Franken Boma

[Latimeria]

Well, I haven't laid the electricity to her yet, but I did a major engine/lower unit swap on the Square Boma (My Boat) yesterday. 

The short story to catch up if you don't know, I have an early 70's bass boat that I brought back from the dead and is a fish killer.  My motor was running great, then I would lose power to nothing more than idle after 10-15 minutes of running her. I switched out everything it could be... fuel lines, rebuilt carbs, coils, fuel tank sending unit, fuel pump, gaskets, stator... and a few things I can't even remember at the moment.

I got a friend who referred me to a mechanic locally that he liked and when I got there had another option of trying to fix the motor.  He has a like for like Johnson 70hp outboard that was 2 years newer and said that he just rebuilt the carbs and changed the water pump out this year and it was in mechanically great shape.  I got a deal on the motor as we agreed on half of what he was asking for it and gave me a 30 day warranty.  That way I could just take off the other motor and literally plug the new one up with the same attachments.

Motor worked great for Oct-Dec, but after the first trip in January this year... threw a rod and seized the motor.  No water was coming out the pisser and ultimately the motor over heated and blew.

I did not have the money, time or patience to figure out the other motor as I have been fixing it for months to no avail and the shark fishing was so good off the beach, I did not mind even with giant Bluefin out there.  But.... my wife was caught up in layoffs and I do not know how the hell we could survive just on my salary.  Basically I started losing my mind and just wanted to get out on a boat, but all my friends with boats would send me un-invites.  Invite me out, but never get back to me and/or just go out without calling.  Shore fishing in the summer sucks balls, so I need to get the Boma operational.

Hence, yesterday...

I pulled the busted motor, but just before that removed the lower unit to check the waterpump as the thermostat was filled with rubber impeller pieces.  Sure as sh!t, the water pump was even dated the last time it was changed and the impeller was shredded!





8-8-12!!!!!!!!  I was told more like 8-8-15!!!!



Off with the old busted one....







After a quick clean up, the busted, yet working motor was installed.





As I was removing the lower unit of the working, motor, I pulled the lower unit to check all the seals and did some part swapping while I had both motors in pieces.





The parts motor with two lower units that need some TLC.




I ordered a new thermostat kit and water pump impeller, so I hope I can make one good motor from the two I tore apart.

Only bummer was I got a concussion in the process.  I was lifting the legs of the cherry picker to store it in the garage.  Each one weighs about 80 pounds and I was being careful to roll it in without an issue when the little wheel got stuck in the drain on the driveway cement.  I thought I was being careful and slightly lifted up the wheel to get over the hump when WHAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!  It was an 80 pound steel bat that swumg down and nailed me on the noggin.  I iced it down right away, but still got a goose egg.  I rested after that as I had a nasty headache for the rest of the day and even felt a little sick, but I'm doing better this morning.  It figures this all happened when the wife wasn't home, but I'm glad that she didn't roll up to see me unconscious on the garage floor or anything.  Ha!

Anyway, I have a lot more work to do, but the bulk of the crappy part of switching motors is done.  Just maybe I can salvage the season!

Thanks for reading!

[sasquatch]

Hoping you get that thing together and working. And, watch your head.

[WheresMyBeer]

geez dude ... sorry about the noggin! Hope you're doing better.

Curious if that fix works. Keep us posted. We need to check on that as well. Probably wouldn't hurt to replace anyway while we do the impeller.


... 30 day warranty ... heh ...

[Eric H]

You really do know how to do just about everything.

Careful with the head, you need that for fishin 

[skrilla]

Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'

















Hope the motor does the same. 

[Latimeria]

I'm busy the next few days so have no time to work on it, but hopefully start to put things together by Saturday.  With any luck I might give it a bay trial by Sunday if the boat gods smile upon me.

[vdisney]

Bummer about the knock on the 'ol noggen dude, did you not put the "pin" in the stored position?  For some sick reason I still enjoy working on crap, even after 32 years of doing it for a living.  I hope it all works out for you Tom...........................Verne

[Latimeria]

Bummer about the knock on the 'ol noggen dude, did you not put the "pin" in the stored position? 

Unfortunately I did not which led to the situation.  I always have in the past, but for some reason put the pin in the wrong hole.  Maybe working 8 hours in triple digit heat might have led to the problem.  lol

[xjchad]

Let's see a pic of the goose egg 

[Latimeria]

Let's see a pic of the goose egg 

I iced the hell out of it so it is mostly gone now.  I was too dizzy to think about getting a pic and got a little nausea when I looked at it in the mirror. lol

[Latimeria]

What a tease!!!!!

I installed a new impeller on one of the better lower units and mounted it to the hopefully fixed "other" motor .  I hooked everything up and turned the key... VROOM!!!!!!  Holy crap!  It started like a champ on one crank, but I quickly noticed that no water was pissing out the back.  Well, it was, then teetered out.

I spent 6 hours working on it in the heat just to have me tear the entire lower unit off again... which can wait until tomorrow as I am bushed and now stuck babysitting 3 kids.

Oh well, the good news is it started and hopefully I can get the bottom end squared away once I decipher the issue.



I was hoping to sand and paint the motor today, but that looks to be on hold once again.

Well at least things are getting closer to completion.

[WheresMyBeer]

So was the impeller bad now? Do you have pieces clogging the connection to the impeller? I guess that would only cause overheating though. ?? Not mechanical by nature, but you mentioned seeing debris so wondering if that circulated through the entire system?

[Tim524]

Hope you get it figured out, bummer about the lump on your head