Pinhole oil leak in lower unit

gfcashmo

Cadet
Joined
Sep 15, 2014
Messages
11
I have a pinhole leak in the lower unit. It is on the flang where you actually bolt the lower to the upper. it's toward the boat on the motor. the oil is just barely dripping out of a hole that is there. I can't tell if it is more than a crack or a pin hole. Hopefully not a crack. How can I repair this. Do I take off the lower unit and have it welded? is that the only sure way to have this done? I don't want to weld from the outside whereas I think the welds are weaker if you do it from there.

Also I have a little oil coming out of where the prop is. I just bought this boat so I suspected hidden issues. I think this might be normal. This is a mercury 90 HP 1994 Elpho engine. IT supplies oil to the engine so is it possible this extra oil in the prop is just non burnt oil? I had a hard time starting it yesterday -first time since I had it. It eventually started and ran fine. This morning I see the pin hole leak and the oil from the prop. I can send pics if that will help.

Thanks for any advise you can give.
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
A photo would really help....but outboard motors often have oil "leaking" out from various places.....a real pin hole like from a casting flaw could easily be fixed by forcing a small blob of JB Weld into it with your fingertip....but I'm not sure that's what you've got....the photo may help...
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,036
smell the oil drip. If it stinks it is gear oil and a problem. If it smells like regular oil or gasoline, it is unburned fuel and pretty normal.
 

gfcashmo

Cadet
Joined
Sep 15, 2014
Messages
11
IT was my bad. The oil was coming from the P hole underneath. As you can see from the picture below, this is where the lower unit is attached to the upper. Water streams from here when I hook the muffs up and turn on the hose. I was working a lot on trying to get the engine cranked yesterday. it took a lot of turning and choking and reving the engine (i cant find an engine warmer lever) and it dying, before I could get it to run steady. This afternoon. It started right up with two turns of the key!..

The oil is not milky. Does not smell bad. Does not smell like gas either. I will rig a pressure test - drain the lower unit and test.

PeeHoleUnderneath.jpg
 
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