We have a Beta 38 hp engine with about 640 hours on it. We changed out the zinc in Zihuatanejo, Mexico and then sailed and motored back up to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and the bolt that holds the zinc in leaked the whole way. Not bad but enough to drool salt water onto the engine and motor mount. Not good. At the time we did not want to take a chance on stripping it out as we were not by any services.
Recently we removed the zinc and checked out the housing the sink fits into. We probed around with a wire and there is nothing in the housing to block the zinc from screwing in all the way. Next we checked the threads in the housing and they look fine. We then used a plug without the zinc in it and screwed it in tight using a 9\16 socket and wrench which fits it perfectly. It still leaks and it is tight.
At this point we are at a loss as to why it leaks?
This was always an easy thing to do, replacing the zinc without the plug leaking.
I really don't know what is wrong here but it is quite acceptable to use a light wipe of RTV silicone (or teflon tape) to help the threads to seal. The zinc will still work as there will still be metal to metal contact between the zinc plug and the housing.
If the replacement zinc was not purchased from Beta, it is probably the wrong thread. I attempted to pick up some spares when last at the boat and nobody carried the correct thread. I just ordered 10 from Beta to be sure I had the correct ones aboard.
Reggie
Hmmm... We originally ordered a few from Beta when we bought the engine I believe. Since then we have gotten some from the chandlery here in PV Mexico. Getting things shipped ere is problematic. We have been using acid to eat out the old zinc and cutting and screwing in new zincs. No way de we know which ones are which. We will look at the threads on them all and see if we can tell. The ones or two that leaked screwed in nice and tight and the threads felt fine. I will check it out though.
We did use 3-4 wraps of Teflon tape and is now not leaking.
Hi,
Hi,
