Water in lower unit gear lube

[ConnecticutYankee]

Hello All,

This past summer I became the proud owner of a 1989 Wahoo 18.5 Offshore powered by a 120 hp Johnson VRO of the same vintage. When changing the gear lube in the lower unit I noticed evidence of water. I changed the rubber washers on the fill and vent screws as they were showing signs of age hoping it would be an easy fix to the problem, it wasn't. I now wondering if my problem stems for the water pump and the gaskets and seals associated with it. I have to confess I once accidentally briefly overreved the engine with the ears on.

My questions are; is changing the water pump a DIY job? and is there also a gasket between the lower unit and shaft extension I should replace as long as I'm doing the job?

 

[jwbmarine]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

not a huge prob.......u could press ck,and find out where it is leaking..........but,that is not the way to do a pro repair.........inst all new seals and o rings......................prob solved--------for yrs------and a full wtr pump kit too.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

Go to Shop.evinrude.com and locate the gearcase diagram and parts list for your engine. You will be able to identify all the seals gaskets and O rings there. The Gearcase seals kit should have all that is necessary to reseal the gearcase and the water pump kit should have all that is necessary to overhaul the water pump. There may be some duplication of parts.

 

[ConnecticutYankee]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

Thanks for the quick response guys and the link. It seems like an easy enough job, I guess I'll find out.

 

[HybridMX6]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

There will be some double parts, but should be only 2 I believe. I ordered a water pump kit and gearcase seal kit for a 1993 60 VRO. The only double part I had from that was an impeller housing o-ring. It's a skinny, rather large o-ring that goes under the housing, between it and the lower unit casing. I also ordered a new seal for the shift rod (actually the metal piece, not just the seal, so when it came in I ended up with 2 of those gaskets also. There is an o-ring in that shift rod piece I just mentioned, but it also comes with the kit for the gearcase. I gotta figure out how to get the o-ring in it. I thought I had it, put it all together, and I was wrong, and it popped out into the lower unit. Oops.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

The washers on your fill and drain plugs should be flat and made of nylon, not rubber.

There were plugs with rubber o-rings, but I don't think that they were used on any of the 120 or 140 gearcases.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

The washers on your fill and drain plugs should be flat and made of nylon, not rubber.

There were plugs with rubber o-rings, but I don't think that they were used on any of the 120 or 140 gearcases.

Thats the first thing that caught my eye too Ezeke...Maybe the previous owner did not know any better and used rubber o-rings instead of nylon washers.
It would leak for sure!

 

[HybridMX6]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

Just something to be wary of to others on the forum, but in the past I have gone to West Marine looking for those nylon washers, and they pointed me in the direction of some rubber o-rings marked on the package "Johnson LU drain/fill o-rings." When I told the guy my old ones were not rubber, but nylon, he just said that's all they have. I went elsewhere, got them from a different marine store. I can't believe someone working at a marine store would point someone in that direction. Does make me wonder how many people he's sold those to though.

 

[Motrboatr]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

Sorry, I don't mean to hi-jack the thread.
I found this thread while searching so I thought I'd ask here and keep on looking.
Is there a detailed dis-assembly/assembly guide for pulling apart and re-building the gear case for my early 80's evinrude 115hp v4?
Thanks, and sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes.
Chris

 

[HybridMX6]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

You really should start your own thread, but the only detailed instructions there will be are going to be in a factory service manual. They can be had for most motors on ebay for less than $50. I've bought two on there for under $50 each, incl. shipping.

 

[Motrboatr]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

Thanks Hybrid. It's one of those "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situations. If I started a new thread I'd be called a "dumb newb" and told to search it myself. If I asked a question in a thread that was already started I'd be told to start a new thread so it's usually a no-win situation.

Anyhow, I'll just go buy an FSM and go from there.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Water in lower unit gear lube

BTW, water pump has nothing to do with water in the gearcase. They are close, but not connected in any way, except the driveshaft goes through both. The fill drain and washers are nylon indeed and not buna or neoprene.