet lower for spare very soon.

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

http://tinypic.com

Tinypic done this.....

:gasp:gasp

Bob
:wink

 

[woodsman]

sweet rig, what the heck is that smoke or fog in that pic?
And I am uploading pics from phone to photobucket now. I will most definitely be putting blown up versions of pics from now on. Got a couple things to sell soon and that will make it easier for people to see with.

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

sweet rig, what the heck is that smoke or fog in that pic?
And I am uploading pics from phone to photobucket now. I will most definitely be putting blown up versions of pics from now on. Got a couple things to sell soon and that will make it easier for people to see with.

Bob
:gasp

 

[woodsman]

wow, now that's cool. Always wanted to go there but life hasn't permitted yet.

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

An interesting read for those not familiar with the Niagara River....
http://www.niagarafrontier.com/scow.html

"The Scow"

Bob

 

[woodsman]

While I have this thread up, has anyone ever installed a new drain oil plug in a case before? The drain plug at the bottom has been covered for whatever reason and I thought of replacing with another. What is the thoughts on this?

 

[whipper]

The gear lube plug? If its the drain for the lube it was probably covered to aid in hydrodynamics and can be unplugged. I used to plug mine but not any more I change my fluid to often and its a PITA always prying out the plug. Try sticking something up there and pulling out the plug. There should be a short standard screw up there about an inch up.

But honestly I wouldn't trust that case. The crack looks to bad. If you welded it its still a cracked case that might fail and cause injury to you or others. Thats just me though. Its always risky welding on a case in the first place for torque tabs ect.. but to fix a crack I wouldn't bother. Those cases are relatively inexpensive to replace these days. I would just buy a nice good one and have less worry. Tear yours down and and if the internals are good you'll have spare parts. 700 or so gets ya a nice 200 coned case.

 

[woodsman]

Thanks whipper, and I know what you mean. I to would rather be safe than sorry. I have good internals already as the threads pulled out of another case on me but left the internals untouched. I bought this case hoping to get me a good coned case and found this after tearing into it. Thanks for the advice and input and that is exactly why the plug was covered by the way.

 

[whipper]

Better safe than sorry is always the best way to go with fast boats. To bad you found that when you stripped the paint off. The seller may or may not have known that was there depending how long they had it. The internals are nice to have as spares. You could probably sell the guts and recoup some cost or if your planning on finding another 200 case just keep them. Now and then I see coned 200 empty cases for sale a lot cheaper . The cone may be worth salvaging also? Ive never tried to take one off so could say weather thats an option? Then lastly aluminum can be taken to the scrap yard for cash.:big grin

 

[woodsman]

yes sir, I am all about the extra cash, especially if it is coming from useless junk!! And I don't think they knew it was cracked when he sold it to me because the paint on it was not fresh at all and the crack wasn't showing through the paint only under it in the filler.

 

[F2008]

While I have this thread up, has anyone ever installed a new drain oil plug in a case before? The drain plug at the bottom has been covered for whatever reason and I thought of replacing with another. What is the thoughts on this?

Check and see if whoever had the case before you may have replaced the carrier. The drain plug will be in the carrier, ....behind the prop.

 

[woodsman]

It must have been replaced at some point as well then. The drain plug isn't there in this one but in the carrier in another one I have. So it has been replaced at some point I would say.