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Sealing connection between motor head and shaft (electric trolling motor)

hmoto

New member
Can I seal (with aquarium sealant/silicon/waterproof tape) the space between the trolling motor head and the shaft? Or is this space necessary for hot air to escape from the propeller motor? The shaft is hollow and if water goes up to the top of the shaft, it will go down the inside of the shaft and enter the propeller engine. This has happened to me when using in conditions of high waves.

Secondly, can I cover the trolling motor head completely? Or does it also need to air out? I don't not really need to do this but if I can, I'd rather take this extra safety precaution.

My 12V electric trolling motor has a short shaft and it's on a kayak. Therefore, big waves runs over my kayak and splashes against the motor all the time. If the wave is big enough and splashes up the shaft, it goes down the inside of the shaft into the propeller engine. I could go with another motor, but I like the motor I have and like to make it work with what I have. Thanks in advance.
 
Anyone has any opinion on this? Even if you don't know the answer, does it sound logical to seal/waterproof that space between the motor head and shaft? Will the propeller engine stay cool since it's under water? Does sealing up this area seem like it would do any harm?
 
that motor should already be sealed well at the point you are worried about...and i would not be worried at all about the cooling..its in the water....if the seal is broken (wires should be coming out of the motor here) then i would not hesitate to reseal it ...but if water has gotten inside the motor then its only a matter of time before you have a rust problem in the motor brush area...i am running a motor guide that looks basicly the same that is beat to hell with over 20 years use in heavy cover...no problems at all except the appearance...mine is foot control..
 
Perhaps my inexpierence, my terminology is not accurate. Looking at the manual, the three components are the "top housing", the "shaft", and the "lower unit".

The top housing and the shaft are not waterproof sealed together. From talking to the boat repair mechanic, it is never factory sealed and he doesn't know if it should be sealed or not. The top housing only sits on top of the shaft and held in place by a screw. If you remove the top housing, you will find that the shaft is completely hollow directly to the lower unit (no seal inside the shaft).

Water will not reach the top housing but occassionaly splashed up the shaft to where the shaft meets the top housing. This is where water is getting into the lower unit. Once some salt water gets in, it is ruined (got my 1st motor replaced already) so I can't afford for it to happen. My risks are 1) use it as it and on very rare occassions, water will enter the lower unit or 2) waterproof seal the space and risk damage to the lower unit for reasons unknown? I am going with option 2, sealing it.
 
My neighbor has a 70# Minn Kota Traxxis. It is the replacement for the original he bought because the motor head on his first came loose from the shaft. Before putting the new one into the water, he applied a bead of JB Weld around the joint where the shaft meets the motor head, with no problems so far. The common denominator, seeing that his is Minn Kota and yours is a Motorguide, and reading other similar problems, appears to be that the higher powered motors seem to be having this problem. It's a real shame that this is happening, as I am replacing 25 year old Minn Kota Powerdrive 28 because the foot control went bad...the 28# motor is running as strong as when I bought it in '92. Now I am not so sure what to buy.
 
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