posted 09-04-2008 05:05 PM ET (US)        

i installed a rebuilt powerhead in a friends boat 2 years ago and have regreted it ever since!

I initially had an overheating problem after first installing the powerhead.(did i mention that the original powerhead was seized after an overheat problem? the engine was left to corrode for two years leaving it as an anchor.)
It turned out to be a pinched intake water hose! After that, the owner ran the boat with the warning buzzer blaring and really cooked the engine. I had to replace every electronic component, pull the engine and replace the head gaskets, bypass port gaskets, you name it! I even had to replace the upper bearing and housing along with having the crank cover welded up after a piece of the outer race of the top bearing broke off and jammed into the case cover!

After trial running out of the water,I kept getting a pulsating beep from the warning buzzer. The testing of the low oil switch proved that it wasn't coming from it, but even after diconnecting the switch, i couldn't silence the beep.

Tried running in the water; the beep still persisted, but i was getting plenty of water: every water jacket was pissing from the gaskets!

next problem, boat wouldn't climb on plane,RPM's wouldn't climb past 2700.(it would hit 4500 easily even running hot when i originally installed the new powerhead) boat eventually stalled. it re-started, but stalled again. pulled plugs to see if they were wet, and was suprised to find that 2 plugs from opposite banks and opposite positions (top/bottom) looked like they were lead fouled. After trying to clean them, it felt like aluminum particles were welded inside the electrodes to the insulaters, and reinstalling the plugs, the engine restarted but soon quit again.