Bent Shaft - how ?

Motor in question: early '90s Force 50 hp that runs great.

I had trouble getting a new gear case seal kit installed
so I dropped it off at my local marine mechanic ......
I picked it today. He said the shaft is bent and has ruined
the water pump and lower shaft seal socket. . . . .
HOW CAN THIS BE ??? This is a very reputable shop.
They could not give a clue as to why the shaft was bent.
Now, I am faced with a decision of buying a "rebuilt" lower foot
off of e-bay for $700 with a 14 day warranty or having this one
rebuilt for $900 with a 90 day warranty. (both come with a STRAIGHT shaft).
in my heart, it is a loose/loose situation either way. ](*,)
I bought the motor for $400 and have a couple hundred into it ($600 value).
Sell the powerhead and buy another motor ?? a nice OMC JOHNSON this time !!







.

Have you verified the claim yet?
Were there parts on the engine that look like they have been replaced....(transom brackets, eshaust housing)? Something that would indicate the engine had been hit from the rear or side while on the trailer. Start there first then look around for a donor on ebay. Take your time, they are out there.
Call Complete Marine over in Mt. Dora and ask if they have one laying around. They have a ton of used parts.

Thanks Pap,
After carefully examining the shaft, there is definite wear patterns on all contact surfaces
but not deep gouges like the mechanic indicated ....... I rolled it on the kitchen table
and it "appears" to be dead flat.
I just now got the shaft out of my old 35 force and it is the same size with the same wear
patterns....... So I am beginning to think that someone was too quick to judge the condition.
I will take both shafts to my machine shop in Winter Garden tomorrow and have them checked for flatness.
There are no obvious impact marks on the motor either from a parking lot hit or submerged hit on the foot.
I have been to the Complete Marine shop about 3 or 4 years ago with my brother when he was hunting parts.....
I'm not in a hurry - so will keep searching for something that I can swap out some parts with
to make one good foot.

would a broken or loose motor mount cause this condition ???

Thanks !!!

No the mount will not cause it since the powerhead is not mounted independant of the mid section.
From what you are describing the issue was mis diagnosed if there no indication of the shaft being bent.
Upper bearing issue in the gearcase can cause a strange wear pattern but the tell tale is usually a failed thrust bearing and pinion gear.

I have bent a shaft from hitting a huge rock with the prop ( got to close to shore with the motor ). I would suggest putting the shaft in some RITZ dye and letting it soak for an hour or so ( I used a pvc pipe with caps on each end to hold the shaft and dye mixture ) when you remove the shaft look for and stress cracks in the shaft. The dye will penetrate those cracks and not wipe away with a rag. There may be more damage than you can see with a naked eye.

Fishfreek said:

The dye will penetrate those cracks and not wipe away with a rag. There may be more damage than you can see with a naked eye.

Click to expand...

FWIW we've done this with liquid cold blue, but regardless of the solution used, the material to be tested must be pristine clean for best results. It sure doesn't replace MPI (magnaflux) testing, but can at least point you towards what may be a bigger problem.

Does no one else have a rule not to touch Force motors but me? Get out while your ahead may not be the best expression here but at least get out before your buried by this thing! I've dealt w two of them in my life and have warned a few buddies who proceeded to buy them anyways, and then kicked themselves in the *** for doing so. Can't say I've ever bent the shaft....... But it's all just bad force karma too me.

I took the two shafts to my metal shop yesterday.
The owner has been my fathers personal friend since
1950 and he also lives less than a block away from me.

He chucked the shafts in a lathe as there are center points on each end.
both shafts are straight. Very very little "out of straight" readings on the micrometer.
magnaflux is not an option. He said the purple dye from PVC primer will work
"in most instances" to find cracks, but will not detect over stressed areas.
He said to get new shaft seals, ensure the water pump housing is mounted
carefully and not off centered and go fishing.

I bought this bass boat last year that came with a mid '80s 35 Force - - - -
it burned up 3 weeks later (after the seller guaranteed me it had a new impeller).
and now, I have an early '90s 50 Force only because all the controls and wiring was
already on the boat . . . just "swap-n-go". The 50hp runs great, water pump is in
good shape, I just wanted to change the shaft seals because there was a little bit
of water in the oil when I checked it last week . . . which led to all this mess.
The only reason I took it to the shop in the first place is I could not get the seals to
fit properly . . . . I will try another seal kit - maybe this one is not for this model.

and YES - as soon as I find a good 50hp Johnson within my budget, this Force will be GONE.

Thanks everyone for your input

case closed

Was thinking this was a bogus claim.
Without evidence the engine had been in an accident of some sort there is pretty much no way the shaft can bend.
Always get OEM kits when you can. Sierra and other "will fit" kits often do not match.
Sierra points are horrible for example.
Also....find a new mechanic as this guy is a BSA. Bulll ---- Artist.

glad you got to the bottom of it. i find it hard to believe that you can bend that shaft. now the prop shaft is a different story. if it rolled flat on a table i would run it.

yep - case resolved.

I have a tendency to be gullible and seal deals with a handshake.
I am having a hard time fitting into the 21st Century because of this affliction.

After a couple of back and forths with the seller of the seal kit, he finally admitted
that his "research" was not as accurate as it should have been and refunded my $29.95
and didn't want the seal kit back and he said he will be more diligent in his future listings.

So, Pappy - your scenario of "one kit fits most" is very true . . . I just happened to
have bought one of those kits that my motor was not on the "most" list LOL.
That is when I got frustrated as I took the mans word that it would fit my motor and
bought it . . . and it didn't fit. So, I gave it to the mechanic for him to make it fit.
Apparently, the mech never even looked at the seal kit I had left with the foot or he would
have said right away that it was the wrong model kit.
So, he was two times dumb.... shaft is NOT bent -seal kit was the wrong one.
I have found a OEM/NOS shaft seal kit that WILL fit my motor . . . so that is taken care of.
I am not going to take the gear case apart as my skill level is just not there.
I will pressure test it and see how it goes from there.
AND - look for another reputable outboard shop.
The one here near me closed up a couple of years ago. Now, a local bait shop takes in
motors and has a deal with a shop in Kissimmee for repairs. So the mechanic comes up
a couple of times a week to pick up and deliver motors. . . . .
I guess on MINE, he sent his new mechanic-wanna-bee to pick stuff up . . ](*,) #-o ](*,)

a big THANK YOU to all

Glad it all worked out with you! And thanks for the tip, I think ... , that I too might be getting old ...

... as there used to be a day when a man's handshake or word meant and stood for something!

Hey Johnny,

Glad you got it resolved and congratulations on having folks to fall back on whom you can trust. They are harder to come by these days.

A lot of things are said to be " the first to go" when you get older.

I've found TRUST should be added to that list. I'm not paranoid, but I think there are more weasels in the world than there used to be. Or, perhaps, fewer folks get stuff fixed and the sloppy work reputation never gets talked about. Dunno.

Congratulations...both in real life and with the on-line advice you've gotten here.


=D>

Has happened to me twice in the last year.
The 1954 Johnson 25hp was purchased through a friend and fellow antique outboard guy. He assured me the engine was ready to go........it was blown up. He promised to make it right.....never even attempted to.
A mutual friend of the same guy and myself sold me a package deal a few months ago. A 1955 Johnson 25hp, with a roll-a-round stand and a 6-gallon tank.
I got the engine and I got the tank with no fittings.....and no roll-a-round stand. He said he couldnt fit the stand in with the engines.....next meet I texted him and said to not forget the stand. In three seperate texts he stated three different issues including he broke the stand. He then called a member on the board and said he was scared to attend the meet because I was going to be there. (I never threatened the guy, just stopped conversing). Told him the stand was never part of the deal. Unfortunately for him I had kept all correspondence through texts that included the original deal. Would have been easier to tell me he needed the stand instead of getting tangled up in a string of lies.