Water in lower unit?

[steplift20]

I think I'm getting water mixing with my lower unit, today and last year I noticed that when I drain my lower unit oil it comes out a little milky and a very light green and dark normal green if the seal is no good ,what and where are the seals? Are they the ones under the water impeller housing, I never did that before and don't know if I should bring it to my mechanic or try it myself ,it's a 1988 150 Mercury outboard, any help would be great thanks for any comebacks. I live in New Jersey I do have a mechanic but he is not as good as he used to be not his fault he go screwed really bad but that's ab other story

[phatdaddy]

If u think it s leaking, pull it and have it pressure tested, that should tell u if and where. I think u need special tools to remove the carrier bearing.
If it was mine, i would let a grown up do it

[SkunkBoat]

Sounds like you have water.
Could come from the top seal under the water pump or from the seal at the prop shaft.

Sometimes on some motors the top one can be changed with common tools ...if it is not stuck...
The bottom one needs tools and knowhow.

I would say drop the lower unit yourself and take it to a shop.
If a shop can't do that right I don't know what to say.
Do it ASAP because everyone is waking up and uncovering their boats....

It won't get better on its own.

An 88 Merc has given you a lot. If it runs good, a couple hundred is the price of a ticket to play.

[phatdaddy]

Forgot to ask, when u service, do you put fresh washers on screws, could be something that simple

[oteps]

I did one for a friend, but it was a little different. Had 2 nuts holding the carrier in. Didn't need any special tools. Yours will probably have a spanner type nut holding the carrier in. U should replace the carrier seal and o ring, plus the seal under the water pump and shifter too. If u r mechanically inclined I would try it. it needs new seals anyway. Look up the schematic for that motor and u will see the parts im talking about. Should be less than $40 for the seals.

[Blue_Runner]

Forgot to ask, when u service, do you put fresh washers on screws, could be something that simple
CHECK THIS FIRST - one of my friends kept getting water in his LU. He would change the oil before he used it every time. Come to find out he did not have drain plug gaskets on either of the drain plug screws. So of course water was coming in.....

That is one thing - the other which Phatdaddy alluded to - those drain plug gaskets are cheap and should be replaced every time you change the oil. If you fail to do this they can wear out, get brittle, compressed, etc. over time, leading to water intrusion. Bottom line if you aren't already, spend $5 on the drain plug gaskets at every oil change. I've been doing this for 15 years and never a sign of water intrusion with over 1000 hours.

[SkunkBoat]

CHECK THIS FIRST - one of my friends kept getting water in his LU. He would change the oil before he used it every time. Come to find out he did not have drain plug gaskets on either of the drain plug screws. So of course water was coming in.....

That is one thing - the other which Phatdaddy alluded to - those drain plug gaskets are cheap and should be replaced every time you change the oil. If you fail to do this they can wear out, get brittle, compressed, etc. over time, leading to water intrusion. Bottom line if you aren't already, spend $5 on the drain plug gaskets at every oil change. I've been doing this for 15 years and never a sign of water intrusion with over 1000 hours.

I used to buy new gaskets and always had new screws if I chewed one up getting it off....or dropped it in the bucket of oil....

[steplift20]

All you guys gave me good advice, first thing I'm going to do is replace the two o rinds on the screws then if I'm still getting water I'm giving it to my mechanic, I am ok at replacing things but I want it fixed right so I will let someone else who does that , I will let you know what happens after the gaskets are changed

[steplift20]

Ok I didn't get it fixed yet but I changed the lower unit oil and ran the motor with ear muffs and didn't lower the motor in water, I changed the oil again and it was discollered again , I think it might be the seals below the water impeller housing, what do you think? I got a price to reseal the lower unit and was told about 600 dollars. That seems high to me what do you guys think? Thanks

[SkunkBoat]

it could be either or both...or a crack....

remove lower unit. take it to an outboard service shop. tell them what you you said here. Tell them to change the upper and lower seals, pressure test it, fill it up and charge you accordingly.
There is just no getting around it.

If you drop it off now you might be fishing when fluke season opens.

[steplift20]

Skunkboat you said it could be the seals under the impeller housing , tell me what you think ,if it was the seal by the prop wouldn't I get oil ozzing out by the prop? Also is it hard to change the two oil seals under the housing ?

[SkunkBoat]

like I said before
"Sometimes on some motors the top one can be changed with common tools ...if it is not stuck...The bottom one needs tools and know how."

[phatdaddy]

If u are getting water intrusion on a hose, without submerging the prop shaft or oil port & drain, i d say water pump seal or cracked housing.

When u say oil is discolored, is it milky white or just not clear like when u put it in?

As far as $600 for repair, If that is pulling lower unit, pressure checking, repairing as needed, installing new water pump, and reinstalling lower unit, its not too bad.

[spareparts]

buy a complete water pump kit with the upper and lower housing, the lower housing comes with new seals. If you know how to do a water pump on a merc, you can swap out the lower housing using two screw drives or pry bars.

[steplift20]

It just lifts out?

[steplift20]

Hey guys, I'm going to attempt to replace the seals that are under the base water impeller . I think you have to pry it off and the seals are under there ,is there any advice you can give me? Like do I replace the O Rings and should I coat them with a light coat of grease when putting it back or no grease ? It's a 1988 -150 Mercury outboard and advice would be greatly
Appriciated and if anyone is in my area and wants to help that would be great too

[spareparts]

get the new lower water pump housing, it comes with the seals installed. The water pump kit with upper housing comes with all the gaskets and o-rings you need. Just takes two screwdrivers to pry the lower housing out. Put grease on the seals, I use Mercury perfect seal on teh o-rings, nothing needed on the gaskets

[steplift20]

I just ordered the complete unit, I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks for all your advice

[cfelton]

Yep, Id replace the whole pump housing! Its easy and cheap.

[steplift20]

Ok guys, this is a two part question ,first if I have water mixed with the lower unit oil shouldn't the water sepperate from the oil. I have it in a clear container and it's still only a light green color, I'm using pennzoil lower case oil 80 90 weight
The second question is there is a thick heavy duty rubber washer the size of a quarter black coloered does that washer/seal slide on the drive shaft or around the plastic water tube since it could fit both, thanks for any reply so, it's a 1988 150 Mercury black max

[steplift20]

Forget the question about the rubber washer, I know where that goes but the oil and water mix I'm still not sure

[steplift20]

No good, I replaced the oil drain plugs,water impeller ,two thermostats and the base for the water pump housing , I ran my engine two times on the ear muffs never put the prop in water,changed the oil and its worst , the first two times I changed it it was a dark green now after everything I did it's a light green and the oil I'm using is pennzoil 80 -90 weight .what did I do wrong ?

[phatdaddy]

Not sure of color, bot water & oil looks like a milkshake, oil looks like oil

What do you have, oil or milkshake?

[steplift20]

It looks like antifreeze that color

[oteps]

put some of the green lower unit oil and some water in your wifes blender. Then report back to us what happened.
Or maybe try some in a can and use a spade bit in a drill to mix it up to see what color it will be. But any oil mixed with water I saw looked like a milk shake.

[steplift20]

Ok I put the oil in my wife's blender and my report is as follows
One black eye and one busted lip

[Pipe_Dream]

:haha:Ok I put the oil in my wife's blender and my report is as follows
One black eye and one busted lip

[Destroyer]

Ok I put the oil in my wife's blender and my report is as follows
One black eye and one busted lip

You mean that's ALL she gave you?..... man, you got off light. :head:

[steplift20]

I got quick silver lower unit oil I think it's blue coloered I'm going to put it in tomorrow run the engine and drain it to see what color it comes out, I will let you know what color tomorrow thanks for the replays