1983 85hp leaking gear oil ?

[PumaBmx]

I recently got my 1983 Force 85hp running. I also put in a new impeller. Drained the old black gear oil and refilled with new gear oil. I wanted to move the Bayliner to the front drive so I tilted the motor to 45 degrees and brough it around.
I let the motor back down to its normal position when I noticed black oil leaking from under the plate where the bolts hold the lower unit up. There are some small holes next to the bolts I mentioned....this is where the oil is coming from. It leaks real slow then stops.
Can someone tell me what I did ? Ive been test running it in a large trash can and have noticed the water becomes filmy , oily and yellowish only after 5-10 minutes of idling

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1983 85hp leaking gear oil ?

Those small holes are weep holes to drain water out of the lower unit when it is out of the water. If you changed your impeller, then you saw the cavities that need draining to avoid corrosion and freezing problems. If oil is coming out these holes, did you spill some old oil into these cavities when you changed the impeller? This could happen if you removed the bottom torpedo shaped plate held on with 3 screws. If you did not remove this plate then the chances are relatively good that the drive shaft seal in this plate has failed, allowing oil to leak up past it. Worst case scenario is a corrosion perforation into the gearcase.

Two cycles when run in a can do foul the water with unburned gas and oil.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1983 85hp leaking gear oil ?

Come to think of it, if you removed this plate and did not properly re-seat the o ring seals or if the plate is bent or loose, oil could leak from the front of it when the engine is tilted. Then when engine is upright again, it will run out the holes. Check that whole area.

 

[PumaBmx]

Re: 1983 85hp leaking gear oil ?

No I did not remove the torpedo shaped plate. But everything above it came apart. Impeller , housing, back plate.
So I could have damaged the seal that keeps the gear oil below the water pump ?
Gearcase corrosion perforation is the metal breaking down and allowing fluid to pass ?

Other question:
Is the oil that is mixed with the fuel the only lubrication that is needed for the engine ? There is no oil to be changed or filled like an automobile ?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1983 85hp leaking gear oil ?

That is correct. 1 pint oil to six gallons of regular gasoline. Works out to 48 to 1 instead of 50 to 1 but is simple to remember.
As far as seals, you probably didn't damage it. They get old and start to leak. Did you notice any oil in the pump when you changed the impeller? That seal is below the pump and sometimes the gear oil will get into the pump when it leaks. The front and back of the plate are sealed with o rings set in grooves the rear one seals the water inlet and the front one seals the gearcase. It's worth checking the front one.
And corrosion perforation, I just threw that out there as a possibility. nit very likely unless the engine was used a lot in salt water or there was a weakness in the casting. Just something to look for