Lower unit leaking oil into water pump 89 force 125

Jiggin4Perch

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Apr 14, 2019
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Started water pump project and saw foamy oil leaking from behind prop. I had just changed my LU oil and only have 30 min of run time in. I pull the drain and get a oz of water and murky oil. I drop my LU and set it on its side, more murky LU oil coming out of the water intake vents. Take of water pump housing and murky oil is inside and when I may it on its side oil starts coming out the drive shaft into the water pump area. Does a LU seal kit come with this drive shaft seals? And how big of a job am I looking at to replace drive shaft seals below the water pump? Model number is 1251x9c
 

Nordin

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Yes a LU seal kit comes with all seals that are required to reseal the whole unit.

But you can buy only the seal/seals that you intend to change.
To change only the seal under the impeller housing is not a big job, but if you intend to reseal the whole unit then there are much more to do.

Partnumber for the seal kits are 1911 if you not have a D model.
If D model it is 2640.
This is aftermarket kits.
 

Jiggin4Perch

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Apr 14, 2019
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Seal kit is on its way! Here is pic of the leak out of the intake vent. From what I can tell, the only way oil can there is by the drive shaft seal in the top plate cover letting oil into the water pump. I removed the top plate and the drive shaft seal was all pinched and puckered. The other pic is of the prop shaft with the anode removed. To change the prop shaft seal can I simply remove the 4 bolts and pull the carrier bearing out or will I have to remove the whole drive shaft? I am tempted to just change the drive shaft seal, top plate o rings, and shift shaft seal, then see if my prop shaft is still leaking. I think the water pump was forcing water into the lower unit through the drive shaft seal and the pressure had to go somewhere and that was by the prop shaft. The prop shaft only let a few drops out. Thoughts?
 

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The Force power

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Seal kit is on its way! Here is pic of the leak out of the intake vent. From what I can tell, the only way oil can there is by the drive shaft seal in the top plate cover letting oil into the water pump. I removed the top plate and the drive shaft seal was all pinched and puckered. The other pic is of the prop shaft with the anode removed. To change the prop shaft seal can I simply remove the 4 bolts and pull the carrier bearing out or will I have to remove the whole drive shaft? I am tempted to just change the drive shaft seal, top plate o rings, and shift shaft seal, then see if my prop shaft is still leaking. I think the water pump was forcing water into the lower unit through the drive shaft seal and the pressure had to go somewhere and that was by the prop shaft. The prop shaft only let a few drops out. Thoughts?

Yes, you can just change the shaft-seal in the bearing-carrier including the "o"rings! it can leak into from that as well
make sure the surface on the inside is smooth no gouges

I know its not easy to find a tub big enough to have the lower-unit (pressurized with 5 to 10 psi) submerged in to check for leaks after seals are replaced.

I bought mine at home depot
 

Nordin

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Jun 12, 2010
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May the force be with you !!!
You do not have to submerge in a tub to get 10 PSI.
'
Use an air compressor with a regulator and set the regulator at 10 PSI.
With a pressure gauge with a low range you can see if the pressure fail and go low.
Let it sit for 5 minutes and see if the pressure fail.
If it fail, spray water around the drive shaft, prop shaft and shift shaft to locate the leakage.
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
Messages
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I use a 50/50 mix of Dawn soap and water in a spray bottle.
Spray the suspected area and add air pressure.
It will bubble like crazy if it has a leak.
 

The Force power

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Nordin!!!
You do not have to submerge in a tub to get 10 PSI. ??????

You are right; you don't have to submerge to leak check the lower-unit, I suggested a method that works!
specially with multiple leaks

(of course there's other ways to leak checking, but that does not make my method wrong)
 

Nordin

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Please calm down, I do not want to humiliate you.
Your method is great, but as you says you need a large bucket and it is difficult to connect the tube from the compressor.

My method is a lite bit easier and works great too.
 

The Force power

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Please calm down, I do not want to humiliate you.

WOW!! please explain

I do really admire your knowledge on Outboards & it's electrical systems, you are a wealth of good information; regrettably it comes with some bad attitude
 

Nordin

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Please, I just want to give some advise that can make the maintenance/troubleshooting a little easier.

If you perceive it as bad attitude it is up to you, it was not my intention,
It was to give you some advise, tips and trix to troubleshoot in other ways..
 
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The Force power

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I can defiantly handle; positive criticism, I don't think anybody likes to belittled or told they will be Humiliated if they don't calm down. it was you that got all worked up about my way of leak checking
I should not of labelled your attitude as "bad" but as "GOD in training"

this was my last time I will respond, as I want this saga to stop and enjoy the knowledge & experience available on this Forums/site
 

The Force power

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Feb 3, 2019
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Started water pump project and saw foamy oil leaking from behind prop. I had just changed my LU oil and only have 30 min of run time in. I pull the drain and get a oz of water and murky oil. I drop my LU and set it on its side, more murky LU oil coming out of the water intake vents. Take of water pump housing and murky oil is inside and when I may it on its side oil starts coming out the drive shaft into the water pump area. Does a LU seal kit come with this drive shaft seals? And how big of a job am I looking at to replace drive shaft seals below the water pump? Model number is 1251x9c

Hi Jiggin4perch,

I'm not sure due to all of this; if any of us had warned you about the shift-pin/screw on the side of the lower-unit.
Don't unscrew this! otherwise you will have to(in most cases) remove the prop-shaft etc. etc. this screw hold the shifting mechanism in place.
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
Messages
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The 4 bolts remove them and the carrier comes out.
Replace the seals on the 4 bolts.
The o-rings can be used again.
Just clean the groove and grease the top of the o-ring.
Grease under the o-ring and the carrier might not go back in.
 

Jiggin4Perch

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Apr 14, 2019
Messages
41
My GLM seal kit 87803 came today. With any luck I will get the lower unit on this weekend. I got a new water pump and housing, and put the impeller in the new housing with the blades curled the same way that the original where (assuming the previous impeller was correct). Any tips for pulling the carrier bearing to change prop shaft seals?
 

The Force power

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the way I did it;

put two of the bolts (that would hold the anode) diagonal across from each-other with some flat-washer on them, pry with 2 screwdrivers simultaneously the bearing-carrier out of the LU
Clean the mating surface that the O-ring sit on very well, do not use abrasive/ coarse sand-paper (ideally you want a "polished" finish)


an easy way to install the Impeller; once the Impeller is on the drive-shaft apply some WD40 to the cup and slide the upper -part of the pump-housing over the drive-shaft till it makes contact with the Impeller, apply some pressure while you turn the drive-shaft CLOCK WISE and push the housing down till it seats----torque down nuts
 
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Jiggin4Perch

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Apr 14, 2019
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So I opened the seal kits and not one seal looks like the original drive shaft seal. There are two that are the right size but the seal doesn't have the wire spring in the seal, the other seal has the wire spring on both sides of the seal. The third seal is way larger outside diameter with a much smaller inside diameter. How do I know what seal goes to what?
 
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