Crankshaft condition

[fleetwin]

Please give my advice about just pulling the upper seal and having a look at where it rides some thought..Perhaps you can just reposition it up/down in the bearing case to avoid that rough spot in the crank.

In the mean time, definitely buy those engines for the bargain price of $8

[salnaes]

To pull the seal I guess I will have to use the Seal Puller from Richard’s Outboard Tools, and the the seal will be destroyed, right? So I have to buy a new seal. But of course, it’s easier than exchanging the crankshaft. I will consider it.

Sorry for let you think prices are extremely low here. It should be $80 not $8. But it’s not that bad anyway?

[Steve D]

At $80 for those 2 motors I’m still considering a move to Norway!

[fleetwin]

Yes, by all means get Richard’s seal pulling tool, makes the job easy.  Get a few new seals to have on hand.    It would be a shame to pull that powerhead apart if repositioning the seal might do the trick….

While you are in there, have a very close look at the vacuum port that draws the excess fuel/oil residue out of that area.  Perhaps pull the intake manifold so you can run a thin wire up the passage to make sure it isn’t plugged from sealer or blocked by a gasket…

Again, I want you to try everything you can before pulling that powerhead apart.

How about the question I asked about the oring?  One picture shows the top of the crank and a bearing sitting next to it, the bearing has an oring on it….Perhaps the bearing shown is for the lower crank journal though….

[salnaes]

The O-ring was removed before assembling. There’s no O-ring on the upper bearing now. The seal fits inside a groove in the upper bearing. How is it possible to move it up?

[salnaes]

The upper bearing is fixed in a position by entering the pin in the crankcase. The seal is pressed inside the groove in the bearing by using force. It fits precisely and I had to use a vise to force it in place. I don’t understand how I may position the seal further up on the shaft. As far as I remembee both bearing and seal becomes locked in a certain position due to the pin and the groove. Do you mean that the seal can be half way pressed inside the groove in the bearing? Is there enough space left on top of the seal to not get in conflict with items further up on the shaft?

[Steve D]

“I don’t understand how I may position the seal further up on the shaft.  Do you mean that the seal can be half way pressed inside the groove in the bearing?”

With the prop shaft seal or drive shaft seal on 10, 15, 18, 20, 25 HP Johnson and Evinrudes there is some “leeway” or wiggle room where you can position the seal in a slightly different spot in the cavity/recess to avoid the wear on a shaft. I could be wrong but I think with that seal in the bearing you’re pretty much stuck with it in that position.

[fleetwin]

Steve D wrote:

“I don’t understand how I may position the seal further up on the shaft.  Do you mean that the seal can be half way pressed inside the groove in the bearing?”

With the prop shaft seal or drive shaft seal on 10, 15, 18, 20, 25 HP Johnson and Evinrudes there is some “leeway” or wiggle room where you can position the seal in a slightly different spot in the cavity/recess to avoid the wear on a shaft. I could be wrong but I think with that seal in the bearing you’re pretty much stuck with it in that position.

Yeah, there may be no room inside that bearing housing to reposition the seal much..

For now, get the puller, remove the seal, and have a look at the crank where the seal rides.   In this case, perhaps you might get lucky, maybe the seal lip is just messed up…  That tool makes this job easy…

[dave-bernard]

How about as a last resort flip the seal up side down.

[salnaes]

This weekend I bought two Johnson 20hp 1967. Now I will take out the crankshaft from both and check their condition. If one of them looks fine, I will exchange my crankshaft, which is pitted and leaking fuel, with the best Johnson crankshaft. I appreciate all good help on this matter, and if none of the Johnsons have a proper crankshaft, then I will try all advices you’ve been willing to share with me. Thank you for all help.

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