1983 johnson 50hp leaking oil

[jwilkey84]

I have my boat parked in the driveway, and I noticed that the puddle under the lower unit wasnt drying, I thought it was water just leaking down from being at the lake. Well after 2 days it still hadn't dried so I went over and looked and it was lower unit oil. it is coming from a tiny hole in the lower unit that is just below the "vents" that suck in the water for the impeller and just above the "bulge" in the lower unit that holds the forward and reverse gears and stuff. It is a factory hole but I dont know what it is for. It has been 95 degrees here the past few days. is that just like a vent hole for the LU or is there a bigger problem somewhere? I thought maybe the hot temps caused some swelling and forced oil out somehow, but I want more opinions.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: 1983 johnson 50hp leaking oil

How do you know it's lower unit oil ??
What color is it and what does it smell like ??

 

[axel2009]

Re: 1983 johnson 50hp leaking oil

Good luck on this one wilkey. There have been a few posts on this issue in the last couple of days (including one of my own) with no replies.. Maybe we stumped them finally. Take a look at my post, I included a picture of my lower unit that has the same issue. What it looks like to me is the grease i used on the zerks maybe got hot and ran down the inside and worked its way out. What part of iowa do you live in? I too live in Iowa and I feel your pain with the heat....think it was 97 here today 110 heat index.

 

[jwilkey84]

Re: 1983 johnson 50hp leaking oil

Axel, I looked at your pic. it looks like your "weep hole" is above the little vent looking thing, where the water is sucked in for the cooling of the engine. Mine is just below that "vent". to answer the other question about how I thought it was LU oil, it looks and smells like LU oil; it is the same yellowish color as it is when I put new in.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 1983 johnson 50hp leaking oil

Drive shaft seal or shift shaft seal leaking? That's the only lower unit lube can get out the top of the housing.

 

[jwilkey84]

Re: 1983 johnson 50hp leaking oil

is that something that would start leaking because of 95 degree temperatures here in iowa, or is that just an issue all on its own. This LU was just rebuilt at the beginnig of last season, pressure tested and all. I know that a gas can if too full, will spew gas out on a really hot day, can this same principle be happening in my LU?

 

[jwilkey84]

Re: 1983 johnson 50hp leaking oil

does anyone have any more wisdom to share in this matter?