Motor leaking gear oil profusely

[Joolz]

Run the motor for the first time since brining the boat home 2 nights ago. Sounded nice at idle, splashed water everywhere upon a bit of throttle. Engine sounds healthy, which is a relief. However there was a good amount of oil sitting in the bucket of water - after running the engine for less than 4 minutes, as seen in the pic below. This can't be normal and the streak coming from (what I think is) the upper gear oil screw may be the source of the leakage.

I've never worked on an outboard before and don't have a manual (as stated in another thread I posted a moment ago). This is a new experience to me, but am I safe to open this small compartment and look inside? Suppose this could be a good time to do an oil change but where is the drain for this engine? Do I really need to use a pump to put oil in the engine and if so is this something I can find at some marine store? Oil weight for this engine?

Any help on how to rectify this appreciated. I'm very new to outboards but know enough to realize this amount of oil shouldn't be leaving the engine under any circumstances.

 

[flyingscott]

normal there is usually a gasket under the access cover what your seeing is unburned fuel and oil and the oil should be leaving the motor thats a two stroke motor mix your gas and oil 50 to 1use good quality oil happy boating

 

[flyingscott]

Absolutely normal there is no oil drain thats a two stroke motor you have to mix the gas and oil hopefully you weren't running it on strait gas if you were stop. the access cover houses the shifting linkage so you can drop the lower unit to change the water pump there is usually a gasket in there. what year is that motor if it is after 1963 you can run 50-1 if earlier 24-1 get a good tcw 3 outboard oil with the chart on the back will tell you how to mix it

 

[flyingscott]

sorry I got kicked off by my computer. the lower unit oil to change that the pump is helpful you get marine 80w90. To start there are two slotted bolts take the top and bottom out. stick the tip of the 80w90 bottle in the bottom and squeeze till it comes out the top screw put the top screw back in and then the bottom and you are done

 

[Joolz]

Thanks for the feedback but I'm confused: is all that oil we're seeing not gear oil? I assumed it was since it's coming from what I thought to be the upper screw for the gear oil. Your punctuation (or lack thereof) makes it hard to grasp what you're saying (not an insult just an observation), but did you say that the premix gas escaping is normal? That's a lot of unburned fuel for a 3 minute run. If so, should it be escaping from where it shows on the pic? Should a seal or something be replaced to prevent such loss?

I can't believe that this much fuel leaving the motor in just 3 minutes to be normal. If so, our lakes wouldn't sustain life for much longer, that's a lot of pollutants from a single motor in just 3 minutes at idle. Can't imagine what a 155HP motor would leave behind at WOT

 

[flyingscott]

NO it is not gear oil it is unburned oil believe what you want it is normal. If you don't want that to happen buy a four stroke or DFI two stroke. . Sorry about the lack of punctuation I was in a hurry and assumed you had a working knowledge of two stroke motors. Not an insult just an assumption on my part. That access cover is NOT the upper screw to the gearcase it allows you access to the shift linkage fior waterpump and lower unit repairs should be a gasket in there. What gas mixture are you running is it to rich did the previous owner fog the motor for storage all these things will contribute to more oil coming out. What you don't understand is thats a cold motor running in your barrel as the motor warms up the combustion process improves.

 

[NAT1VE]

I've never had a 2smoker do this. The only 4 stroke motors I own are 1-yfz450, XS400 and my truck. All my outboards are late 70's early 80's and none do this. What kind of pre-mix are you using and ratio? A quality pre-mix will make your motor run better and burn cleaner, plus the good ole' 2 smoker scent. Let us know.

 

[F_R]

Every morsel of oil that you put in the gas goes through the powerhead. Some is burned (smoke), but the rest goes out the exhaust. There it is emulsified with the spent cooling water and on out the exhaust outlet. That emulsified goop is what you are looking at. The motor was never meant to be run in a bucket, it was meant to be run on a boat on the lake. There, it will warm up properly, have a load on it, and go somewhere. You will find it to be much cleaner. If you are concerned about pollution, use 100% Synthetic outboard oil. It is bio-degradable. Penzoil and Amsoil are two brands. BTW, people have been running outboards on lakes for over 100 years, and the lake isn't dead yet.

 

[NAT1VE]

Amen! F_R. I run the same pre-mix in everything. Castor 927. It's 100% biodegradable. Comes from Bean oil. Smells awesome too! Buy yourself a ratio right and good quality pre-mix. Also running clear premium will make your outboard much happier than regular unleaded. Ethanol will make it pretty sad after awhile..

 

[Joolz]

Penzoil and Amsoil are two brands. BTW, people have been running outboards on lakes for over 100 years, and the lake isn't dead yet.

Thanks all for the feedback, this has now me wondering just what kind of mixture the PO had in the gas tank. And as a matter of fact I do have Amsoil 2 stroke oil, that's what I use in my mx race bike.
I think it is safe to say I'm jumping the gun here. Yesterday was the first time I heard the engine running, as it has a broken return spring/recoil, so I never did hear it run before buying the boat (for the few dollars I paid even if it the motor was toast I'd still be ahead). I have a new return spring on order, should be here Monday.

But I just had to get it started so I used a rope on the flywheel to power it up. I was thrilled the motor worked as the PO said it would. That was the very first step. I suppose the next step will be to ensure I get new gas in there (yes, will definitely be sticking to premium - and Canadian gas is ethanol free, thank goodness). So yeah, I may have jumped the gun and panicked for no reason, as for all I know, the PO had the wrong mixture on a gas that may be stale and what have you.

Next on the agenda: - get new gas and do a 50:1 Amsoil mixture.
- do a gear oil change. Still not sure how to do this, really could use a PDF for this motor if anyone has one and can send my way.
- buy the proper grease and ensure I squirt some new grease into all the existing nipple(s)
- lubricate every moving part of the engine, cables, etc. I find that Dupont?s Teflon lube is pretty decent (doesn?t attract dust and not too thin like WD40)
- remove and clean spark plugs, then do a test run to see how the air mixture is performing (similar to what you do to a dirt bike to see if it?s running too rich or too lean)
- do a compression test on both cylinders. I have no idea what the numbers should be, which is why having access to an owners manual would be handy.
- once these are addressed plan to run engine in a barrel for close to 1 hour, then let it rest for an hour and check gear oil for level and impurities, not to mention try to spot any possible leaks.

How's this for a plan of action? Anything I'm missing?
Thanks again. This is exciting.

 

[over rev]

Pics, ok well no pics. it won't upload.

I'm also new to boating and just ran my outboard. The barrel has lots of oil around it and me lower engine was all oily. I bought some new gear oil and a pump thinking i had a bad seal. i drained the lower oil, and was stunned to see it was clean oil.

so like i said, i'm new to boating so i can't say what's normal, but can say mine seems fine.

 

[bwkre]

Joolz, I didn't see anywhere in your post a year & model. If it is new to you don't rely on the previous owner for oil mix info. If you use 50/1 and it should be 24/1 its not gonna run long. Thats's like half the oil at 50/ 1 if you need 24/1! Would hate to hear that it blew up.

 

[ondarvr]

Amen! F_R. I run the same pre-mix in everything. Castor 927. It's 100% biodegradable. Comes from Bean oil. Smells awesome too! Buy yourself a ratio right and good quality pre-mix. Also running clear premium will make your outboard much happier than regular unleaded. Ethanol will make it pretty sad after awhile..

First, 927 is not what you want to run in an outboard, you need an actual outboard oil. Second, using premium is like throwing money out the window, outboards run best on regular. The ratio right is a good idea though.

 

[ondarvr]

Joolz, skip the Amsoil unless it's TCW3 rated, you need an actual outboard oil also.

 

[Joolz]

No Title

Joolz, I didn't see anywhere in your post a year & model.

My apologies, I always add this very important bit of info but this time it skipped the mind. It's a 1975 Johnson 20HP model 20BAL75B. It didn't come with a manual and I really could use one, if someone has a pdf of it or know where I get it from - or at least a basic table showing these key figures (like spark plug, compression numbers, etc). It is my guess that it takes a 50:1 mixture but I'd like for you folks to confirm, please. Kinda important thing to get right. Also wasn't aware that marine oil has its own designation, so I'm definitely not using my motorcycle Amsoil. Looks like the Castrol in the pic below to be a good bet? Available nearly for only a few dollars. I'm not starting the engine again till I get the gas right.

True that these older engines don't benefit from premium gas? All key things to know to set me up in the right path.

 

[ondarvr]

That oil will work OK, I had a gallon of it and only ran tank of it though, the smoke burned my eyes, never had that happen before. I gave it away after that.

 

[Sunken Ship]

When I run my motor ('76 Evinrude 40hp) in the trashcan it looks like yours. Like most, I conclude this is normal. The oil in the gas is to lubricate as 2 strokes do not have crankcase oil. The oil in the gas lubicrates the cylinders and, as others have said, it all does not burn and is tossed out the exhaust. My manual states 50:1.

On the very bottom of the gear case there should be a plug (if like mine) that is removed with a straight screwdriver to drain the gear case oil. drain some oil out and then quickly put the plug back in. Take pics of the oil so we can see. Chocolate milk looking means water is in the oil. Drained mine today.

 

[flyingscott]

50-1 is the correct fuel mixture. Any oil rated tcw 3 for liquid cooled 2 stroke engines is fine. Compression should be above 100 psi. As far as premium gas goes the only benefit from it is if it is ethanol free especially if you have the original fuel lines and pump which are not rated for ethanol.

 

[NAT1VE]

First, 927 is not what you want to run in an outboard, you need an actual outboard oil. Second, using premium is like throwing money out the window, outboards run best on regular. The ratio right is a good idea though.

927 is a bad idea? Why, because it doesn't say Evinrude? The guys running alcohol race outboards, this is what they use. I can't understand why it would be a bad idea. Never have I had a oiling issue with any of our outboards. Any TCW3 , but 2 stroke mix is pretty universal. Clear premium for the no ethanol, or start-tron your gas at least.

 

[flyingscott]

That oil does not have a tcw 3 rating and it also cannot be used in oil injection. It looks like an oil designed to run at much higher temps than a standard outboard motor will achieve. That may leave a problem burning off the excess oil. The problem with not having a tcw 3 rating is water if you ever had a motor ingest water the tcw 3 oil will fair better. It looks like a great oil I just wouldn't use it in a marine enviroment. Just an opinion but i like the reassurance of the tcw rating