Possible leak from Seafoam??

kyudizky

Seaman
Joined
Aug 3, 2009
Messages
70
Had the boat with '91 90hp Johnson o/b for aboiut 2 weeks and its running great. It was recommended to run a can of seafoam every now and then. Poured full 20gallon tank and ran it for a while. Had boat docked with prop out of the water for a while, then came back to some oily substance coming out of the shaft housing, where it meeets the cowl. I have searched on here and read that maybe its just stuff that was cleaned from the seafoam, and/or maybe the seafoam cracked a seal? It is think like oil, not runnier like fuel. Ran the boat and it ran fine, smoked a little at first crank like it always does and didn't seam to leak anymore while it ran. Going to check it again when i get home. Should I be worried/ and or do something proactive?

The pick was taken from another thread used for reference to where the leak is from. The thread I took it from was having an identical problem, just didn't have any response/answer to his thread.

thanks for the help!
 

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tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

motor tilted. fuel line connected, carb float out of level leak carbs run over and leak out the lower pan. seafoam did not do it.
 

kyudizky

Seaman
Joined
Aug 3, 2009
Messages
70
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

Thats a relief, So I shouldn't be concerned? Any reason that it wouldn't do so everytime I have tilted the motor completely. I guess it was coincedence/random that it happened after using the Seafoam.



I appreciate you both taking the time to respond. This eases my mind.
 

kyudizky

Seaman
Joined
Aug 3, 2009
Messages
70
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

So I went to were I store the boat to see if it was still leaking??? IT IS!!! The motor is only tilted up enought to put the transom saver on and it's still leaking in the same place, it hasn't done this before I used the Seafoam. Should I be storing the boat with out the transom saver and motor all the way down???
 

OnTheWaterNow

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
210
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

Mine will do same thing. It is like said in post above from carb. I always empty the carbs by pulling the fuel line as im comming in to the dock. So they wont leak when I trailer home. I store mine on transom saver all summer long never see leak any more then pull transom saver for long time winter storage
 

Chumlee

Cadet
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
19
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

I had this same problem with my 1984 90hp. Turned out to be the exhaust cover and plate gaskets where leaking a very little bit. The water with the suet from the burnt exhaust was running from the bottom left corner of the exhaust cover. Then when tilting motor up it would run to the front and run down the midsection. I replaced exhaust cover gaskest and all went away. Hope this can help.
 

Lion hunter

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
1,529
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

Pull the cowl off and see if the throat of the carb is wet. My Merc 1000 (and most peoples from what i read) does this when the motor is tilted. If it's coming from the carbs I would imagine that float adjustment may fix some motors, or in the case of mine it's just a design flaw I think.
 

Chumlee

Cadet
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
19
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

I would say if it is black in color you have leaking water port in exhaust chamber cleaning up some carbon deposits. If it were gas i dont think it would be black in color because gas is clear with a little tint of the color of the oil you are using. Just my 2 cents.
 

OnTheWaterNow

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
210
Re: Possible leak from Seafoam??

good point that is exactly what mine looked like clean
 
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