water in lower unit oil, pointers please

[ONERCBOATER]

1983 15hp j15elctr

well got engine running like a charm, starter, charging, starts 1st pull or second and with a lil choke goes straight to an idle. Unfortunately after about 3hrs run time 30min to 1 hr at a time, if have discovered milky oil in the lower unit. So it looks like it is time to Fog the engine and tear into the lower unit, I haven't done this before, but it appears relatively straight fwd looking at the parts diagrams. I have a manual, it isn't a whole lot of good as it covers too many yrs and models in too little space, I have an idea of what I am doing, I would just be very thankful of any pointers on things that a noob might not expect, or that I can get into trouble with.

essentially the "if you do this you will be sorry" and the "it is easier to do it this way" type things.

I expect that I will be purchasing gaskets, O-rings and seals. Should I expect to be replacing any bushings/bearings?

What I intend to do is remove the prop, pull the lower unit from the exhaust housing, pull the water pump and then drive shaft then remove the two bolts that appear to hold everything in from the rear. I have been warned many a time to be careful to not remove the phillips head screws by accident instead of the drain plugs as they hold shifting stuff in, so i am thinking that I should remove these only after i free everything else I can up. correct?

this is the diagram I am working off of.
http://www.boats.net/parts/search/BRP/JOHNSON/1983/J15ELCTR 1983/GEARCASE/parts.html

I would be very thankful if someone would know which parts I can replace that are likely culprits and save me from having to do a complete disassembly.

Thank you very much for your time and patience again,

sean

 

[jasper60103]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

Did you change the drain/fill plug washers the last time the oil was changed? If not, give that a try before getting into a reseal job.

 

[raczekp1]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

hi.
are you sure that this oli is from gearcase?
sometimes unburned oil can leak from exhaust.
gearcase oil smels differently than mix oil.
i would wash gearcase with carosene and refill new oil and put new washers under drain plugs.run engin in the barel for few hours and inspect colur of gearcase oil.
here are good info about lower unit http://www.sschapterpsa.com/ramblings/Lower_unit.htm

 

[ONERCBOATER]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

1st thank you very much,

2nd yes I am sure it is water in gear case oil, has a nice milky color, I put it in a small glass vial and heated it up, water then separated from oil and with a lil more heat boiled off. Thought for a few minutes that there was just cheap lube in lower unit.

I will try the fresh washers and the flushing out the lower unit with kerosene, i like the idea, last night I read (or should I say reread) the entire machinist's site on outboards

starting with this page
http://www.sschapterpsa.com/ramblings/Johnson 9.9_15.htm

I will try the new washers the flushed crankcase new oil, and I am supposed to go fishing this weekend, so i will put a few hrs on the lower unit and recheck it. I really hope that i dont have to tear into it, but if i do, i will take pictures the entire way through it and make notes, so that the next person wanting to do it will know what to expect. I will be changing drive shafts this afternoon anyhow as my short drive shaft and spare lower unit is supposed to get here today. I paid $53 including shipping on ebay for it, with short drive shaft and spare prop included, though it looks like it was a saltwater unit from the pics with corrosion on the water pump area. I think i did pretty well price wise will know more this afternoon, if it is in good enough shape, i may check it and see if it does better.

oh, how to pressure test a lower unit at home? I am assuming i will need to drill out a bolt that is the same dia as one of the drain plugs, teflon tape it and attach it to a gauge and ball valve and pressure it up to 15PSI. correct?
if i wind up making one of those will anyone want a pic?

Sean

 

[kbait]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

You can use the adapter that comes with a 'pump' lower unit filler.. the kind you attach to a quart bottle and pump the lube instead of squeezing the bottle. They're pretty inexpensive.
I would first change out the plug washers, and use high vis gearlube and check after a good run.
I have a '75 15hp that got milky fairly quick, and it wasn't washers. I used an impact puller (looks like a big screwdriver w/a metal doughnut on the shaft, and you attach a screw to the end). I used a punch to put a small hole in the propshaft seal behind prop, attached the screw and the puller, and it popped right out. Installed a new propshaft seal (tapped in w/a piece of pvc conduit that would fit around the propshaft), and I am sealed!
But, since you're gonna have the lower off anyway, you may want to change 'em all out. I don't have a puller for the gearcase cap behind the prop, and got lucky that the propshaft seal was the culprit. Good luck!

Oh, and if you don't have a puller for that gearcase cap, search this site for directions for constructing one (I saw it somewhere here)..

 

[ONERCBOATER]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

ok will follow your suggestions....

umm is
http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...&gd_poid=110548&gd_row=9&**********=434851577

or

http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...&gd_poid=354265&gd_row=9&**********=434851577

the better kit to get the sierra kit looks more complete if your not looking for the screws/plugs. Figure since I boats was kind enough to create this forum for my use, i will purchase seal kit from them.

Thank you again for your time and info.

Sean

 

[wilde1j]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

Do yourself a favor ... get an OEM shop manual.

 

[ONERCBOATER]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

it was just the plugs.....

thank you very much.

yes going to get an OEM shop manual, thinking I asked too many questions :redface:

Sean

 

[boobie]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

Just remember, you can never ask to many questions. Better to ask than to screw something up. There's a good bunch of guys on here always willing to help.

 

[Crizzle316]

Re: water in lower unit oil, pointers please

just simply vaccum and compression test your gearcase, you will be able to tell if and where your gearcase is leaking from.

p.s. you never want to remove that pivot pin in your gearcase unless you plan on tearing it apart