Is this worth the cost to repair?

[Buster_boy]

I have a 2001 40HP Johnson J40VLSIB. I was trying to get it to start yesterday. It didn't start and I think the carbs are clogged, but I'm now not concerned with that at the moment.

As I was wrapping things up for the night I noticed an oil leak. It is where the lower unit meets the swivel mount. It's a pretty significant leak, too. I have pics but I need to crop them down so they'll upload and I'll attach them later. I don't know if the lower unit is any good as I have never had this motor running, but let's assume it is good.

Assuming it's just the seal, what's a ballpark estimate on what that would cost to repair? $500? $1000? More?

 

[jakedaawg]

Is this a two stroke?

 

[racerone]

Did you push in the key when cranking it over to start ?

 

[Buster_boy]

Yes it is a two stroke

Yes I pushed the key in to choke it. I sprayed Ether in the carbs to see if there was spark and there was. It cranked over on Ether but not gasoline. Once the Ether was gone it just cranked but did not fire. That tells me clogged carbs, bad fuel pump, something like that. As I was packing it in for the night is when I noticed the oil. I didn't look into it any further since it was late.

When I get home I'll double check to see if maybe the oil line came disconnected and oil just dumped down the shaft.

 

[interalian]

Check that your primer is working.

 

[Buster_boy]

Here are the pics. This is both sides of the motor. Looks to be coming from the seal between the lower and swivel mount/shaft.

 

[Michawilden]

I think it is some old gasoline that has leaked over the years or winterizing oil for storage that came free when you sprayed it with ether. Nothing to worry about. Lower unit oil does not leak from there unless the motor has been stored laying down. But from the picture it looks to be hanging on a boat so I honestly think that there is no problem with the lower unit.

 

[Buster_boy]

Ok. It is hanging on the boat. Here's some history. I bought this in fall of 2015 from a guy I work with (Dan). It was his dad's boat. His dad died about 4 years ago and this was hung up in probate court all that time. Dan swears up and down his dad was vigilant about winterizing his boats and this one was done the fall prior to his death. Since it was not in the water at the time I bought it we did not attempt to start it. In exchange for that he sold me boat/motor/trailer for $2,600. Not too bad.

I added the Merc 9.9 this spring and have been using that as my primary motor as I am on restricted waters. I'm just now getting around to starting the 40hp so I can use it elsewhere. I've cranked the heck out of this two other times before but without using Ehter, and this did not happen. This time with the Ehter, when it fired up it 1) ran a bit faster than when just turning the key (of course), and 2) it bounced around a bit because of running faster. And, I used the Ether quite a bit this time so it was worked more this time than ever since I've owned it.

I looked around inside the cowl last night and I did not see any indication of any hoses coming loose and dripping down the shaft.

I've never had this happen before and have never seen a oil slick in the water before, so I'm hoping it's what you say - just some runoff.

 

[Buster_boy]

Well I cranked it again tonight an NO OIL!!! Back to square one - solving the no fuel puzzle.

 

[gm280]

Well I cranked it again tonight an NO OIL!!! Back to square one - solving the no fuel puzzle.

I suggest you examine everything from the fuel take on. May just need some new fuel line and/or primer bulb. If it doesn't look like those things are causing your fuel delivery problem, look at the fuel pump and then carbs. Reason I suggested things in that order is because for both carbs to be doing the exact same thing, is more remote then a fuel pump or fuel lines being clogged. But that also depends on how long everything has been sitting. JMHO!

 

[Chinewalker]

Also, check the return hose between the air box and the bottom of the crankcase. Those carbs spritz a fair bit of fuel out their fronts while running - nature of the beast. There's a return line that gathers that fuel from the air box and shunts it into the crankcase to be burned up. If the short hose between the air box and crankcase is split, disconnected or just plain missing, you'll get fuel in your lower pan, which can in turn dribble down the motor leg and clamp bracket.

Would be a good idea to simply remove the carbs and give them a thorough cleaning. Check all hoses and connections, too.

 

[Buster_boy]

Great tips! I'll explore all those things.

 

[alanfox55]

Is there a chance a manual primer arm is turned on? I have a 1993 70 hp that had sat for a lot of years and when I got it started noticed premix running down the lower leg. While looking the motor over to try and get an idea where the leak was discovered it was the primer arm turned the wrong way. The premix running down the leg looked a lot like your pics.

 

[Buster_boy]

Alan, it could be, I don't know. I don't know anything about OB motors other than internal combustion basics. I'll have to remove the lower cowl to see better but I'm not gonna be able to do now. My HOA got on my shi+ about the boat being in the street all week so I have to pack it in and put it back in the water. Some people have no sense of humor!

Thanks to all for the tips. We'll continue this later, same Bat time, same Bat channel! Lol

 

[alanfox55]

You only have to remove the cowl,it's a red lever,part of the primer solenoid. Turned to the left is run and to the right is manual start.

 

[Buster_boy]

Well I put it back in the water last night so it won't be easy to look but I'll try later today.