First Maintenance

[gpfishingdude]

I performed my first maintenance on the old Merc.25 XD that came with the boat I bought. I started watching the how to vids by Jamestown and others. So I went to the local marine dealer who happens to be a Johnson dealer and bought some spline grease and the drain screw gaskets to change the LU lube. I removed the prop and all of the fishing line behind it and greased it good with the grease I had just bought from the marine dealer. I drained the LU oil and refilled, installing the new drain screw gaskets that I just bought. Now oil is slowly leaking around the upper drain screw. Is there a difference between the Merc. and Johnson drain screw gaskets? Is there anything I could use in addition to the drain screw gasket to stop the leaking-- an oring or teflon tape or something? I plan on buying new drain screws and Merc. brand gaskets as soon as possible but I might want to get the boat in the water in the mean time. Thanks

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: First Maintenance

You dont want to use tape the treads are not the sealing surfice and if the gasket fits the screw and into the hole it should seal just fine. You could pull it out and clean it good and use a touch of RTV sealent but its a PIA to clean up later.

 

[gpfishingdude]

Re: First Maintenance

Thanks Hawker, My wife talked me in to going up to a Merc dealer and getting the right parts. I will get a new drain screw and washer-gasket. If that doesn't stop the leak I will try some RTV. I think this is going to be a great old motor.

 

[gpfishingdude]

Re: First Maintenance

I thought I would update because I got the leak fixed. I bought a new filler screw and gasket-seal-washer at the Merc dealers today and removed the old screw. I found an old gasket washer stuck to the seal area around the hole. It was very hard to see, smashed pretty tight against the seal surface, and I think it was causing the leak around the screw. I pumped a couple of shots of oil into the hole and installed the new screw and seal and I think it took care of the leak. Somebody said that if oil can leak out-water can leak in. Thanks again