Odd lower unit seals on 95 130hp Johnson V4

[fdbyrne]

I'm new to working on boats. I'm used to working on Toyota trucks. Compared to what I'm used to with Toyotas, I'm having a hard time finding information on a 95 Johnson 130 V4 that I just bought used so I'm winging it.

I had a lot of water in the lower unit so a seal is shot somewhere. After doing a lot of research, I ended up with a water pump kit and a lower unit seal kit that has all the parts I should need plus quite a few more that are only applicable for other versions of the unit.

Either my lower unit is a unicorn and unlike anything I've seen online, or someone did some work to it previously and put it back together wrong. That's where I'd like your input. At both the driveshaft seal and the prop shaft seal, I only found a single seal at each location. Every YouTube video I've seen shows two seals back-to-back at both of those locations.

Did Johnson actually make lower units designed for single seals at these locations and I ended up with one of them? I'm at work so I don't have pictures. Both of the seals looked similar in that they were rubber coated metal seals instead of metal casings with only the interior being rubber.

 

[racerone]

They used a double lip seal for some years and seal kits.-----Rubber all over.----They are not very good in my opinion.--------A factory kit will usually have instructions and the 2 separate seals with stainless housings.-----On newer motors they have gone back to the 2 seal set-up.

 

[fdbyrne]

They used a double lip seal for some years and seal kits.-----Rubber all over.----They are not very good in my opinion.--------A factory kit will usually have instructions and the 2 separate seals with stainless housings.-----On newer motors they have gone back to the 2 seal set-up.

Wonderful. Thank you. These do look like they have double lips and they're definitely rubber all over. I still have the bearing carrier out so I might go with the double seal setup since it's still an option. I've already installed the driveshaft seal with a new water pump so I'd rather not take everything back apart again up there.

My kit didn't come with instructions, but it wasn't a factory kit I don't think. It was an Amazon thing.

 

[Doh]

A quick hint, the dual seal under the water pump impeller, are placed Face to Face, from the Factory. Which is actually Reversed to the way the Seal is designed to work.

Install them Back to Back, with grease in the center, this also doesn't allow for a Pocket of Water that freezes and can tear out the top seal, if used in Cold Conditions.