57 Evinrude 5.5 leaking fuel/oil near water pump

[rustyco]

Please indulge me while I give you some background before asking my question...

I have a 1957 Evinrude 5.5 hp engine that I received from my Father-In-Law about 20 years ago. It was in near-perfect condition when I got it and it's been stored upright in my garage ever since. Last week, I began reading various threads about how to gently wake the engine up with hopes of using it later this spring. Note, my Father-In-Law winterized the engine with a fogging oil prior to giving it to me. I cleaned it well, inspected the coils (they look new), replaced the fuel and air lines, flushed and replaced the lower unit oil, and replaced the spark plugs. I poured a little 2-cycle oil in each cylinder and let it set while I completely refurbished one of the two cruise-a-day cans he'd given me. Once the gas can was fixed, I mixed some fresh fuel and hooked the tank up to the engine. I primed the engine and gently and slowly pulled the starter rope about three times. During the third pull, the engine tried to start. At this point, I let the engine sit for about 30 minutes, placed it in a test tank, pulled the starter rope and it started on the 2nd or 3rd pull. It ran a little rough, but that was fixed by adjusting the slow speed idle. It's pumping water fine.

The next day I took it out to a local lake and let it push my jon boat for about an hour at various speeds. It ran flawlessly.

Thanks for reading this far...Now comes the question...

Once I was back from the lake, I put the motor back on a stand and it began to slowly drip a light green foamy substance from what appears to be a weep hole on the front-underside of the water pump housing. The substance has a slight gas odor. Is this normal or an indication of a problem?

 

[F_R]

Re: 57 Evinrude 5.5 leaking fuel/oil near water pump

Nice story, but common non-problem.

That is coming from the exhaust housing. It is fuel that has gone through the engine and done it's job. It is heading to be discharged out the exhaust anyway. You are looking at an exhaust housing drain hole.

Now, some is normal. But a large amount may mean running too rich, running improperly for some other reason such as bad ignition, flooding carburetor after you shut it off, laying it down with gas in the carburetor, or whatever.

Even in perfect condition, some fuel and oil will go out the exhaust. That's just the way it is.

 

[jim j geezer]

Re: 57 Evinrude 5.5 leaking fuel/oil near water pump

Was the water much colder than the ambient air temp when you launched?

*COLD* will create a partial vacuum in the lower unit and suck in water through leaky seals around the output shaft. Then, when it returns to the warmer ambient temp, the vacuum becomes a 'high-pressure' vessel and attempts to "equalize outside and inside pressures - thus expelling everwhat's inside: possibly lower unit lube mixed with water, which presents as: "Pale green (or blue) foam.

Check your lower unit.

Drain it.

LOOK at what drains out. <-- That'll tell the tale and it's cheap insurance.

I HOPE ^that^ isn't the case, but...

Good luck!

Geezer Jim

 

[rustyco]

Re: 57 Evinrude 5.5 leaking fuel/oil near water pump

Thanks for the responses.

I was testing the motor in a power plant lake near Austin, so the water was actually fairly warm.

I changed out the lower unit oil this afternoon and it doesn't seem to have any water, foam, or any other contaminants in it.

One thing I forgot to mention in my first post is that I did run the engine at very low RPM for the last 20 minutes or so before shutting it down. (Since it was running so well, I decided to troll a rattle-trap on the return trip across the lake. I even caught a nice striper!) I read on another post that this can cause un-burned 2-cycle oil to build up in the exhaust and then drain out after the motor is turned off. Thoughts?

 

[Xcusme]

Re: 57 Evinrude 5.5 leaking fuel/oil near water pump

Well yup,,,,,it's true. The best way is to run the motor at fast idle (WOT) back to the boat launch. You won't have the motor 'leaking' after that....

 

[jim j geezer]

Re: 57 Evinrude 5.5 leaking fuel/oil near water pump

Aside: semi- related: Howz the water levels @ PK: AKA (believe it or not!) "Possom Kingdom Reservior" and, (2) Lake Ray Roberts N of The Colony - where I used to live DECADES ago...?
Thx
I won't follow-up so as to

.. even avoid the APPEARANCE of...

'thread-jacking', n'K?
Geezer JimJ

 

[rustyco]

Re: 57 Evinrude 5.5 leaking fuel/oil near water pump

Aside: semi- related: Howz the water levels @ PK: AKA (believe it or not!) "Possom Kingdom Reservior" and, (2) Lake Ray Roberts N of The Colony - where I used to live DECADES ago...?
Thx
I won't follow-up so as to 'thread-jacking', n'K?
Geezer JimJ

I can't speak to Roberts, but PK is way down. We have family who live on Lake Granbury and they've even lowered it 5-6' from it's "constant" level. Here in Austin, Travis is down about 50'. It's really bad.