How does my lower until oil look?

[euroshowoff]

2013 PT 165 mercury 40hp

Changed my lower unti oil this past weekend, and this looks "milky" I think.

I'm second owner, and this is my second season with the boat. Thoughts?





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Princeton_Man]

Looks like it has water in it.

Seal is leaking either propshaft or waterpump. It needs a doctor.

[euroshowoff]

Looks like it has water in it.

Seal is leaking eaither propshaft or waterpump. It needs a doctor.

If I replaced the waterpump impeller on an older force 40hp, do the same steps apply here for the waterpump seal?

How difficult is the prop shaft seal to replace?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Princeton_Man]

Not a lot of differences between lower units and if your mechanically inclined, you should be able to do it. Always had a real shop do the shaft seal, so I can't say for sure.

[FloridaFishinFool]

Looks like it has water in it.

Seal is leaking either propshaft or waterpump. It needs a doctor.

He is right. Milky means water is getting in. And that means oil can get out. Those seals should be changed by a professional if you really want it done right and to last.

Another thing to check is the lower magnetic plug used to drain the oil. Look and see if there are any metal shavings on it. You do not want to wear down or grind up your gears if the lubrication is compromised.

Let a pro do it.

[merc1997]

If I replaced the waterpump impeller on an older force 40hp, do the same steps apply here for the waterpump seal?

How difficult is the prop shaft seal to replace?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

there are other places for water to get into the lower unit besides the prop shaft.  this is where a pressure leak test will help to pin down the source, and of course visual.  many times the shift shaft seal is the source of the water leak.

bo

[euroshowoff]

thanks.

the shop i bought the boat from last august did the water impeller job before i took ownership. is there anything to look for on the shaft seals that could determine what the culprit is?

[Oldfart9999]

Like Bo said, have a leak down test done. A seal can look good and leak like a sieve.
Rodney

[Princeton_Man]

One of the most common causes for prop shaft seal leakage can be fishing line wrapped behind the prop. Braid and wire leaders are the worst.

Age can be a reason. Seals do just wear out over time. Another culprit can be wear (the metal particles in the oil from the gears suspend in the oil and cause wear.

Like Bo mentioned, a pressure test might help locate the leak. If the motor has been sitting unused for Winter, you might find a small amount of oil collecting behind the prop if the propshaft seal is leaking. That doesn't always happen but it's a good indicator if it's there.

[Pacific NW Ron]

Agreed.  Definition water.
Ron

[gatorglenn]

Ok what I want to know is that , when you drained the unit. The oil looked great right. This in the pic is after you wiped it down once. And the this last bit slowly drained with the creamy color in it. This is acceptable because it's more than likely just condensation. Lower unit does get warm and cold water it will sweat on the inside. What I would do is change the lower unit oil run it a few more times then change it again if it does not come out then that's what it was. The longer the lower unit goes between changes this will actually build up more. On the other hand if your whole oil look like this from start to finish then yes get a pressure test done because you do have a leak. If not if this is just the dregs of the oil after the rest came out looking great. Then it's just the condensation. We see this a lot up north where the air and water temps can be drastically different.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[euroshowoff]

Unfortunately this is right when i removed the lower unit screw/gasket. I did notice that it didnt seem like there was a lot of oil in the lower unit. Also, the flow was reallllyyyy slow..i would imagine if there was a lot of oil, it would have poured out fast even when i loosened the top vent screws.

[gatorglenn]

That's because whoever filled it get it way too fast. That lower unit will hold A half a quart or a little more. But it has to be put in real slow to push the air out or else if you push it past the air gets trapped at the bottom and you when it comes out of the vent screw at the top you think it's full. Feel it very slow until it comes out the vent then let it sit for about 2 to 3 minutes and give it another score when it comes out that time you're done. Also try to do it when it's warm. Put muff on it or set it in a can with water just leave it in gear at idle for about five minutes. This will let it drain a lot better and get all the gold all out because it'll be warmer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FloridaFishinFool]

Something else to consider might be the type of oil being used.

For example, my yamaha would leak if I used Amsoil, a full synthetic oil.

The problem with full synthetic is that the gasket are not affected by the synthetic oil, but will swell up and seal better if a petroleum oil is used.

So my solution was to go with a synthetic blend with petroleum. I got the better friction reducing properties of the synthetic, while also getting the seal swelling properties of the petroleum.

[euroshowoff]

Update. Had a highly professional shop take a look for a few days. They ran a number of tests and found no leaking seals etc. $75 was worth piece of mind. Like someone said, it could have been condensation buildup over the winter...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Oldfart9999]

Thanks for the update!! Good news nothing wrong, that's 75$ worth of peace of mind!!
Rodney

[gatorglenn]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk