Pulled the boat out for the winter and found that the lower unit was full of saltwater.... barely a scent of oil. It is a 1999 Johnson 200hp OceanPro. I then flushed with fresh water a number of times, refilled with new oil, and ran engine to distribute around gearcase. I assume it was like this most of the summer (4 months since last changed LU oil) and used quite a bit that I am surprised it didn't seize. No idea how much corrosion could have occurred. Not a lot of metal shavings found on screws.
History: Previously had a issue with it having a hard time fulling engaging when being put into gear which was resolved by adjusting shift rod height, but after a while it started doing the same thing again. This lead me to believe my cables might need to be replaced, but now I'm thinking the teeth might have started to wear.
Do I need to junk this lower unit or can I find the leak, reseal, and continue running with new oil? Other than being stranded out of the water, what kind of damage can result if the LU freezes up on me while running?
History: Previously had a issue with it having a hard time fulling engaging when being put into gear which was resolved by adjusting shift rod height, but after a while it started doing the same thing again. This lead me to believe my cables might need to be replaced, but now I'm thinking the teeth might have started to wear.
Do I need to junk this lower unit or can I find the leak, reseal, and continue running with new oil? Other than being stranded out of the water, what kind of damage can result if the LU freezes up on me while running?