TOPIC: 1947 Mercury KD4

cover and the hub pull out . no turning. pull prop shaft and guts out as an assembly.

As Dave just posted, it's more likely that the "guts" go out the forward side of the propshaft/bearing carrier. So you're gonna have to pop loose the (2) screws (one above, one below) that hold the carrier assy to the gear housing. One of those screws (upper) is visible in the pic you just posted. Then pull the guts out of the gearcase.

BTW regarding sealant for the tank joint, RTV is Not fuel-resistant enough for long-term sealing in direct contact with gasoline.

3M 847 Brown Nitrile High Performance Rubber and Gasket Adhesive has a better chance of holding up:

www.amazon.com/3M-Nitrile-Performance-Rubber-Adhesive/dp/B008F8WD04/ref=pd_sim_263_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008F8WD04&pd_rd_r=FKCFYZMV9M84DFEYBV6W&pd_rd_w=SodFY&pd_rd_wg=puxvE&psc=1&refRID=FKCFYZMV9M84DFEYBV6W

Or something like Three Bond Case Sealant Liquid Gasket:

www.amazon.com/Permatex-85420-Permashield-Resistant-Dressing/dp/B007VIGCJW

www.amazon.com/Three-Bond-Liquid-Gasket-1184A100G/dp/B007TWXI1K/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8

Check out the testimonials on the Three Bond, it's some amazing stuff! Some good tips on application, as well. Heck, if you had a large piece of sandpaper and a big hunk of glass, you probably could lap-in the 2 halves of the tank and use the Three-Bond by itself. It's used for sealing motorcycle crankcase halves so it'd seal your tank just as well. But more likely you'll cut a couple of new gaskets, and this sealer should be excellent for that application as well.

Even good ol' Indian Head Shellac Gasket Compound would probably do the job, it's been around forever and might have even been the sealer originally used! A bit messy, though, so use a small paint brush to spread the stuff on the flanges, and perhaps mask the external surfaces to protect them from the "slop", since it's pretty hard to clean off once cured.

www.amazon.com/Permatex-20539-Indian-Shellac-Compound/dp/B0008KLOG6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

There ya go, even more things to think about!

One more "old standard" sealer:

Permatex No. 3 Aviation-Type Gasket Sealer in a screw-top, brush-in-lid bottle:

www.amazon.com/Permatex-80019-Aviation-Gasket-Sealant/dp/B000HBM3QQ?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000HBM3QQ

I've used more of this sealer than I could possibly count. It's rated as fuel-resistant and stays pliable. Good Stuff.

IMHO, the Three Bond would be my 1st choice.

Cheers..........ed

too much choices Ed !!!

Well, I have cut the gaskets for the fuel tank and put it back together ...... couldn't wait to get to the water impeller




moved the plate back and forth few times then inserted a screwdriver in a hole in the hub of impeller drive........and off it went !!!



....for sure I need new water impeller, the plate looks pretty good, a little wear but I don't think I need one - I am pretty sure I can turn it around to opposite side and use it.



I may need a new oil seal - just because the old one is....old. Calling Joe for parts soon



....thinking of retireing and possibly moving to Omaha NE, not completely sure yet, but looking into houses for sale.........any member of this forum living in that area ??

Very Cool! You're making progress. Be sure to cut some teeny-weeny gaskets to go over every "post" where the screws hold the 2 halves of the tanks together. Otherwise it's gonna leak thru there.

You could use the gasket glue to position the gaskets on one half of the tank, holding them in place while you carefully lower the other half.

Put a thin coating of water-proof boat bearing grease or anti-seize on the screw threads before assembling.

Ed, have gaskets at every post, no worries. The gasket goop was very sticky, and was not easy to put the two halves together, but it's done!
Since I put some Aerokroil oil into the water pump housing, I have decided to take it apart to cleaned it and replace shaft seals, to make sure that water is not getting there.
So far all bolts are easy to undo on this motor.

Here is the first view of the water pump gears......lot's of goop in there



and here after cleaning most of it out...



here is the top part ......two washers are safe Dave



So water pump impeller, gasket, and two shaft seals are on order.... re-assembling water pump is coming soon:)

That goop was the best thing to put in the lower unit. it was the original mercury grease. can't get it since the early 60's. use John Deer Corn Head grease NOT OIL. the best now for these motors.

thank you Dave, I was wandering what to use for the gearbox....now just have to find the place to buy locally

at any John Deer store or Ebay.

If you have a Cenex store in your area, looks like they'll carry it as well. Here's a data sheet I found, from Cenex, that shows the properties of cornhead grease:

www.cenex.com/~/media/cenex/files/lubricants/cornhead%20grease/corn%20head%20grease_pds-h9-02.ashx

got Corn Head grease.....
will fill the gearbox with it...

best way to put it in is make a tool. take a bolt that fits drill down the center add a grease fitting then use a grease gun. in the bottom out the small top.

great idea Dave !
I have another dilemma here - got more parts, and one of them is an "shaft oil seal" that goes ( I think) above the gear - in the gearbox body....however I can not separate the bottom of the gearbox to install the seal......any ideas ?

THAT SCEW AND THERE IS A NUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SWIVEL IT IS FOR A LONG STUD FOR THE LOWER UNIT. THE ONLY THING THAT MIGHT GIVE YOU TROUBLE IS THE WATER TUBE MAY BE FROZEN IN. IF IT WAS ME I WOULD LEAVE THINGS ALONE. THERE WAS NO WATER IN IT. JUST FILL WITH CORN HEAD GREASE AND CHECK EVERY NOW AND THEN.

I'll second Dave's motion, the old grease looked like it didn't have even a drop of water in it, so the old seals were doing the job. If it's gonna be a big issue to separate the gearcase half from the center section, best to just leave it. If you have any issues down the road (or down the bay, as it were!), you can endeavor to drop the L/U and the seal would be replaceable from the driveshaft side, without having to split the gearcase again. Just save the new, unused seal and maybe one day you'll need to install it. Or not! Cheers....ed

thank you guys, sounds like a plan !

when I have said: sounds like a plan - what I really meant was: I am going to replace the propeller shaft seal because is accessible, and wait with another one for later
.....as it turned out it didn't go as planned - now the question is: how do I remove an old shaft seal???......I thought that tis is just a rubber seal, but it does have a metal on the outside diameter - chipped out the rubber, what to do with the metal part??


the good news: re-tapped the 2-56 thread for the petcock filter - got the tap off e-bay.....installed the filter

from the back side use a small screwdriver and tap the shell out.

dave bernard wrote: from the back side use a small screwdriver and tap the shell out.

that would not work Dave - the brass part is over an inch long and nothing can reach the seals metal part.
Anyway - had my car mechanic try to pull it with a seal/bearing puller- no go



he told me to grind/cut the metal into two pieces and then pull it out......that did work...slight scarring - but not bad.
Tomorrow Troy (mechanic) is coming over to press new seal into gear case - I think he want's to contribute to the project after his puller fiasco





I would love to install the shaft seal, but just don't know how to disassemble motor to get to it...........
Changing subject - I am having hard time to open this forum on my computer in last week or so......

Great job . I would put some sealer in for the outside of the seal. just in case.

thank you Dave, that's what Joe from FergusonPool said too!
Today with Joe's phone/picture tutorial I was able to separate propeller gear case from the motor......everything came a part very easy....I think as a testimony for the motor that was used only in Idaho lakes. Have two more work days, but I should be assembling everything back early next week!!!!
Very Happy !

Good job.

I couldn't sign in to the Fiberglassic in weeks........the bottom of the KD4 is done by now.....unfortunately I took too long and Dr.Frankenmerc is too busy to take on my project....so I need to continue on my own - with help from the forum..

here is a power shaft seal - have to say that sits pretty loose, kept in place with a spring



here is the bottom assembled with new seals - on propeller shaft and power shaft, filled with Deere goop.......new impeller is being installed....



now the lower unit is serviced and ready to go........now power head

Took a break from the KD4 and started making a kayak dolly that also is used as foot brace
Still work in progress.....
The kayak weight at the bow with the dolly in is 14 lbs....

The Rocket project was on hold for months now. Just send an email to The Doc to see if he has the time to finish the project for me.
Today I am taking my Glen L15 out for the first time this season - trailer without working lights and licence etc.
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