Motor Guide Trolling Motor Problemo-HELP!

Had a pontoon with a bow-mounted Motor Guide Trolling Motor. 12 Volt 43# thrust. I had bought it new in 2001 or 2002, but only used it one or two times as I used my little bass boat to fish. Used the pontoon to troll or cruise when we had company here at the lake. The pontoon was always covered and also under our dock's roof. Sold it recently to some friends as we plan on moving off the lake and the motor kept blowing fuses. Turns out he had a friend open the motor up and it was all locked up, rusty and all. Was stunned this morning when he told me about this!
Want to do them right by having it repaired or replaced. Anyone out there have any ideas on what could have caused this and options I may have as far as repairs or buying a comparible motor?
Thanks!

Husker

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Originally Posted by CrappieHusker

Had a pontoon with a bow-mounted Motor Guide Trolling Motor. 12 Volt 43# thrust. I had bought it new in 2001, but only used it one or two times as I used my little bass boat to fish. Used the pontoon to troll or cruise when we had company here at the lake. The pontoon was always covered and also under our dock's roof. Sold it recently to some friends as we plan on moving off the lake and the motor kept blowing fuses. Turns out he had a friend open the motor up and it was all locked up, rusty and all. Was stunned this morning when he told me about this!
Want to do them right by having it repaired or replaced. Anyone out there have any ideas on what could have caused this and options I may have as far as repairs or buying a comparible motor?
Thanks!

Husker

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Sounds like a leaky seal. Could be the one on the prop shaft , lots get damaghed by fishing line. I hate motor guides as the last one I had kept leaking and would fry the electronics.:mad::(:eek:

NIMROD,

Thanks for your reply, but:
only used the motor once or twice and less than a total of 10 minutes max. No chance of line getting in to mess with the seal. Have used my motorguide on my little bass boat for 200 hours or more with no problems. Any other ideas?
Only thing I can think of is rust due to humidity?

I would think the humidity could be the culprit. I would think any motor that has been sitting outside not being used for 6 or 7 years could suffer that problem regardless of brand.
I had a MG on my boat for 13 years without 1 problem. I wanted it to die so I could buy a new digital. Finally, the speed control switch started acting up so I seized the moment and made the switch.

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Originally Posted by crappiemax

I would think the humidity could be the culprit. I would think any motor that has been sitting outside not being used for 6 or 7 years could suffer that problem regardless of brand.
I had a MG on my boat for 13 years without 1 problem. I wanted it to die so I could buy a new digital. Finally, the speed control switch started acting up so I seized the moment and made the switch.

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I would venture to say you are prob right with this answer.

The motor is sealed to withstand 1 atmosphere of pressure. However, that is only the motor. There is air passage from the crown to the motor via the shaft. This is not an airtight seal.

Water (and rust) will not hurt the motor. What gets damaged is the brush springs, etc. that are not corrosion proof.

DC motors will run under water without any seals. Just have to wash the moisture out every time you use it this way. FYI

I've had trolling motors act up from moisture before and a bad seal was the culprit each time. Regardless, all I did was take them apart, clean the rust off the brushes and the armature with a fine grit sandpaper. Put it back together with a new seal. Even though the MG was hardly used since new, time and weather will take it's toll on the rubber and it will eventually give somewhere. It could have also not been put together properly at Motor Guide from the git go, which in that case, was already leaking the few times you did use it. Tom is right, they will run without being sealed.

If it has been setting up that long , condensation will form and cause the same problem.

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Originally Posted by CrappieHusker

Had a pontoon with a bow-mounted Motor Guide Trolling Motor. 12 Volt 43# thrust. I had bought it new in 2001 or 2002, but only used it one or two times as I used my little bass boat to fish. Used the pontoon to troll or cruise when we had company here at the lake. The pontoon was always covered and also under our dock's roof. Sold it recently to some friends as we plan on moving off the lake and the motor kept blowing fuses. Turns out he had a friend open the motor up and it was all locked up, rusty and all. Was stunned this morning when he told me about this!
Want to do them right by having it repaired or replaced. Anyone out there have any ideas on what could have caused this and options I may have as far as repairs or buying a comparible motor?
Thanks!

Husker

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same thing happened to mine . it wasnt worth fixing wal-mart junk! they fust dont make them to last anymore , i went to minn kota the one i am using now is ten years old and i beat the heck out of it . if you can find a old brute stumpjumper motorguide they are real nice. good luck i will probably see ya at wal-mart huh.where else can you get a bow mount for 200 bucks.

What FOUL HOOK said. Even if you have it under a tarp or cover protected from the elements it will form condensation in and on everything especially when you have a cool or cold night then the sun hits it in the morning. Condensation will form and if the motor wasn't run then that will lead to rust. That's why they reccommend you fill your gas tank when you are going to leave anything set for a spell. Probably get off as cheap buying another TM if the old one is froze up. Ferdi aka Fred

Don't spend any money on it until you take it apart and try to clean it yourself like I describe above and re-seal it. All these other folks might have money to burn and be able to just go out and buy a new one, but what's wrong with at least checking into cleaning the rust and testing it? That won't cost you anything but about 30 minutes of tinkering. I've never had one go bad because of condensation. I'm sure it can happen, but most of the time, one rusts up because a seal has not been installed properly installed, or the seal has deteriorated over time and allowed moisture in.

My friends Stern mount 40# thrust Minn Kota was locked up when I went to fish his strip pit this last summer. I told him if he would like me to, I would take it apart and have a look at it. Time to disassemble, 10 minutes, result, rust from a cracked/weathered seal.
Solution, clean housing, brushes and armature. 150 grit sandpaper on the contact points. Stopped by a seal specialty shop while in Tulsa and picked up two new seals for it. Put it back together and it worked just fine. The guy gave me the seals as they deal in bulk and my need was so small.

All I am saying is that it is worth the attempt, after all, it is a new TM. I'll give ya $50 for it if interested.

Don't believe it's condensation. condesation won't rust to the point it sounds like you're talking. It is repairable unless the rust has caused the the magnets to turn loose. Brush springs will be rotted. If armature shaft is pitted, then it will eat the seals. Will need to be resealed, and since you can't find a place for seals to fail, the shaft should be removed from the motor, threads cleaned, and re locktited.

Also, a DC electric motor may run underwater without seals, but not for long and not right. The water will will cause a problem in brush contact with the com bars, making the brushdust an insulation unable to carry current.
John

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Originally Posted by Jones Trolling Motor

Don't believe it's condensation. condesation won't rust to the point it sounds like you're talking. It is repairable unless the rust has caused the the magnets to turn loose. Brush springs will be rotted. If armature shaft is pitted, then it will eat the seals. Will need to be resealed, and since you can't find a place for seals to fail, the shaft should be removed from the motor, threads cleaned, and re locktited.

Also, a DC electric motor may run underwater without seals, but not for long and not right. The water will will cause a problem in brush contact with the com bars, making the brushdust an insulation unable to carry current.
John

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about time a professional chimed in! Good info John and welcome to the board.

Are you implying I am not a pro?:p

I got more degrees than a burn center has.:rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jones Trolling Motor

Don't believe it's condensation. condesation won't rust to the point it sounds like you're talking. It is repairable unless the rust has caused the the magnets to turn loose. Brush springs will be rotted. If armature shaft is pitted, then it will eat the seals. Will need to be resealed, and since you can't find a place for seals to fail, the shaft should be removed from the motor, threads cleaned, and re locktited.

Also, a DC electric motor may run underwater without seals, but not for long and not right. The water will will cause a problem in brush contact with the com bars, making the brushdust an insulation unable to carry current.
John

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How come my robots run under water so good then? The motors are not sealed?