Posted on Sep 30, 2015
SGM G3 Sergeant Major
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Back ground; replaced the lower unit gaskets, impeller, and the gear oil, after a colleague suggested that my engine may have overheated when it would not start on me while out in the middle of the lake and then just miraculously started an hour-and-a-half later after I had one-oared it to the nearest shoreline. The impeller was in generally good shape as were the gaskets, but the gear oil was milky. However this did not solve the problem. One of three spark plugs is brown while one is black, but I have cleaned them regularly. Is it possible I just need to change these out again or something worse like the cylinder?
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SSG Leo Bell
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It might just be the spark plug but it sounds like you have water in you oil. My advice is sneak out while this misses isn't paying attention and buy a new motor and when she says something about it tell hurt you talk it over with her and she told you it was ok to buy a new on and call it your Christmas present.
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SGM G3 Sergeant Major
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SSG Leo Bell, you know that might not be such a bad idea, except my misses would not miss a beat and I'd be kicking the dog out of his back yard hooch.
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SSG Leo Bell
SSG Leo Bell
9 y
Lol that is true and then the dog would be mad.
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SGM G3 Sergeant Major
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9 y
Yep.
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MSG William Wold
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Force outboards were pieced together remnants of the bankrupt Chrysler Corporation outboards. Some were good, some were bad. Milky in the lower unit means a shaft seal is probably bad and has nothing to do with the other end which is the power head. Granted, in the lower unit above the gear box is a water pump that provides cooling water to the power head, and it pumps the water your boat is sitting in. Most generally outboards when running have this little tattletail tiny stream of water coming out somewhere near the lower part of the upper housing that indicates the water pump is pumping. Sometimes those also get clogged but still the pump is putting out just fine, but I would be unplugging it just in case. Tiny bugs like those dark holes in the off season.
Good insurance is to change out that impeller every two-3 or so years as they do get hard and brittle, and sometimes worn when running in merky water and shallow waters picking up sand causing abrasiveness. NEVER run the outboard unless there is water at the impeller, you will burn that out so fast.
These are a two stroke engines mix oil at 50:1 in your gas, or has oil injection; hopefully your using non ethanol gas. Ethanol will eat your rubber gaskets, gas lines and make them swell up internally sometimes to the point of them swelling shut.
You stated that the water pump looked ok, so maybe one or more of the ignition coils is starting to break down when it gets warm, but functions off and on when cool. Moisture on the plug could be an indicator of a head gasket leaking or an internal water jacket gasket letting some seeping in.
If the engine has overheated, that can cause scoring on the cylinder walls, the rings can loose their springiness and loose compression. New outboards cost more than my first new car. They've gotten so expensive that some states started treating them as real property and put titles on them.
I worked on them for 30+ years, but like a person working for Boeing, I don't know of one that has their own plane in their back yard. I went to I/O a long time ago and use a small kicker for fishing, that I never do anymore..
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Sgt Michael Johnson
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Been fishing for 50 years, over 10 years commercial. Force (Chrysler) engines are garbage. Try to get the best trade you can. Your motor is just disappointment after disappointment waiting to happen.
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SGM G3 Sergeant Major
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9 y
Sgt Michael Johnson, Thank you, I had no idea they were such a dissapointment. I did know they were Chrysler outboards. I learned that while doing my research before droppping the lower unit. I thought Chrysler was much better in the 90's though.
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Sgt Michael Johnson
Sgt Michael Johnson
9 y
When I was a crabber I had a Force which lasted 3 months. There is no warranty on commercial use. When I see a person with a Force I feel sorry for them. I have rescued dozens of people with Force motors over the years. When you have a captain's license it is illegal to pass someone in distress. Sometimes I'd think to myself, I could pretend I didn't see them, but I'd have to quit working and help them.
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Sgt Michael Johnson
Sgt Michael Johnson
9 y
Check out my new profile pic. It's a 7 lb. Hybrid Striper caught trolling a #6 green Shad Rap. It's a Kentucky Trophy fish.
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