Gear case hole?

[Jordandh198826]

Good morning. I've recently been working on an evinrude 28 spl. Last night I noticed a small gear oil leak on the side of the gearcase. It was coming from a man made hole in the side of the case, near the top drain plug. Anyone have any information about what this holes purpose is? Or why it would be leaking gear oil? Pictures attached. Thanks in advance.

 

[Crosbyman]

drain hole ....to prevent residual water freezing during winter storage and splitting the GC .
Oozing "oil" is unburnt fuel oil from the exhaust "fly by" of incoming fuel oil on the piston down strokes of "2 stroke engines" ... nothing to do with gearcase oil

unless of course you have an internal crack..... in that case water would enter and mix with grearcase oil which is easy enough to check periodically as par of annual or semi annual oil changes.

keep it open with a pipe cleaner and clean all gearcase cavities when going an impeller change.
Sometimes those cavities clog up with crud and sand

 

[tphoyt]

It that a crack above the drain screw ?

 

[Jordandh198826]

It that a crack above the drain screw ?

No sir, just a bubbled section of paint.

 

[clemsonfor]

I'm with the others. There are two or three man made holes in various places to alleviate water inside so that it doesn't freeze.

 

[racerone]

Is there any water getting in your gearcase ?-----And some oil leaking on that outboard might be normal.-----It would be the oil that is mixed with the gas !

 

[jimmbo]

Is it gear oil? The stuff stinks to High Heaven, while 2 stoke Oil doesn't smell too bad.