Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

[ADK_Boater]

Hey, Everybody.

I have a '72 Johnson 85hp and I replaced the gear oil with the proper type "C" last fall.
There seemed to be nearly a quart of old oil when I drained it.

When I filled it back up I may have pumped in a bit too much because I knew a little bit would shoot out when I did a quick transfer between removing the pump and getting the plug back in. I was a little to good at it and not much had a chance to shoot out.
I noticed oil leaking from the hole just under the water intake (in the middle of the picture) some time afterward.
Not a lot of oil...less than a trickle.

After awhile I thought it had stopped leaking...evidently I was wrong.
I noticed that an extremely slow trickle of oil is coming out of the hole after uncovering my boat for spring.
I don't think it was leaking all winter. I think since the weather has warmed up it started again.

Here's the kicker.
When I raised my motor a bit of water came out of the hole too.
There was still oil residue but when I picked the motor up it was clearly water steadily shooting out for about 5 seconds.

Mind you this boat has not been in the water in a few years (I'm working on it).
I did have it on the muffs when I was trying to get it started last year, and I really hope that water was not in there all winter...I suspect it is some rain water that somehow seeped down in after a recent heavy storm...but I'm not really sure...I believe I've seen water come out of that hole before when I've moved the motor.

Does anybody know what that hole is and why fluids are leaking out??

Thank You!

 

[Beek14]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

That's just a drain hole. Anything that gets in there can leave through that hole. I'm guessing as far as the water goes, when you tilted it up, the water that wouldn't leave it because it was lower than the hole finally left it when you tipped it up.

 

[ADK_Boater]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

What is a on the other side of that hole?
A small open area?... or is it connected to something above or below?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

What color was the oil which came out of that hole? Black, tarry oil, or oil that appears clear?

 

[ADK_Boater]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

New gear oil.

Some oil may have trickled into the hole from above when I plugged the drain hole.

Still wondering what is on the other side of the hole?

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

If that is the drain hole i think it is, its to drain the center section of water and exhaust gunk that builds up in there. Remember that mid section fills with water when your in the water and that allows it to drain out.

 

[lindy46]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

If that is the drain hole i think it is, its to drain the center section of water and exhaust gunk that builds up in there. Remember that mid section fills with water when your in the water and that allows it to drain out.

agree

 

[ADK_Boater]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

How concerned should I be?

 

[Daviet]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

I wouldn't worry about water coming out of the drain, that's what it's there for.
I would question how the lower unit oil got into the exhaust housing.

 

[ADK_Boater]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

Other than accidentally getting in there from the outside , how else would oil get inside?

 

[Daviet]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

Seals under the water pump or gasket under the solenoid cover defective.
You are sure that it is type "C" oil and not unburnt gas/oil mixture?

 

[ADK_Boater]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

Yes, absolutely sure. The particles sticking to the oil in the picture are from the ground (sorry, should have said).
I've never had the thing running in 2 years. and it is clearly new light colored oil, the same type "C" oil I filed it with.

I'm starting to think it got in from the outside when it ran down the side of the lower unit when I was plugging the fill hole.

Thank You for the info!!
I'll check my oil level if it continues to slowly seep out of that hole.
Not enough has come out yet to make a noticeable difference.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

Run the engine, then check the color/consistency of the lower unit gear oil. If the oil looks full, clear-run it another 3-4 times and recheck. By that time you should have a good idea what is going on in the lower.

 

[ADK_Boater]

Re: Oil leaking from unidentified hole w/pic

If I can get it started I will do that...but that is another thread.