What's leaking up there?

[tautog27]

Hello all,<br /><br />As usual I'm seeking advice from the pro's. For the last 24hrs. my motor has been tilted all the way up, as I'm doing some work on the prop. Today I noticed what appears to be a very oily mixture dripping down the side of the motor. It smells like gas, but it's thick and dirty like motor oil? I dropped the motor back down, and took a look inside, the oily stuff is all over the place. Do I have a seal or gasket leak, are the carb floats stuck when tilted? The motor runs great, but this has me a bit concerned!! The motor is a 1972 Johnson 50hp electric start, hydro-electric gear case, two cylinder, two cycle. If you guy have any ideas or suggestions on where to start, I'm all ears! Thanks, Ross

 

[alcan]

Re: What's leaking up there?

Hello Raleigh<br /> Did you have your fuel line hooked up while your motor was tilted? It's normal for some gas/oil mix to leak out carb bowl vents when tilted. Do you have a siphoning thing going on?

 

[tautog27]

Re: What's leaking up there?

alcan,<br /><br />Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure what siphoning thing your talking about? How much is too much fuel/oil to be coming out of the carb bowls? There was a ton of the stuff in the bottom of the engine compartment.<br /> Again, Thanks, RF<br /><br />Oh yeah, yes I did have the fuel line hooked up when the motor was tilted.

 

[tautog27]

Re: What's leaking up there?

Anybody else have a guess? I'm just looking around for some clues before I tear into it. Thanks, Ross

 

[alcan]

Re: What's leaking up there?

Hi Raleigh<br />Lets say, you tip your boat up to drain putting the fuel tank higher than the end of the hose, all the fuel could siphon out. If you tilt your motor with fuel line attached and fuel tank above motor, fuel could siphon out the carb. I guess the normal amount of fuel spilt during tilting of a motor would depend on how big the carberator bowl was and how many. It dosent take much to make a mess.

 

[MOTAS]

Re: What's leaking up there?

Important message that I received from: reddog23 <br />First Mate <br />Member # 5860 <br /> posted February 21, 2002 09:07 PM <br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Not normal.Just went through this on my 87 225. The lower carb had a stuck float and was flooding and leaking into the silencer when tilted up and trailered home. I know you mention that you had the carbs rebuilt. Did you rebuild them or did you have someone else do them? Sometimes work that is paid for is not really done. Sad but true. With the silencer off and the engine not running, squeeze the primer bulb until it is hard and then hold pressure on it and look at the carbs and see if you see any overflow.If the primer bulb won't get really firm you have a leak somewhere. Another place i found a leak was the o-ring on the manual primer lever. I replaced mine and the bulb now get rock hard.<br />Reddog

 

[tautog27]

Re: What's leaking up there?

Thanks guys,<br /><br />I took her out today and man was she running good!! She was also leaking nice and good by the time I got home. Alcan thanks, I think I understand now. I'll try checking the bulb like MOTAS mentioned. thanks, Ross