Logo
FULL SITE MENU

1977 85EL77S Lower Unit Guide Tubes Required?

C

czar97

New member
Just assembled the lower unit onto the outboard. I only found 1 guide tube so I chose to use it on the starboard side. I ASSUME this guide tube is only used to help guide the copper tubes coming from the power head into the water pump housing itself. Keep in mind I have the DUAL TUBE water pump.

I had to do my best to line up the port side as I slid up the lower unit. After 2 attempts (with no guide tube to help) I got it lined up.

Just want ant to make sure the GUIDE TUBES aren't required... That they're simply there to help assist in mounting the lower unit.

Thanks again,
Matt
 
As you suspect, the guide tubes are exactly that---guides so you can align the tubes. If you got lucky and managed to get it together correctly, you are good to go. I know you did look for the guide slithered up on the tube, right?
 
I did look for the port side tube. And I did notice what appeared to be a tube slid over the copper water pipe. But it seemed to be collapsed...like a large diameter shrink tubbing. It was just out of my reach to pull down and I made my assumption above (just a helper tube) and decided my tugging or bothering with it could result in pulling the actual copper tube away from wherever it connects to... the power head up top. Having the starboard guide tube to help made lining up the second tube half as difficult. To have both would've been a breeze.
What I do find strange is the heat from the exhaust versus the cool lake water in the copper pipes...I guess the cool water JUST barely keeps the plastic guide tubes from melting...? Basically there are two guide tubes just hanging on for the ride (they get jammed up inside after they do their one-time job of assisting in the lining-up process).
 
What you saw up that copper tube was the guide tube that had vibrated up the tube and become lodged there via dirt, salt, etc.

Next time you have the lower unit off, fashion a hook like device to yank it down out of there.

NOTE: You're quite fortunate to have got that second tube aligned in the water pump if it's actually there.
 
Don't freak me out Joe.
It went in smoothly after a few failed attempts.
But those copper tubes are a few sizes smaller than the "metal triangle plate" holes that lead to the rubber grommets that go into the water pump housing. So it wasn't too bad. I had a good line of sight right up to where they were only an 1/8" away from each other. The remaining wiggle push was just fingers-crossed mode lol. Thank god for having the starboard guide tube doing its job.
 
Back
Top