Blown headgasket?

[BigAl331]

I have a chance to buy an '88 Evinrude VRO 150 with a blown headgasket. I'm not familar with 2-stroke motors, the question I have is about he headgasket on a 2-stroke.

Is it the same as on a 4-stroke? I mean is there anything inpaticular that will cause a headgasket to blow on a 2s than a 4s motor? If it's not worth replacing the headgasket I can always use it for parts on my 150 Johnny.

[tsubaki]

Easy fix and no need to remove any other stuff. Leave t-stats and sensors in head.
Now why did it blow it? Lots of things sold as "great condition, all it needs is a head gasket".
Get it real cheap or with a return guarantee if it's not what it's advertised to be.

[BigAl331]

Not sure why it blew right now. The add says that they have the gasket and manual, just hasn't been installed. They are asking $500 OBO but I offered $400.

[tsubaki]

This to replace the thermostats and sensors.
The 24, 1/4" bolts (7/16 socket head).
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w159/tsubaki3/Picture300.jpg
If just changing the head gasket, no need to remove them.
The other 14 bolts hold the head in place (don't remember the size, looks like 3/8" with a 9/16 socket head).
Be sure and take pictures if you get it and please ask questions when repairing.

[cterrebonne]

when you pull the head inspect the cylinder walls to make sure there isnt any scuffing.

[BigAl331]

Just got back after picking up the motor. It sounds like this has happened to the motor twice. The guy said that it happened before but he can't remember which side. What if I pulled a head of my '82 Johnson and put it on the '88 Evinrude?

The motor is a '88 VRO, so the wiring does not match my boat. Now I have two questions, 1st - how hard is it to convert over the wiring to fit the '82 wiring that I have now? 2nd - where can I find the complete control wiring to convert the boat over to the late model wiring?

If I can remember when I start tearing the motor down I'll take pics.

[BigAl331]

I forgot, does anyone have any information for the VRO setup, where the oil tank goes, how to set up a non-VRO for VRO?

[spareparts]

oil tank goes in the thrash

[BigAl331]

oil tank goes in the thrash

?????

[RWilson2526]

Spare is saying premix your fuel and dont even bother with trying to hook the VRO back up (his fingers were a little loose on the keyboard, he meant to say TRASH)

[BigAl331]

OK. I though it was something I hadn't heard of yet.

VRO not worth putting back on the motor?

[macojoe]

you have two choices here 1. fix the head gasket and run the boat with no VRO

2. throw the motor in the trash now and do nothing! Cause when the VRO sh!ts the bed you will throw all in the trash anyway, and its cheaper to just do it now!

[BigAl331]

Right now I plan on swapping the power head from one to the other. My Johnson runs but has problems with the lower section. The Evinrude, like I said, has a blown head gasket. So I'm making one good unit from two so-so assemblies.

[Skools Out]

as i remember you can't even swap those 2 powerheads as they have different midsections and different powerhead adapters, plus you wouldn't take the wiring off one to the other as they will not inter change. the red plug is the only thing those 2 motors have in common.

[BigAl331]

The wiring on the Evinrude is trashed. I was planning on using the Johnson power head on the other mid section. I'll take a look in the repair manual and see if the power heads will swap.

So far they look the same, bolt pattern that is. I haven't gottne the Johnson power head off yet.

[tsubaki]

Look closely at the water jackets on the block and head to make sure there is not a leak on one or the other, it will be evident by discoloration different than the majority of the locations on the gasket.
See if they use the same carburetors also.

[BigAl331]

The carbs don't look exactally the same. I'll have to look at the carb numbers when I get that far.

[BigAl331]

as i remember you can't even swap those 2 powerheads as they have different midsections and different powerhead adapters, plus you wouldn't take the wiring off one to the other as they will not inter change. the red plug is the only thing those 2 motors have in common.

Looking up part numbers, it looks like they will swap over. The only way I will know is when I get both power heads ready to swap.

[Skools Out]

a repair manual will not tell you swap years lol, sounds like a FrankenMotor is being attempted

[BigAl331]

a repair manual will not tell you swap years lol, sounds like a FrankenMotor is being attempted

I did some part number crosses at the following site: http://shop.evinrude.com/ Everything I could make out says that they will swap over. If the power head will not swap then the adapters below the power head between the mid and power sections can be swapped. I'll have to do that to make it work.

[tsubaki]

Al, are you gonna get us any pictures of this??
This looks like a great opportunity of education on our part!

[BigAl331]

Yeah! I've still gotta get the Johnson power head off then I can compare the two side by side. I didn't think pics were needed in the disassembly process since it is in about every repair manual out there.

It may take me a few days. IT'S HOT DOWN HERE IN MISSISSIPPI!! Not to mention it starts raining every time you turn around.

[tsubaki]

Yeah, I've been putting off trying a different motor for the last 2 weeks because of the thunderstorms, bad tides, heat and work.
Seems all I want to do is drink bourbon and ice when the weather and work don't cooperate with the boat schedule!
WE STILL WANT PICTURES!!

[BigAl331]

OK! OK! OK!

Here are some of the problems with the Johnson

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/7498/080209161102.jpg
Rusted steering arm bolt

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5620/080209161101.jpg
Busted cavitation plate.

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2536/080209161100.jpg
Lower pivet bushing absolutely GONE!

I've got a leaking tilt/trim motor, tight/sticky throttle and other nit-picky problems. When I get the motors ready for the swap I take more pics.

[tsubaki]

Dat's what i'm talkin about!!
Pictures!!

[BigAl331]

I forgot one -

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8936/080209161000.jpg
These bolts are so rusted that I can get them to budge. What is the best way to get them out? Cut the head off and take the shank out when the power head is off or what? Any suggestions?

[tsubaki]

That's a long way thru corrosion to get to the threads.
A combination of heat, impact driver, even trying to soak the threads will make you cuss.
Chances are, they are gonna wring off about 1/4" from the head. At least you can tap the housing and remove it to spray and heat the bolts.
An impact driver has been effective about 25% of the time also.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93481

[BigAl331]

It's actually just the head. There was another one that was about that bad. I was able to get it out and just the head looked that bad. There was powder corrosion on the shank down but not rusted.

[Skools Out]

that white power is what steel and aluminum make when in saltwater, you can completely kill the midsection but cutting the sides of the bolts jackets with a grinder and cut off wheel to get them out.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I know you need to be careful swapping powerheads on some of these engines as tuners and adapters were changed from year to year as well as tuners. The 88 150 is actually the equivelant of an 82 175 in most respects to port timing and such. Go ask the MERCURY guys about following the idea that just because it will bolt on it will work, many a MERC has been fried that way. I'm not saying it isn't possible, but you have to check alot of variables when doing it. Also in 88 most of the cross-flow V-6's had gone to large bore engines whereas in 82 they were all small bore for the most part. Many times they would make a slight change in the cooling jackets or something and it would cause overheating if you didn't have the matching deflectors in the mid. Also the carbs changed in 83-84, as well as the heads were opened around that time for unleaded gasoline with lower octane ratings(this is why OMC offered the low compression heads as an accesory if you didn't want to run 89 octane). Also you have to pay close attention to the exhaust portion as it goes through the midsection adapter, I know they changed them some time in the early 80's to a different design and you had to do some JB welding to avoid overheating if you swapped to a newer mode powerheadl or vise versa.

[BigAl331]

Got the johnson apart today. What a PITA! I'll see if they will swap when I get a gasket. Let you guys know how it turns out.

[BigAl331]

UPDATE:

Looks like I can proceed with the swap the gasket matches both mid sections.

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3953/imag0227.jpg
Evinrude

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/6472/imag0226o.jpg
Johnson

This is the gasket that I got for the '82 Johnson 150.

[bradford]

Well, didja get her runnin?