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I'm just about ready to drill and bolt a kicker motor bracket to a 16 Dauntless. Simple Question - Is there any engineering preference as to which way the bolts should face? Should the bolt head be placed inside the transom facing out or vice versa?
Mercury's engine installation manual says that for all engine installations, the bottom bolts should have the nuts on the inside, and the top ones the nuts on the outside. This allows for proper sealing of the bottom bolt shanks to prevent transom rot.
The bottom bolts are first inserted in the loose engine holes, then sealant applied to the shanks behind the engine bracket, then the engine is pushed up against the transom while holding the bolts fully in place. Prior to this, the top bolts have had sealant applied to the shanks from the inside, then the bolts are pushed through the transom, and ring of sealant is applied before pushing the engines up against the transom. This gives you a perfect transom seal, without getting sealant all over the place and on the bolt threads. Clean and neat, and effective.
