Broken bolt on water pump housing

[morelor]

I have an old 20hp Johnson outboard that I recently started to replace the impeller in and I noticed that the 1 of the 3 housing bolts had been broke off by the previous owner. Is this something that should be addressed pretty quickly or is ok to with just 2 of the 3 bolts? If it does need to be fixed soon, does anyone have any suggestions on how I could repair it or will I need to replace the gearcase?

I’m not sure how to attach pictures to my post so here is a link to a picture to show what my gearcase and water impeller housing looks like.

http://www.leeroysramblings.com/Outboar … 20pump.JPG

Thanks in advance for the help!

[fleetwin]

Sorry, the pump will not seal with only two of the three screws in place, that broken screw stud has to come out.
Trying to drill out the little screw is a difficult task as well, the drill will surely want to walk away from the SS stud in favor of the soft aluminum. Might be worth seeing what a machine shop would charge to drill out that stud and install a helicoil.

[frankr]

I’ve drilled out literly thousands of broken screws in outboards (salt water), and I have to tell you every one is still a challenge. It is a skill learned only by doing, and you will mess up more than a few as you learn. Heli-Coils are an outboard mechanics best friend. Next to an acetylene torch and impact screwdriver, that is.

[morelor]

Yeah it looks like the previous owner attempted to drill and tap a hole right next it which obviously doesn’t line up correctly with the bolt holes in the housing or the impeller plate. I’m not sure what their thought process was unless they were hoping to just force the bolt in crooked and cross threaded. Thanks for the replies, I was afraid this was not going a simple fix 🙁

[jethrob]

a drill bit guide is the ticket on this one. It would set in the water pump housing hole and make sure the bit stays where it needs to be… Blue point(it’s rebadged rigid I think) makes a set with extractors, sure there are others out there

[weedlessdrive]

Is it broke off even or sticking out some? I usually can get a pair of needle nose vise grips on them from the side and back it out slowly. If not drill it out or find another unit.

[morelor]

WeedlessDrive, unfortunately it is broke off even so no chance of using pliers.

Frank, the ones that you have drilled out have you done them by hand or were you using a drill press?

[retiredoz]

Somewhere I read the ‘shop’ solution (rather than spending time/money/frustration trying to drill the damn bolt out) is to take a chisel and hammer to the housing, exposing the bolt stub. Those housings are commonplace, no problem finding replacement. That’s assuming the bolt broke in the housing rather than in the gearcase. I’m no drilling expert, so I’ve had to resort to that tactic a time or two.

[frankr]

quote morelor:

WeedlessDrive, unfortunately it is broke off even so no chance of using pliers.

Frank, the ones that you have drilled out have you done them by hand or were you using a drill press?

Mostly by hand because it isn’t too convenient to put something like a lower unit in a drill press without tearing it apart.

[1946zephyr]

It’s helpful to remove the drive shaft too, so that will be out of your way. Stuff a rag in the hole, so shavings don’t fall into your gear case

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