Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

[denislajoie]

I have a 1967 Johnson Super Sea Horse Model # Rk 29 E I just finished replacing the forward and reverse coils , water pump, seals and all that good stuff ,when i put oil in it, some went down for a while but then oil started coming outr the small hole in front of what looks like a fin on the lower unit near the fill plug, my question is if this is an over full problem and oil is getting out, water can get in right, or is it something more serious?? Thanks

 

[lark2004]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

oh dear, Mine doesn't have a hole into the gearcase except for the oil drain and fill (on the outside) propshaft, driveshaft, and shift harness. I don't think you should have a hole there all. Has this hole been drilled into the case? or is it corrosion? <br /><br />Mine does have two hole above the gearcase, for water to drain out, but there should not be gear oil comeing out off those. There is absolutly nothing near the skeg (the fin). Can you post or email a picture? <br /><br />arcondie@bigpond.com

 

[denislajoie]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

I have 2 motors, one running, one spare, they both have a small 1\8 hole near that fin, but its not the one that hits the ground on a big bump, it is higher than that, where the lower unit unbolts from the rest of the engine, looks like where the water comes in for the pump, that small hole is in the same channel as that if i put even more oil it comes out of the "pump inlet", they are connected, but should have no oil there

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

Oh, way up there. You fooled me saying it's near the fill plug. That's the vent plug - the fill/drain plug is down by the skeg (the fin that protects the prop if you hit the ground).<br /><br />That hole is a weep hole to drain out any water that collects in the top of the lower unit. So either the shift wires are leaking or the driveshaft seal is. I'm afraid you'll have to pull the lower unit again and fix the leak.<br />If it is the driveshaft seal that's leaking and it's new, it could be caused by a groove worn into the driveshaft is too deep. If it's not possible to move the seal so it rides somewhere else on the shaft, the shaft will need to be repaired.<br /><br />Tell us what you find!

 

[itstippy]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

"... when i put oil in it, some went down for a while but then ..."<br /><br />You are adding oil into the bottom fill hole until it comes out the upper vent hole, correct? You confuse me. When you add oil it goes up, not down. You squeeze it into the bottom until it comes out the top.

 

[denislajoie]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

oh..., i put it in on top where it says oil level, on top, i thought the bottom was to drain, and i just figured it out, i ran new wires to the coils, not thinking about oil, theres a 99 per cent chance thts where the oil is coming from cause the wires i put are just plain double insulated wires, no cover on them so the hole is now empty around them, any chance silicone or some other product could seal it up?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

Silicone and l/u oil don't mix well, not to mention these will be bathed in fuel/oil from the exhaust occasionally. Basically, forget about using silicone anywhere on an outboard.<br /><br />I really doubt the insulation on the wires you installed are going to stand up to the exhaust and fuel/oil they're going to see. Is there any hope of re-using the old ones?

 

[denislajoie]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

no the wires are all shredded above the gear case and they short where the are nt shredded, I got this motor from an old farmer who had it laying in his barn for years, age did its job on the wires, i tried to remove the original wires before replacing them and all i could do is break them off and drive the rest down through the hole, was i doing something wrong or are they really that stubborn, i have a spare motor with good wires but i dont want to ruin them by prying them out... suggestions

 

[itstippy]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

I have exactly the same problem. I'm waiting on a seal kit & impeller from iShop to finish the lower. <br />I found some wire at the hardware store that's heat proof - must be made for lighting fixtures or stoves or something that gets real hot. The insulation on them looks like the old cloth-covered wire and you can put a torch on it and it won't burn. Probably asbestos - the spool of wire was really old. That should take care of the exhaust heat destroying the insulation and the wires shorting out.<br />I plan on using a short piece of hydraulic line or fuel line or something as a loom to get through the housing hole. I'll do some heat tests and see what seems to stand up. Then I plan to fill it with some goo I got at the hardware called "muffler & tailpipe sealer" that's designed to take heat. I hope it can take oil and unburnt gas vapor too. <br />This is a real problem area with these selectric & electramaitic lowers. The wires fry from heat & age and need replacing, but how? Any better ideas, anyone?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

I sure don't have any marvelous insight either.<br /><br />If I had to do it, I think I would start with silicone rubber or EPDM rubber insulated wire; the sort insulation used on spark plug leads. That will get the oil/fuel/heat resistance the wire needs. Then, if at all possible, I guess I would try to fashion some sort of rubber cork & drill down the centre for the wires where they pass into the lower unit. Failing that, maybe epoxy applied with care.<br /><br />I like the idea of jacketing the wires.

 

[denislajoie]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

ok i ll keep that in mind, i have to remove the lower unit again anyway, so if the double insulated wires i put are no good, how do you explain the dinky little wires used to feed power to the coils, they just sit there the same as the ones i just installed, mine are even better, they have 2 coats of vynil covering, i soldered and shrink tubbed the connections, i have no problems putting better wires, in fact i like the idea, if i know it will work, its worth it, but the coil wires puzzle me a little

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

Yeah, I'm probably getting too worked up about it. My main concern is where the wires pass through the exhaust. If you do like itstippy and jacket the wires with something, I'm sure you'll be just fine.

 

[itstippy]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

I pulled apart two lowers to make one good one. Also looked a three other lowers as potential parts donors. ALL had the same wire problems. The wires on the coils are fine. They just sit bathed in nice cool premium blend oil, happy and protected from harm. However, once the wires pass through the oil-filled paradise of the "foot" and into the harsh environment of the "leg" they are a mess. I'm am sure that 75%+ of the old selectric/electramatics out there with shift problems suffer from shorted out broken fried ugly falling-apart "cables" (part #378535, no longer available). Don't worry about your coil wires - they'll be better than fine. Please come up with a terrific idea for replacing the "cable" and share it. Thanks for mentioning epoxy, Paul. That will make be a better fill for my hydralic-line-based passage between foot and leg than the "muffler and tailpipe sealer" I was going to use.

 

[lark2004]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

I used fuel line as a shroud for the shift wires. It' fuel/oil resistant, and can handle a fair amount of heat. It is also a fery snug fit into the hole for the wires where there pass into the foot. I used some gasket goo around the tube to make sure it wouldn't leak. Seems to be working so far.

 

[denislajoie]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

Another good selection is Hi Temp red Silicone, we use it on valve and diff covers,, so we know its good for heat and also oil... i thought the exhaust was that little rubber piece that looke like an acordeon, cause if thats the cas ethe wires dont go in there, they run up the side of the outer shell, into a groove in the centre then to the motor, ? someone enlighten me please i feel lost, i dont even know where the exhaust comes out, ane i used to work at a midas "muffler" shop....

 

[itstippy]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

Cooling water comes out of that accordian rubber piece. At least it better! The exhaust exits the motor under the cavitation plate. It flows all the way through the hollow "leg". In fact, the parts catalog calls that whole leg the "exhaust housing assembly". The lake is your muffler and your radiator.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

The idle exhaust relief is via the accordian too isn't it?<br /><br />(All (2-stroke?) outboards must have exhaust relief holes somewhere in the midsection to allow exhaust out when they're idling. If the engine were to push the exhaust all the way out underwater at idle, the backpressure causes the engine to load up.)

 

[itstippy]

Re: Johnson Super Sea horse Oil leak

Thank you Paul! I'm gonna get out the diagram and see how that works. I knew there were small ports in the exhaust tubes of outboards allowing a limited amount of exhaust out, and as RPM's increase the pressure builds and the exhaust forces its way out the bottom (under water). I see the leg drain water out these holes on my 18HP when I tilt the motor after having it in the lake. I didn't know this Big Twin incorporates the relief hole(s) into the water outlet. Neat-o. Is this common?