Building a 150 FastStrike for salt water use

**BenKeith** · 06-21-2018, 06:55 PM

What's the best way to assemble everything? I've never had to assemble one for saltwater use. It's a 95 freshwater motor but it has all SS bolts/nuts etc. I was considering just loading everything down with never seize but was wondering is a plenty of a good Permatex gasket sealer (not silicone) on all the bolts/nuts would be better, or would anything I tried be a waste because the salt is going to get in a corrode the crap out of them anyway.
I bought a 89, 3.0 looper saltwater motor many years ago and played hell getting the thing apart. I'm trying to avoid as much of the corrosion and broken bolts as possible when it comes time to replace the water pump in a few year and do any other maintenance necessary.
Any tricks or preventive measures would be appreciated.

**Whaaaaat** · 06-21-2018, 07:48 PM

Tefgel on bolts and corosionx everything else. Anti sieze just adds another dissimilar metal to the mix.

**BenKeith** · 06-21-2018, 09:09 PM

Neither of those are something I can get without ordering online. Kinda puts a crimp in my plans for getting it together this weekend. Is there anything Grainger or the chain stores sell I can use?

**BenKeith** · 06-26-2018, 12:06 PM

OK, UPS delivered me some Tef-Gel today.
Now, would you put it on the large main bearing bolts in the lower half. Also the carb ande intake bolts. I read something where you might want to modify torques to prevent loosening. Don't think I would want those to loosen and there's not much room to modify torques on those plastic carbs and intakes?

**faztbullet** · 06-26-2018, 09:16 PM

Hope you pressure tested block......they are known leakers

**BenKeith** · 06-27-2018, 05:10 AM

I guess no one has any comments on whether or not you should put that Tef-Gel on the main bolts

Yes, I pressure checked the block.

**H2OPERF** · 06-28-2018, 07:50 AM

Man haven't seeen u on here in a while...Never used that stuff, I paint the crap out of all my bolts with omc gasket sealing compound or the pro version, slop it on the threads /shank till its dripping everywhere .. This will fill the void ,seal the head of the bolt and the joint your clamping together..wipe the mess off afterwards with acetone or what ever solvent you have and no problems..Just pulled my etec lower been on 4 yrs no thing even remotely stuck..I dont use anything on non water jacket areas on the P/H lower 2 mains wouldnt hurt..Dave

**Whaaaaat** · 06-28-2018, 09:51 AM

I don't think it would be necessary internally in the motor. There I would follow the book. But anything that's external our exposed. Head bolts or studs. Intake side. Definitely powerhead mounting and midsection stuff.

**H2OPERF** · 06-29-2018, 07:57 AM

Think hes talking about the 2 lower external case 1/2 bolts

**BenKeith** · 06-29-2018, 06:50 PM

H20PERF, I've been out of messing with these things for several years. My hands were giving me too much trouble and couldn't hold a die grinder more than few minutes. Finally had basel joint surgery on left hand (and I'm left handed) where took a bone out of my thumb and used a ligament out of my wrist to hold the thumb. Now I have very little dexterity in my left hand so still not doing much.
My son bought a 150FS and I'm rebuilding it for him.
I found out a couple of hours ago, you DO NOT spray CorrosionX on the upper mount before you install it. I sprayed the mounts and the wedge good with the stuff, put Tef-Gel on the bolt and stuck it. Manual says to torque the bolt 90-105ft pounds which seems like a hellavalot to me. Well, I never got it to 65 and the wedge was probably 1/2" or more down in the mounts. I got scared it was going to damage the block and quit. That stuff is just too slick for that wedge. I had to drill the center out of the wedge and break it up with a punch to get the mounts back out because the wedge would not begin to move out. I just ordered a new wedge so I can do it over again. This time with just the grease it calls for. Then I will spray everything after it's torqued.

I've been putting that Tef-Gel on most bolts, but not the main bearing bolts and bolt I put locktite on. I did put it on the head bolts and I'm hoping that don't come back to bite me
I've decided the intakes, carbs and throttle bodies will get Lock-Tite and not the Tef-Gel. Those just don't have the room to over torque them and that stuff is just way to slick to think it would hold with no more torque they use.

Pretty sure the OMC manual is wrong (typo error) on that bolt torque wedge in top mount. Anyone know what a correct torque should be. Researching shows 220 inch pounds would be closer to correct.

**Whaaaaat** · 06-29-2018, 08:09 PM

I hate that I may have recommended something that caused more harm than good, that sucks. I'm much better at this stuff when it's right in front of me. When I have doubts about torque I look online for a lube vs unlubed spec sheet. I also use the tef gel sparingly on more critical fasteners.
Sometimes only on the shank and under bolt head, with either high temp thread sealant or aircraft gasket sealant on threads.
Apologies if my first post caused harm and wasn't compete enough.
Good luck with rest of the build

**BenKeith** · 06-29-2018, 10:48 PM

I did the additional research on this stuff before getting it so don't think you did something wrong. I've been turning wrenches about 60 years and modified my fair share of boat motors so I'm suppose to know better than make the dumb mistakes and my first one was trying to make this motor salt water proof. I should just build it like I do all my freshwater motors and worry about the broken bolts if/when it has to be worked on. He has already said this is just a cheap motor to get the boat on the water. In a couple of years he plans to buy a new E-tec or a four stroke. Something quit and economical to run.

**Capnmoench** · 07-02-2018, 10:15 AM

On my Mercury I use the Permatex aviation gasket maker on all studs, sparingly paint all gaskets that won’t be removed for regular preventative maintenance, just wetting them, and all of the mounts. I paint it on the bolts and let tack up overnight, then give them another good coating before installing. I don’t paint the threads. Just the last part under the washer and nut, or bolt head to get it to squeeze out. Otherwise your torque specs will be off with a lubricant if it wasn’t written requiring one. I also used the Permatex on the u-bolts, washers, threads, spacer and bracket mating surfaces when I overhauled my trailer down to every bolt. It’s like my version of Frank’s Red Hot. I Put That **** On Everything.

**Capnmoench** · 07-02-2018, 10:22 AM

I also buy some cheaper urethane single stage black automotive paint. The 2-part stuff you mix. I clean any and all squeezed out sealer from the joints and spray it reduced, or brush on the paint unthinmed onto washers, threads, nuts and bolt heads. It makes a good chemical and salt resistant candy shell. I regularly remove my cowl and give her a good rinse in there. Avoid getting the electronics wet though.

**BOATMANBLUES** · 07-03-2018, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by BenKeith

I did the additional research on this stuff before getting it so don't think you did something wrong. I've been turning wrenches about 60 years and modified my fair share of boat motors so I'm suppose to know better than make the dumb mistakes and my first one was trying to make this motor salt water proof. I should just build it like I do all my freshwater motors and worry about the broken bolts if/when it has to be worked on. He has already said this is just a cheap motor to get the boat on the water. In a couple of years he plans to buy a new E-tec or a four stroke. Something quit and economical to run.

If you rebuild that 60 degree ,torque the mains,rods and heads,tighten everything else up to where it feels good ...it will be running long after that new etec or four stroke are thrown in the weeds in disgust...OMC 60 degrees are the toughest most dependable motors ever built in my opinion....I still run a couple early 90s 150 60s on my junkers and wouldn't trade them for anything built since..