Reply To: Freezing lower unit

[bob-d]

Don, just wanted to follow up with a final update to this long / old post.
Frank wins the prize on this one!
Bill W was nice enough to find me a good used gearcase, which solved the overheating problem. Apparently the ice damage under the impeller plate  in the blind cavities impeded the flow of water to the impeller.
The new gearcase pumps like a champ. Before I mounted the “new” gearcase I ran a garden hose to the brass pickup tube in the lower unit to check the flow through the powerhead . Everything was fine so I started the motor. It stayed within normal operating temperature, so I knew there was no blockage in the head. Wish I would have done that before I pulled  apart the head last summer!
Hope the post helps someone in the future with a strange overheating condition.
Thanks again to all the members who contributed ideas trying to solve the problem.

Bob D