Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

[Bobobob]

I took the boat out today after doing the bottom end and the water pump on my 1962 Johnson 40 RDSL-24L

and well they say a picture is worth a thousand words, so please look at the pic and help me figure out what happened.

The motor ran great on the lake, no gear slippage and the motor was strong.

Please help!!!

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

Looks like unburned 2 stroke to me.

See the FAQ about oil coming out of the lower unit.

 

[Bobobob]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

O.k. gonna go check the lower unit oil and I'll get back to y'all

Thanks.

 

[fishermanms]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

Not sure which hole you referring to. The very top there is a leak between the housings....may need gaskit??? or sealer??? The little small hole just below the top plug is suppose to be there. Just a lil water coming out there... No big Deal? Then it appears you have lower unit gear oil leaking from the bottom plug hole. Did you put plug gaskits on the plug hole bolts??? Hard to tell about the color or contents of the stuff leaking everywhere.... Good Luck

 

[Bobobob]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

O.k. I took out some bottom end gear oil. I took a pic of it, so take a look, to me it doesn't seem to have any water in it.

I believe it may just be unburnt fuel like was suggested earlier, however there is a point to be brought up about the leak from higher up on the leg.

I went and bought that fancy fast drying sealant from the boat shop hear and I sealed everything. So I don't think it's a sealant issue.

Plaes take a look at the pic below and let me know if the oil looks good to you.

 

[iwombat]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

Looks just like it should.

It's leaking where the exhaust housing mates with the LU. That's typically where you're going to see the unburned oil.

 

[fishermanms]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

Looks like good fresh gear oil to me... is it sythetic? It dont look sythetic. And it dont appear to be 2stoke oil...It would be blue/black with gas. I just think you have a leak on the bottom and all that is leaking is gear oil. And it looked like it was coming from your plug hole bolts. But thats just IMO. I think you are in for an easy fix....

 

[Bobobob]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

Umm so if it's leaking from the Exhaust housing how do I rectify that? is it a major issue or just cosmetic, ie: that sludge?

I completely checked the gear housing and there are no leaks, I used adhesive from the boat shop a new "spagetti seal" new plug washers, and put in a new Water pump impeller.

It ran great on the lake pulled hard, I had no gear slippage, which was my main reason for the rebuild. The motor hummed right up to 4600 RPM with 3 of us in the boat, and felt great.

Just that this sludge appeared, could it just be leftovers from the little exhaust tube thing? I mean it was the second run this season and it sat for quite awhile over the winter.

could it just be the water washing out the old leftovers that have built up?

the sludge on the lower part is leaking from a "drain" hole, a nice little hole that was factory made. the upper leak seems to be comming from a bolt.

any further help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[iwombat]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

It's all normal, especially if this is your 1st or 2nd outing after having sat all winter. If it's coming from the bolt that holds the LU to the upper housing, its probably just leaking down the bolt shaft from the seam.

Really, you're fine. Go boating already.

Edit: Normally those drain holes pass all that out while you're underway. That's what they're designed to do. If they get clogged up, sometimes the pressure from the muffs will blow the clog out, and - voila! sludge trail.

 

[Bobobob]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

O.k. Sounds good, but just to clarify I am posting two pics that show the holes I am referring too.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

USE IT!..its just unburned carbon/gas/oil/sludge..doing just whats its supposed too...thing aint new, and the middle is full of it..

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Help!!! Leaking sludge from little hole in bottom end.

That skeg looks like it could use some repair...