Lower Unit Oil Leak!

[GDBrown]

OK I finally got the new boat into the garage and put new lights on the trailer, replaced the bow stop, winch cable, etc. Then I put the motor in my over-sized bucket to see how well it really runs. Had to take the cowl OFF the motor and look closely at the fuel filter and check the linkage... several broken parts that I didn't see when I bought it! Dang!! Cleaned the filter, repaired the priming bulb on the hose (after changing pants due to gas sprayed all over me) and finally got the motor started. Seems to run OK but was a little rough, I'll check the spark plugs tomorrow and go get a carb kit. After cleaning everything up and putting the boat inside while I showered, had dinner, went grocery shopping and put food away (wife comes home tomorrow don't want the fridge totally empty). I looked at the motor and there on the floor was a nasty puddle of oil!:shock: Now it looks like I'm going to have to put a seal kit into the lower unit too. I might as well put a new impeller in while I'm at it, right.

So the question is: Where is the best place to get parts for Mercury Outboards (I'm in Hillsboro) and if I need help is there someone on the forum who works on Mercs that I can patronize with my business?

 

[beaverfan]

I would shoot Stream2.5 a PM I know he runs a repair shop and could probably point you towards the parts or repair it if needed.

 

[frodog]

Harvey marine on tv hwy is a certified merc. dealer and has a parts dept.

 

[GDBrown]

Frustrating Day on the Lower Unit.

Frustrating Day on the Lower Unit.

Harvey marine on tv hwy is a certified merc. dealer and has a parts dept.

I read on an Outboard Forum about oil on the garage floor after a trip and they said it may not be bad seals but just residue from unburned oil in the fuel that drains out the exhaust. So I was a little encouraged, but then I drain the lower unit and there was water in the oil! Not a lot but enough to make me worry. I went to Harvey Marine and picked up a few parts for the motor and talked to them about putting a seal kit in the lower end and of coarse they told me about all the special tools needed to do the job, etc. They said it usually costs about $250 for them to do it. After spending about three hours changing plugs, trim tab, fuel line adapters and trying to get oil into the lower unit I'm beginning to think $250 might be a good price. I'm just not able to work on things like I use to! It only took 4 trips to Bi-Mart and two Auto parts store before I got the job done.
But I did get the boat on the water up at Hagg Lake late in the day. I took the GPS with me to see how fast the boat was and was surprised when the max speed was 27.9 MPH!:shock: That's faster than I really need to go on the water. It was very smooth on the lake and I can imagine what it would be like to hit the throttle that hard if it was choppy out. My back hurts just thinking about it.
I haven't check the oil since returning from the water but will try to do that tomorrow night after work. Oh, and the welded aluminum boat leaked worse than my older riveted boat did!:lol: Now I need to figure out where it is coming from, maybe a penny under the seat some where?
Didn't even take a rod with me so don't ask.

GD

 

[OnTheFly]

It looks like you've got a handle on it. Just don't let the boat become a hole in the water that you throw money into all the time.

 

[capblack]

if your not going to throw money into it, then you might as well sell it. Your just ironing all the wrinkles. Ive had lots of boats, and unless you buy new, your going to have to fix some stuff before you get it where your comfortable with it, But look on the bright side, if it doesn't work out, you can still drift the rivers, Brian

It looks like you've got a handle on it. Just don't let the boat become a hole in the water that you throw money into all the time.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Sorry to hear about the motor. You live and learn I guess. Now you know not to buy one without seeing it run. As for the leak always look the rivets over really well and same goes for welds. Sorry to heasr the boat leaks I finally got a non leaky boat after a year of leaky boating. Always look under the boat as well. Just fill it up with water to find the leak. It might be one of the rivets on the keel? a quick reweld will fix you up. I would find the leak before you spend another pennie unless the leak was minor then get that motor in shape while you uprade the boat. Boats are money holes hopefully the money goes to important stuff.

 

[GDBrown]

I'm not disappointed! Just needing to iron out the bugs, or in this case the pine needles under the seats. I'll remove the seat boards and check things out there in a week or two. The leaking is not so bad I can't use the boat. The motor problems are minor compared to some I've dealt with. This is used boat number 6 so I understand what I'm in for, and yes boats can be money holes if you let them, the trick is to only fix what is needed for your comfort or pleasure. (The Little Blue Drifter is for Pleasure!)

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Well there you go then. And on the oil deal I had an 1990 evinrude that when I had the boat outside I kept the motor in the garage on its side(like it was trimed up all the way) and notice a small oil slick were I kept it but it never got big over time and when I move and was able to keep the boat garaged I never noticed any oil on the cement until I got a new one and set it off to the side. And again as long as it sat it was a very small oil slick not like it kept leaking more like it leak once and stoped.

 

[fishcreekspinners]

b

Boats are money holes hopefully the money goes to important stuff.

Heard this from a boat mechanic from Florida. BOAT = Bring Out Another Thousand

 

[Hawk]

A couple years ago when i came home from the lake i had a small oil leak from the bottom weep hole on the lower drive unit below the prop. I wiped it off & it no longer leaked at all since.

 

[frodog]

I have heard of this self fixing leak thing before it all stems from not having anything to leak out.

GD if you need help working on your boat i too am in hillsboro and dont mind lending a hand when I can I am not a boat mechanic but have never needed a mechanic in my life. Just some manuals or the occasional wiring digram. Those shmucks at harveys really put the screws to a guy I asked what they would charge to balance my carbs and the guy couldn't give me a straight answer first he said 95 min one hour charge and then maybe two hundred if my oil injector needed tuning and before I hung up he was talking motor rebuild, and all it really needed was plugs.

 

[Hawk]

I have heard of this self fixing leak thing before it all stems from not having anything to leak out.

GD if you need help working on your boat i too am in hillsboro and dont mind lending a hand when I can I am not a boat mechanic but have never needed a mechanic in my life. Just some manuals or the occasional wiring digram. Those shmucks at harveys really put the screws to a guy I asked what they would charge to balance my carbs and the guy couldn't give me a straight answer first he said 95 min one hour charge and then maybe two hundred if my oil injector needed tuning and before I hung up he was talking motor rebuild, and all it really needed was plugs.

No, i changed the lower unit oil. It looked good.

I took out the lower screw, then the upper screw, drained oil.
I squeezed oil from the tube into the lower hole until oil came out the top hole, put in the top screw, then the bottom screw (if'n i remember right). That was 2 years ago.

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[GDBrown]

No, i changed the lower unit oil. It looked good.

I took out the lower screw, then the upper screw, drained oil.
I squeezed oil from the tube into the lower hole until oil came out the top hole, put in the top screw, then the bottom screw (if'n i remember right). That was 2 years ago.

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

Yea, I changed the lower unit oil after finding water in the oil and I've had it out for about an hour but I've not had a chance to check the oil for water since I got back. Too much rain and the boat is outside while I work on the "Honey Do List"! I'll be checking it soon and will let you know what I find.

Frogdog, I appreciate the OFFer to help, I may send you a PM about that OFFer after I check the lower unit. It did not leak when I got home from the lake but it may have all leaked out by then. I'm reading a lot about this tell tale leak and coming to the realization that it may very well be just unburned oil from the fuel that oil shows up when you run the motor on muffs or in a bucket.

GD

 

[GDBrown]

No oil leak after ALL!!

No oil leak after ALL!!

I pulled the plug on the lower unit tonight and the ONLY thing that came out was fresh clean OIL!!

:yay::yay::yay:

Now if I can find the leaks in the hull! I took the boards OFF the seats and did not find any pennies down there so I'm guessing I have a loose rivet (even though this is a welded boat) there is a row of rivets which hold a keel on the bottom. OR it may be the bolts that used to hold the crab davit up front. The guy I bought it from used to crab with it in the bay and put bolts (screws) in the bottom with silicone to plug the holes left when he removed the davit.

Oh, aren't boats a lot of fun. I just love to tinker out in the garage!

GD

 

[frodog]

Oh boats are a blast I have been parking mine under an easy up pop up canopy to keep the rain out. Today I come home from work to see my boat naked no easy up so I look around the cul de sac and nothing just then a women that lives about a block down on the main drag of our neighborhood sees the confusion on my face and askes if i know who this belongs to as she points at what was once an easy up. It was trashed the morall of this story don't be lazy put the cover on and keep enjoying your boat even when its not on the water.

 

[stream2.5]

give me a call.... 503-740-5472, i can track leaks and also pressure test that lower, you may have a hardened carrier or prop seal that leaked after the initial restart, the only special tool you need to do a reseal is a carrier nut socket, everything else is accessible with standard tools. and 250 for a reseal is actually a touch high if it doesn't include the parts, a complete water pump kit, and a new retainer nut.


what motor are we talking about here,

FYI i carry Sierra, mallory, and Pro Marine Aftermarket components and have full access to Factory merc, yamaha, and OMC/BMC parts and accessories.



and OFF meembers get comercial rates for parts and labor

 

[GDBrown]

What I have!

What I have!

give me a call.... 503-740-5472, i can track leaks and also pressure test that lower, you may have a hardened carrier or prop seal that leaked after the initial restart, the only special tool you need to do a reseal is a carrier nut socket, everything else is accessible with standard tools. and 250 for a reseal is actually a touch high if it doesn't include the parts, a complete water pump kit, and a new retainer nut.


what motor are we talking about here,

FYI i carry Sierra, mallory, and Pro Marine Aftermarket components and have full access to Factory merc, yamaha, and OMC/BMC parts and accessories.



and OFF meembers get comercial rates for parts and labor

I have a 1986 Mercury Long shaft in 25HP. There is no thermostat on this engine but I'm looking to pick up the parts and change it if possible. I just need someone to confirm that the parts are interchangeable. My block is like the one on the right not the one on the left. Is part #15 interchangeable?

 

[stream2.5]

it takes a few more parts and piecesthanjust the adaptor for the water jacket, and housing, butgood news isthat merc made retrofit kits.... ill see if i can track down a PN andbreak it down tothe exactet piecsyou need as i know the kit is NLA

 

[GDBrown]

it takes a few more parts and piecesthanjust the adaptor for the water jacket, and housing, butgood news isthat merc made retrofit kits.... ill see if i can track down a PN andbreak it down tothe exactet piecsyou need as i know the kit is NLA

Thanks for taking the time to check on the parts for me. If you find them PM me as I don't check this thread as often as I should.

GD