Re: Newbie Questions Restoring 1957 Johnson 18hp FDE-11

[Don]

Well, I guess I would begin by looking at the old seal, is the seal lip chewed up? You may have chewed it up trying to remove it I guess, so this might not be an accurate evaluation. Like all have said, I would definitely look closer at those black spots on the crank, perhaps with a sharp pick to see if the black stuff is just a residue from the old seal. You are in trouble if those are actually pitted areas, not just spots.
Adding the baffle is a judgement call, probably not an issue if used in fresh water.
I would not worry about the black discoloration on the forward gear/bushing, not uncommon after water intrusion. I would resuse the pieces if the bushing still fits tight and rotates easily on the gear.
I would probably just reinstall the driveshaft/propshaft/bushing seal into the gearcase, then reassemble prior to media blasting to ensure none of the stuff gets inside the gearcase. Be sure to remove the SS water inlet cover and clean that passage thoroughly after media blasting though, left over sand/material in this area will be sucked into the water pump and accelerate impeller wear, perhaps plug a cooling passage. Once media blasting is done, go ahead and pull the gearcase apart to clean and relube internals.