OMC Tech

**PaulO** · 04-17-2020, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by mrichartz

How are you lifting it off? a hoist?
If they put any kind of sealant on it will need to work it off.
A thin knife blade slowly carefully cut in to gasket..
DO NOT use anything thicker or try prying into it.
Hitting with a rubber mallet in a safe spot can help work it loose to..

Thanks

**PaulO** · 04-19-2020, 07:59 PM

Gone way beyond caring about damaging the powerhead but want to avoid damaging the exhaust adapter if possible. Really want to avoid damaging the mid since it is a 20" and have not seen another one. Lifting the entire boat off the trailer with a tractor by the crankshaft. Heated up the entire mounting area between the powerhead and the adapter. 100% certain all bolts/nuts are off. I know this because I removed the new (to me) powerhead off of its adapter and it practically fell off. I am getting ready to beat this powerhead off the adapter with a sledgehammer. I do have one question beyond just a rant. Is it possible to take the powerhead off with the adapter attached? I assume there are bolts internally that are only accessible once the powerhead comes off the adapter but I cannot verify this from my crappy manual or any parts drawings. I did start this entire thread by stating that I am getting close to shooting this thing with my AK so, maybe beating into pieces with a sledgehammer is an alternative!

**racervboat** · 04-19-2020, 10:17 PM

Its a salty and no you cannot take the p-h off with the adapter plate.Need more ammo sorry to say.

**PaulO** · 04-20-2020, 10:04 PM

Got the powerhead off. Destroyed it in the process as well as the adapter plate. Got the adapter plate off and fortunately I have another one. Question though - there was not a gasket between the adapter plate and the mid section. Is this correct? Thanks again for everything.

**MattGreen** · 04-20-2020, 11:36 PM

Holy **** it sounds like you really released some aggression there. I’ve pulled a bunch of salty powerhead, never that much damage. Anyway, no gasket between adapter and mid - manual says Gel Seal only if I recall correctly.

Matt

**Instigator** · 04-21-2020, 04:42 AM

I scrapped a salted up V-8 I couldn’t get the p.head off of.

I soaked the p.head to adapter seam and bolts for wks.

I had a cherry picker hooked to flywheel while motor was on a stand.
I ran a 2 x 4 between them so picker was pulling against the stand and couldn’t lift the motor.

I had enough up pressure that it was flexing the 2 x 4!
Left the pressure on it for days while soaking w/penetrant!

Then tried heat.

Then tried a 2 lb hammer on the seam.
Left under load for another week before giving it away, still assembled.

Funny part was I put it on Craigslist for free and some crack head showed w/a utility trailer that he couldn’t back, I think his girlfriend was toasted while there.
He knew nothing about OB’s but told his girlfriend he rebuild it and have it sold in s couple days.

Oh yeah, didn’t even strap the motor down.

Matt, you need to go work in Fla for a summer and see what it’s sll about ��

**MattGreen** · 04-21-2020, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by Instigator

I scrapped a salted up V-8 I couldn’t get the p.head off of

Matt, you need to go work in Fla for a summer and see what it’s sll about ��

Ha Ha Oh man Gary, I feel your pain on that. Although I live inland now, I’m from Vancouver BC and that’s where the OMC dealership was that I worked summers at. 90% of the engines we saw were saltwater. We had lots of commercial customers where the engines were just beaten on. Pulling looper powerheads is of course a particular challenge on the long side bolts. The trick is a massive amount of heat and teamwork. This was usually a 2-person job. One guy on the oxyacetylene cutting torch heating the adapter and block, the other working the bolts manually (no air impacts until you have them broke loose). This is a bit of a dance so nobody gets burned. That’s really the trick - aluminum expands more than the stainless steel bolt. You have to get it really, really hot - edges of casting will melt a tiny bit and paint and miscellaneous rubber parts get sacrificed for the “greater good”. Worst case I saw was a couple where we did have to zip-disc through the adapter plate to cut bolts that were not going to move. We had lots of used adapters from dead soldiers so not a huge deal. After getting it off we’d sometimes find a block this salty was so corroded at the exhaust sealing surface that we had to junk it. Until this pandemic I did not miss afternoons on the “smoke wrench”, but now......

Matt

**racer** · 04-21-2020, 08:39 AM

Never had one I could not get off. Had to drill thru the adapter into powerhead bolts to cut them off but always got them off.

**gfinch** · 04-21-2020, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by racer

Never had one I could not get off. Had to drill thru the adapter into powerhead bolts to cut them off but always got them off.

Maybe the Pacific is lass salty then the Atlantic. Hi Al.

**H2OPERF** · 04-21-2020, 04:23 PM

On the older ds seal set up the splines would freeze in the crank quite often down here, i got pretty good at cutting thru the mid wit a sawsall but the cranks usually toast at that point but can be fixed with a sterndrive waterpump shaft spline end and a welder, lol..