"Milky" lower unit oil 6hp Tohatsu

[davidcampione]

After a fishing trip the other day i noticed a large spot of oil below my 2006 6hp outboard.

The oil leaking wasn't dark, or milky, it was a clear fresh motor oil look. It was leaking out of all the screws on the lower unit even the bottom one on the hub near the prop. I thought I rotted a gasket but not the case. I unscrewed the lower unit oil ports and it dripped out a thin milky substance.


I assume I got water into my gear oil. But how? Why is it leaking unexplained from sealed areas? It even was coming out of the circle rubber thing on the shaft (what is that?) Shouldn't the oil that leaked be milky too?

 

[pvanv]

Re: "Milky" lower unit oil 6hp Tohatsu

Sounds like two different issues at once.

The stuff leaking all over could well be crankcase oil. Not uncommon if overfilled, bad pan gasket (uncommon), or laid down on the wrong side. Check the motor oil level. That rubber disc is the grommet that you would remove to access the shift linkage coupling. Since that is way above the LU, motor oil is that suspect.

Milky LU lube indicates water intrusion. Often a bad prop shaft seal due to fishing line getting fouled around the prop shaft. If you need to re-seal, consider having all seals done at once, including the o-rings for the shift cam rod and bushing.

 

[davidcampione]

Re: "Milky" lower unit oil 6hp Tohatsu

bump for GURU



thanks for the reply, if its over $300 of work i'm getting a new one...i just need to know how to avoid this

 

[pvanv]

Re: "Milky" lower unit oil 6hp Tohatsu

You need to diagnose it. Again, sounds like two distinctly different problems.

Re oil up high, check crankcase oil, and verify whether the motor was ever laid on the wrong side.

For water in the LU, find out which seal is bad, or just reseal the LU completely. Don't overlook the drain screw seals, and the shift rod bushing o-rings.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: "Milky" lower unit oil 6hp Tohatsu

I can't really add anything to what Paul has told you. It's an "either one or both issue" and it has to be traced down for peace of mind or ignored if you feel lucky...I'm not lucky so I would trace it down if it was mine

 

[davidcampione]

Re: "Milky" lower unit oil 6hp Tohatsu

It sits on a jackplate locked down tight, i haven't laid it down recently so thats not a possibility.

I have a bent skeg which leads me to believe the damage occurred when i hit bottom. But the last time I hit bottom with it was a very slow idle..

The motor has been running flawless, better than ever, kills me to see it explode in problems.

If service is too much $ i have to retire her, only worth about $700. I just need to know how to avoid this, and why my motor did this.

I still have honey colored oil leaking from the lower unit, meanwhile i drained all the LU oil.

 

[pvanv]

Re: "Milky" lower unit oil 6hp Tohatsu

Sounds like time to get to a dealer for a diagnosis.