OMC saildrive trouble

[isail4sanity]

Hi all,
I have a 1978 OMC saildrive in my O'Day 28. I found water(a lot!) in the lower combustion chamber when I removed the spark plug Does this mean I have a gasket leak at the exhaust manifold? Where else could it come from?

Thanks,

Scott~~_/)_º~~

s/v Miss Molly
O'Day 28

 

[cbinfl]

Scott, I'd look at the head gasket first. If it's not that, It's probably the gasket between the power head and the lower unit. Good luck.

charlie

 

[Gman0447]

If you crank the engine for a long time the mixer for the exhaust and water can fill and backup into the engine cylinder. Does it start? Does the condition repeat itself?

 

[Mike4116]

There is a forum out there on Yahoo for OMC Zephyr saildrive owners and this topic is regularly and often discussed. Check it out there will be lots of help there.
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[isail4sanity]

Scott, I'd look at the head gasket first. If it's not that, It's probably the gasket between the power head and the lower unit. Good luck.

charlie

Charlie,

I changed the head gasket as well as the exhaust manifold gasket to no avail. Not to ask a silly question, but can I remove the power head while the boat is still in the water?

 

[isail4sanity]

If you crank the engine for a long time the mixer for the exhaust and water can fill and backup into the engine cylinder. Does it start? Does the condition repeat itself?

It will try to start the first couple of cranks or so, then there is too much pressure in the cylinder for it to turn over. Yes, it does repeat every time I' pulled the plug and emptied the cylinder.

 

[Mike4116]

Yes, per the owners shop manual for the OMC engine you can remove the powerhead down to the impeller but no further.

 

[isail4sanity]

That is good news

Especially since I do not have a trailer for this boat, and with a non functional engine, no way to get it to the nearest hoist. (7mi down the lake, through a lock, and another 12 mi down river!)

Thanks,

Scott
s/v Miss Molly