Exhaust covers and bolt mainenance

[pcrussell50]

Obviously the part of the block where water cools the exhaust (or cools the block where the exhaust goes on it's way down to the leg), is a source of great wear on the bolts that hold on the exhaust cover. I've seen them so bad on old salt motors that the bolts just snap off when you try to remove them (I have an old '75 Evinrude 50 I bought used, that is that way. I don't need the motor, just wanted it, so I haven't gotten around to fixing it yet. It's just sitting rotting on a stand right now. Anyhow, I don't want any of my other motors to become that way. Fortunately, only one of them is a salt motor, a pristine '85 Yamaha 40 that had most of it's life owned by a little old lady from Pasadena, (literally, a little old lady from Pasadena), who used it in fresh water at her lake house until she got too old and sold it to me. After a couple hundred hours in salt, I decided to "crack" the bolts just to make sure they haven't frozen in place, and they haven't (whew!)

BUT I want to know what I should be doing here and now, to make sure they stay free? Take the cover off and inspect every year or so? Put marine grease on the threads? Put Never-Seez on the threads? Seal them with RTV? What do you guys do?

-Peter

[flabum1017]

What should be done and what people don't want to pay to have done is simple common sense...... all the bolts in the exhaust, head water jackets, exhaust adapter, thermostats, motor mount bolts (anywhere the water passes) should be removed and greased or have gasket sealing compound applied at least every 2 - 3 years. You don't need to separate the housings (but do pull the powerhead to get to the motor mount clamp bolts) unless you suspect blockage of the water passages..... just do one bolt at a time to not break the gasket seal........