the powerhead undertray, for want of a better word..


most of engine on table, a quick clean of the bits in the parts washer followed..


this was hard to turn.. all cleaned and greased, much better (pic is before)


this is the selection problem.. just on the left, where it's blackened, it's very stuck in the casing.. no gears from this point on.. the first job tomorrow is to free that part.. under-use is probably the main cause, but what a dismantle needed to get to all this.. maybe I could have freed it up without the other work, but I didn't know what was in here until now..



I thought this bent selector shaft was causing the selection problem, but it turns ok when back in the casing.. going to ignore it.. the die cast bit will break (more) if I try to straighten, and it's doing no harm really.. (later on I tried to straighten it, but my limited workshop stopped me, it's a lot better now thought)


the snapped bolt.. also shown is the top of the R-N-F selection mechanism.. a long steel rod that runs down, in two peices, all the way through the mid and lower outboard, and nudges/persuades, the cogs below.. this rod is stuck fast in the outboard.. it's finally coming out now.. this whole engine is about things being stuck! so far only two victims, the Powerhead bolt and 1 threaded transom clamp thing.


this view was to see the shape of the gasket needed.. going to be hard to get one, engine is still an unknown model Suzuki 2 stroke twin,estimates vary between 25 and 40 HP, it seems quite old..


I took this pic so I could remember stern throttle position, as I wont have a steeringwheel/forward throttle control, for this boat before testing of the engine begins... sunburnt now :(



lift-off!




A nice sunny saturday and not much else to do.. decided to pull motor apart to see why I cant get neutral or reverse.. I began by carefully removing the casing to powerhead bolts.. these are all 6mm threaded into, I guess, aluminium.. all felt springy and got tighter the more I tried to undo them.. I previously took some time trying to spray them and loosen a bit (the ones I could get to the other end of). Today, I used heat, and I finally just went for it.. all but one came out, the snapped one is no problem to remove.. after that i thought the easy bit was ahead.. taking the powerhead up from the casing...
I tried every nice gentle way for about 3 hours.. completely beaten I rang local boatyards.. I wasn't missing any tricks, 30 + years had welded the engine and casing together!

I gave up the softly approach, and picked the back of the boat up by the powerhead, using my crane, walked away and got a beer, expecting the boat to fall an inch onto the trailer, and the powerhead to be swining in the breeze...

30 mintues later I did what I never thought I would have to.. a huge mallet and a blunt flat driver :(