Summerizing "Issues"

[amateurfishing]

2nd winter with boat, 1st full year

1. is it normal to have water in boat even if u had boat cover and tarp over it all winter stored outside?

2. should boat plug be left in all winter or taken out?

3. when lowering motor, i usually have a very small (oil i think) leak just barely enuff to wet floor under it, is this normal after motor is lowered each time for storage or should i be concerned bout something in lower unit?

[amateurfishing]

motor is '84 mercury 75 hp, it looks dark blue or green, never have really been able to dechiper color, just trying to determine if normal/ok or not

[boatfixer]

From your description, id say its gearlube and no, it shouldn't be leaking. Unburned gas oil mix will be black and very smelly.

I would have to say a pressure test should be done to confirm and pinpoint the failed seal.

[amateurfishing]

think ive ruled out green color, must be very dark blue or black, always leaves a spot the size of a baseball cap underneath & fairly dry within couple of days, common issue/normal or anything need to be checked?

[boatfixer]

I would not consider a spot the size of a baseball cap a "very small leak" as you mentioned in your 1st post.

If it were pure oil, gearlube in particular, it wouldn't dry up.

Is it gassy smelling? Burned?

[amateurfishing]

if by chance you are referring to gear lube (lower unit oil? im not sure if they are the same or not), ive changed my lower unit oil b4 and this comes out (leaks) thinner than lower unit oil. also, i have not yet started my motor this year, but it leaked yesterday when i dropped the motor to normal operating position (down) to store in garage

i dont think there is a smell ...if any, a very faint boat/motor/oil smell when opening door to garage

[Eric Wettschreck]

Rub your finger through the puddle and smell it. Does it smell like gas or 2 stroke exhaust?

I think this is where boatfixer is going. If it smells like gas/mixed gas/2 stroke exhaust it could be a couple things. If it smells like gear oil it's a whole different thing.

[amateurfishing]

checked this am, cannot detect a smell at all, looks black, has dried on concrete shiny (like its fresh but its not)...i would think an oil/gas mix would completey dry up/out without a fresh look. had exact same problem last year but drip was so slow i could not detect where it was coming from, should anything b leaking when motor is always lowered?

[BartmanMN]

No, you should not have any leaking of anything. My boat with 135 Optimax is stored in my garage all Winter in down position and it does not leak anything.

[amateurfishing]

maybe i did not explain clearly, the only time this happens is when it has been in the up position (stored, trailered, or whatever) and i bring it down to normal operating use and it does not matter if engine has been running or not....and since in this most recent case engine has not been on since last year. wouldn't any oil or lube be to thick to leak since engine has not been on yet this year?

[BoxMN]

You mention it is an 84. Have you ever replaced the lower unit filler/drain screws? If not, put new ones in, with proper washers (gaskets more like) and see if that helps. That will only help if it is not exhaust or seals in lower unit.

Cheap, easy, and should put new ones in occasionally anyway. Good luck!

[amateurfishing]

just got boat out today, this is were leak is coming from, seam where prop is attached to lower unit, it appears dark green or black, cannot really tell, but would probably lean to blackish, always just trickles out when motor is raised or lowered, any thoughts on what it may be or what i need to do to fix, or mechanic needed? but definitey coming from crack where prop goes on regardless of color.

[Esox_Magnum]

Pull the prop and check for line around the prop shaft...could be a prop seal leaking... One should pull the prop and check for line once a month if used alot, at least a couple times a season...

[amateurfishing]

any special tools, equip, or knowledge required for that?

[jwmiller33]

You will need a pliers to remove the pin and then a socket wrench (or prop wrench) to remove the nut holding the prop on the prop shaft. Try to remember about how tight the nut was when you removed it so you can repeat when putting it back on. You may need a new pin when putting it back on but that is not always necessary. They are cheap so mind as well buy some extras and keep them in the boat as spares in case you ever need to remove the prop while on the water or out of town on a fishing trip. From your posts, I'm guessing it sounds like you have a seal issue which is most likely going to require you to bring it to someone who knows more about boat motors to get it properly diagnosed and fixed. You may just want to bring it in ASAP, that way you get it back sooner. This time of year, most boat mechanics have a couple week turn around because basically everyone is in the same boat as you (just getting the boat out of storage for the spring and needing to get something fixed before the boat is ready to see the water). If you have a seal issue, that means there could be/is water in your lower unit. This is not good because it will cause unwanted corrosion and wear on the inner workings of your lower unit (ie gears, bearings, etc). A seal job is a pretty simple fix for your run of the mill boat mechanic and is way over the head of your average joe with no motor knowledge. Like I said above, the big thing is the time it will take the mechanic to actually get to your motor after you bring it in due to the sheer volume of work they have this time of year.

Just my $.02

[amateurfishing]

thx all, called mechanic today and was quoted 120 for seal repair up to 250 if requires pressure test & more parts. i can live with it. not in rush to get it done, not concerned bout opener or anything, more concerned that it happened most of last year & i figured the drippage was normal. just want it checked thorough & make sure no extra damage was done from last year. will get it to shop next week

[amateurfishing]

boat back from mechanic today, had pressure test done and some others...said everything is fine and great, topped off lower unit oil for me, $20 well spent for peace of mind i guess. must be exhaust drips sitting on garage floor