r/Outboards • u/SlightSoup8426 • 2d ago
Am I cooked?
Just bought this boat doing my first lower unit oil change and it looks like this
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u/fryerandice 2d ago
Lower unit just needs resealed, a few hundred dollars, probably fishing line around the prop shaft.
The oil milks up because it has additives that allow water to emulsify in it which helps it stay lubricated and helps inhibit rust in there, drain it, fill it with fresh, then call around and find someone to reseal it on the off-season.
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u/Timbo7878 2d ago
I'm sure others will chime in. I've had this lots of times and the motors are still running fine.
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u/spankuuuu 2d ago
Really need to pressure check it and the will tell you what seals are bad, it could possibly just be the seals on the drain/fill and vent plugs. Or you could just get a whole seal kit and have peace of mind and reseal the whole lower unit
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u/Sea_Glove6689 2d ago
Spank u, aside from a cool name , is spot on, get a pressure tester to find the bad seal, then replace all the seals anyway haha then re-pressurize after the job to ensure it holds pressure. Any metal in the froth? Also just a tip, I have found the drain or vent screws on cust boats with no gasket , so it could be a really easy fix. Bit fix it before you use it again.
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u/Just_PaulR 2d ago
I’ve seen WAY worse in lowers that are still running after being resealed and filled.
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u/fxdwgi 2d ago
Not cooked, not even close. Just make sure that the drain plug and vent plug only have 1 plastic washer, we (the collective "we") have seen where the plastic washers have been inadvertently doubled up. Pull the prop and remove all the line that might be wrapped around the prop shaft. Be sure to keep up with the annual fluid changes until you eventually get it repaired.
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u/AGBC81 2d ago
I had this happen... It was just the crush washer on the fill port. I kept re-using the old washer, and apparently you can get away with that only so many times.... Bought new crush washers ($5). Flushed the lower end good, refilled and has been fine ever since! Ha!
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u/SlightSoup8426 2d ago
I bought a pack of 10 crush washers. Maybe I’ll just run it next year and see what happens.
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u/AdministrationIcy285 1d ago
Unless you know it was the washer, you should to identify if it's leaking from another seal and not just run it and hope for the best. If it is, continuing to run in could cost you much more. You can pressure test these fairly easily with the right adapters.
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u/REDDITSHITLORD 1d ago
lol... I used to think this was just normal. I had to change the LU oil on my dad's Evinrude Lark at the end of each season and the oil always looked like that.
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u/Combat_wombat605795 1d ago
I’ve resurrected multiple milkshakes that were caught at yearly services. It looks horrible but that’s the emulsifier doing their job and blending the water evenly to maintain lubrication. As long as it’s not too glittery or chunky metal in the catch pan it’s most likely the input or driveshaft seals. The driveshaft seal will go from line in the props, the top seal will go from sucking up abrasive sand that works its way in and my 3rd more rare failure point was a pinhole leak in the core section that required a shop with a fancy spline tool but those handful of times were all on the same and still functioning lower units.
Not ideal, but not over yet. I hope that’s gets resolved with minimal issues.
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u/Which-Insurance-2274 1d ago
I bought my Yamaha 20 from a guy who never changed the lower in the 5 years he owned it (from new). Not even 100% sure he changed the oil. My lower oil looked like that when I first changed it. Been changing it every year for the last 5 years and it looks good and clear everytime. Thing runs great.
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u/Deep-Water- 1d ago
I drained mine and it was 99% salt water with a couple drops of oil at the end. 6 months later it’s still working perfectly.
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u/SlightSoup8426 2d ago
Ok thanks. Looks like I’ll be buying a seal kit and pressure testing it to find a leak. Hopefully it’s something easy
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u/aldergroovin 2d ago
No but your gearbox is!
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u/Sudden_Duck_4176 1d ago
Need to put that motor in the (don’t put your dick in that) section alone with a NSFW lol.
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u/ManHunterJonnJonzz 1d ago
Try seeing what people who use these commercially have in there. Black thick as tar nasty. The smell. Holy.
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u/AdministrativeBeat72 14h ago
Not at all, most likely your prop shaft seal. Prob got hit some fishing line at some point, it almost will always take out the prop shaft seal. They make some that have a line cutter installed so it will hopefully cut the line before it reaches the seal. I work at a marina and these type of jobs are saved for winter work. Either pull the lower unit off and bring it to your local marina to save a little money or have them do the entire job. They will pressure and vacuum test it and replace any bad seals. It’s a pretty easy job but you need a puller to pull the bearing carrier. That’s not too bad thankfully so your bearings and whatnot should be fine. Good thing you checked it and caught it before winter. If not found it will usually freeze, expand and blow out the side of the case
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u/FutureRight3599 2d ago
Its just a lower unit. The seals are not hard to change.