water in oil even after seals changed

[fc2kenny]

I have an Evinrude 15HP 1984. I had water in my gearcase so I replaced the seals, orings, and drain plug washers.

I started the motor and run it with a flush hose. A little water in oil already without even being submerged. Is there a seal breakin time possibly? I disassembled the gearcase without draing oil. I seperated the housing to try an locate the source of oil/water intrusion. I only see evidence of oil on the exhaust side. I have not seen any sign of oil around seals or water pump. Any suggestions. The engine runs fine, gearcase is running great. Other than water in the oil (want to go saltwater, but scared). I have no further idea since all seals were replaced from BRP.com.

Thanks for assistance.

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

Pressure test required to find the leak. Maybe a cracked gear case.

 

[jimdd810]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

did you replace all the seals and orings especially the one under the shift shaft bushing

 

[fc2kenny]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

New oring, bushing and washer on shift rod, all seals replaced as mentioned. I have no escape of oil. Can someone elaborate on the pressure test. Is this as simple as applying small air pressure to the gearcase with shafts in place?

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

You've got it. 5psi is safe. Don't want too much or you'll blow the seals inside out. If you've got a bicycle pump you can rig up a fitting to go in the fill or vent hole, apply the air and dunk it in a tub of water and watch for bubbles.

 

[jimdd810]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

i routinley per factory service manuals pump 15 psi. should also do vacumn test cause some seals are doubled each way

 

[insanity]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

When I did this to mine I flushed all the contaminated oil out with fresh gear oil from the top until it came out clean then filled it from the bottom. The cause of mine was bad plug washers.

 

[fc2kenny]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

I will do this and let you know what happens. Thanks for all the suggestions. Hope I can help someday too.

 

[F_R]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

Did you install the seals correctly? Lip down; lip up.

 

[fc2kenny]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

Seals installed correctly. I put 5 PSI on the foot. Warning the driveshaft will shoot out of a 15 evinrude if you are not careful. Pretty cool actually.

No leaks like I was expecting. However, a friend said he had one that never leaked oil but water would always find its way in to the gearcase. I suspect the oring on the shift rod did not take seal. This is the only place I could see of any oil being forced outward ( very small amount). The water pump housing has a small hole and it seems to place water on the shift rod side of the gearcase. I imagine it is under pressure forcing small amount of water in the oil...

Big question, DO I HAVE TO REMOVE ALL THE GEARS JUST TO CHANGE ORINGS AND BUSHING? Or can I use a puller and snatch out the bushing and oring from the top of the housing?

 

[jimdd810]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

evinrude makes a couple of special tools for this. To answer your first question yes you have to dissassemble the whole lower unit to get that shift shaft bushing out. I made a special tool to remove it by bying a threaded rod that would fit through the bushing then i found a nut that was close to the same size as the bushing and ground down the outside of the nut so it fit. then i found a flat peice of steal long enough to go all the way acrossed the gearcase. I drilled a whole through the center of it so the threaded rod would go through it. I put another nut and washer on the threaded rod making it a puller. Slowly tighten the nut untill the bushing comes out.
tomorrow ill try to put pics of it on here.
works like a champ

 

[fc2kenny]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

Finally fixed and found the 2 more problems I had. I did the pressure test. Be careful the driveshaft will shoot out if you have the lower unit seperated. Having said that, I put oil in the gearcase, and found it simpler to use the oil pump from walmart to manually put pressure in the gearcase. Worked well. I found oil around the shift rod, so I repaired that. While repairing this, I found the pivot seal oring was missing. (This is the phillips screw you are not supposed to mess with unless you want to do a lot more work). I had to remove anyway to replace the bushing, washer, and oring on the shift rod. Tested in the lake for a 3 hour tour. Nothing but oil in gearcase now. Thanks for all the help offered.

 

[buster01]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

I had the same issues with a 1969 1.5hp, an old trick a mechanic friend suggested was to take some blue RTV silicone and rub it into the prop side of the seal ensuring the scratches and edge where the seal meets the wall are well coated. Work and rub it in really good with your finger.

The next day I ran the motor...no water showed up in the lower end. Sometimes the easiest solutions are the cheapest.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: water in oil even after seals changed

delete