BoatGuy3450
New member
Hello everyone!
I've got a 97 150hp 2-stroke (S150TXRV) that I've owned since 2004, and it has always been used in a salt-water environment. I personally rebuilt it in 2006 after a 1/8 - 1/4 in hole formed in the block and leaked water on the lower starboard rod-crank bearing, and over time it disintegrated. At the time of rebuild I had a marine mechanic weld the hole, and another area which I believe was the center area of the exhaust on the block mating surface to exhaust cover. I also removed all corrosion and painted the internal surfaces with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer. Whether that was a good decision or not I don't know but the motor has lasted this long (400 hours & 13 years since rebuild). All the details of that rebuild are here for anyone interested: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat/ABII/EngineFailureJan2006/default.htm
There's been a variety of maintenance in between.
Fast forward to present: I am out boating last Saturday, and the motor ran good until I noticed it would no longer keep and idle and keep huffing and puffing (missing).
I get home, did some troubleshooting, and ended up pulling the port head, and a 3/16 hole was present in the top port head. Wow - I didn't know that could happen:
Picture1: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...osion/HoleInPortHead_20190526_142849_Port.jpg
Picture2: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...leInPortHeadUpClose_20190526_142910_Port.jpg
I pulled the water jacket off the port head and it was just a mess inside.
Picture3: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...InPortHeadOtherSide_20190527_173316_Port.jpg
Picture4: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...rtHeadAndWaterJacket_20190527_173051_Port.jpg
I had pulled the port head a couple times before to clean the passages (just the head-to-block side; shame on me for never pulling the waterjacket in 13 years since the rebuild) due to overheating on the port side. I pulled the starboard head and associated water jacket and it was a mess in there also.
Here's the part I have a question about: I noticed some corrosion near and into the mating surface on the upper part of the block:
Picture5: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat/ABII/20190500_PortHeadHoleAndBlockCorrosion/PortBlockMatingSurfaceCorrosion_20190527_191840_Port.jpg
Picture6: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...ockMatingSurfaceCorrosion_20190527_191825.jpg
I obviously need to fill in these areas. I know that I can likely have a welder come out to my location (boat is on a lift and I do not have a trailer) which will be probably expensive in labor. I also heard that aluminum welding is difficult. I don't know anything about welding. Is a viable alternative to welding to use some sort of epoxy to fill these areas and smooth out by sanding?
I don't know how much life I have left in this block. I hope it is alot. I am already planning to buy NEW heads at around $280 each, as there are a bunch of used ones on ebay around $100 each but they all have waterjackets on them, and I could be buying the same corroded thing. I want to do a good repair but I also don't want to throw a ton of money into it only to discover 6 months down the road the block is leaking again inside or etc. which would require a repair/build of the powerhead again.
Is there a special epoxy that can be used? I've looked at:
Loctite Metal/Concrete Epoxy (apparently not for constantly wet areas)
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/epxy_metal_s/overview/Loctite-Epoxy-Metal-Concrete.htm
and
JB Weld - Marine Weld
https://www.jbweld.com/collections/epoxy-adhesives/products/marineweld-twin-tube
What do you all suggest - is epoxy a viable solution that will last a few or more years?
Thank you much for helping me get started on my repair.
Thank you much.
I've got a 97 150hp 2-stroke (S150TXRV) that I've owned since 2004, and it has always been used in a salt-water environment. I personally rebuilt it in 2006 after a 1/8 - 1/4 in hole formed in the block and leaked water on the lower starboard rod-crank bearing, and over time it disintegrated. At the time of rebuild I had a marine mechanic weld the hole, and another area which I believe was the center area of the exhaust on the block mating surface to exhaust cover. I also removed all corrosion and painted the internal surfaces with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer. Whether that was a good decision or not I don't know but the motor has lasted this long (400 hours & 13 years since rebuild). All the details of that rebuild are here for anyone interested: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat/ABII/EngineFailureJan2006/default.htm
There's been a variety of maintenance in between.
Fast forward to present: I am out boating last Saturday, and the motor ran good until I noticed it would no longer keep and idle and keep huffing and puffing (missing).
I get home, did some troubleshooting, and ended up pulling the port head, and a 3/16 hole was present in the top port head. Wow - I didn't know that could happen:
Picture1: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...osion/HoleInPortHead_20190526_142849_Port.jpg
Picture2: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...leInPortHeadUpClose_20190526_142910_Port.jpg
I pulled the water jacket off the port head and it was just a mess inside.
Picture3: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...InPortHeadOtherSide_20190527_173316_Port.jpg
Picture4: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...rtHeadAndWaterJacket_20190527_173051_Port.jpg
I had pulled the port head a couple times before to clean the passages (just the head-to-block side; shame on me for never pulling the waterjacket in 13 years since the rebuild) due to overheating on the port side. I pulled the starboard head and associated water jacket and it was a mess in there also.
Here's the part I have a question about: I noticed some corrosion near and into the mating surface on the upper part of the block:
Picture5: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat/ABII/20190500_PortHeadHoleAndBlockCorrosion/PortBlockMatingSurfaceCorrosion_20190527_191840_Port.jpg
Picture6: http://thealdensorg.dyndns.org/boat...ockMatingSurfaceCorrosion_20190527_191825.jpg
I obviously need to fill in these areas. I know that I can likely have a welder come out to my location (boat is on a lift and I do not have a trailer) which will be probably expensive in labor. I also heard that aluminum welding is difficult. I don't know anything about welding. Is a viable alternative to welding to use some sort of epoxy to fill these areas and smooth out by sanding?
I don't know how much life I have left in this block. I hope it is alot. I am already planning to buy NEW heads at around $280 each, as there are a bunch of used ones on ebay around $100 each but they all have waterjackets on them, and I could be buying the same corroded thing. I want to do a good repair but I also don't want to throw a ton of money into it only to discover 6 months down the road the block is leaking again inside or etc. which would require a repair/build of the powerhead again.
Is there a special epoxy that can be used? I've looked at:
Loctite Metal/Concrete Epoxy (apparently not for constantly wet areas)
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/epxy_metal_s/overview/Loctite-Epoxy-Metal-Concrete.htm
and
JB Weld - Marine Weld
https://www.jbweld.com/collections/epoxy-adhesives/products/marineweld-twin-tube
What do you all suggest - is epoxy a viable solution that will last a few or more years?
Thank you much for helping me get started on my repair.
Thank you much.