1969 Chrysler 55 h.p. lower end leak.

[AuSable Junkie]

I wasn't able to get my pic on here, so this link will take you to a post where I was able to get the pic up. I think the format I have it stored in makes it look all blurry and mosaic on this site. The thumbnail on the bottom is the pic, but its pretty much useless.

Pic of problem:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=291965

Just bought this today. The motor is a Chrysler 55 h.p. model 5591 made in 1969. It runs fine but after getting it in the water and taking it for a spin, I noticed the leak shown in the pic. The fluid draining out smells like gas and has some, but not a lot, of white frothy stuff along with it. I noticed a hole 3-4" to the left of the leaky hole that looks like it has some sort of pin in it, brass maybe?? The leaky hole doesn't have any similar pin in it. I don't even know if its supposed to.

With the motor sitting in the "up" position, not seeing the leak. I took these pics right after I released the motor lock and let it settle to the upright position, like it would be if it were moving the boat in the water. After the first ride, the gasket leaked just at the horizontal line just below the leaky hole. The pic was taken after the 2nd ride and now I only see the leakage coming from the hole. Maybe the gasket swelled up? Either way, I plan on replacing it. Is this something an average Joe with moderate mechanical skills can do??

The guy I bought it from took out the bottom screw on the lower end and initially a bit of water came out, but then it was all oil after that. We put new gear oil in and took it for a ride. The amount of water that came out wouldn't fill a thimble 1/2 full. A leak or just water separating out from sitting for a while?

One thing I thought of this morning, if the hole/leak in question is just a drain for fluids that get under the motor cover, then the gas drainage makes sense. When we were trying to get gas to the cylinder, we figured out that the bulb in the gas line from the tank to the motor had malfunctioned. I pulled the gas line off at the point where it connects to the motor, right above the little glass bowl where you can see gas. We got the bulb pumping again but in doing so, some gas got pushed out of the line and spilled into the area under the motor cover. Maybe the hole is just a drain for liquids under the engine cover??
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Tried to give as much info as I could, if anyone needs more to offer a suggestion, feel free to ask.

Thanks.
Dale

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1969 Chrysler 55 h.p. lower end leak.

That hole is a water drain for the leg. If you spill gas inside the cover, that's where it will come out in addition to water that gets into the leg when it is sitting in the river and used oil from the engine that collects in the leg.

HOWEVER: ANY free water coming out the lower unit oil drain hole indicates a leaking seal. First check the fill and drain plugs to be certain they are tight enough and the plastic gaskets are sealing. Then run the engine for a while on the lake or river and see if you get milky oil or free water. If so check the prop shaft seal, the drive shaft seal, and the shift rod seal. All three can be has for about 50 bucks. If that doesn't solve the problem, split the lower unit and replace the gasket between the gearcase torpedo and the upper half.

By the way: That lower unit was called by Chrysler the "Hydro-Dart." Most people referred to them as "Stump Stabbers."

 

[AuSable Junkie]

Re: 1969 Chrysler 55 h.p. lower end leak.

Thanks for the answer/reply. Glad the gas leak was a simple explanation and didn't mean repairs ahead for me. I will take it out again and run her a little while then check for water in the lower end oil. If water turns up again, I will follow your recommendations.

The water pump looks like its working fine. We spent 15 minutes running around the lake with some time spent with the motor at full throttle. I put my hand in the ejected water stream and was surprised at how warm it was. I'd say a little cooler than what most people consider a hot shower in the bathroom. Is that just the water pump doing its job or is the motor generating too much heat??

 

[gunterm]

Re: 1969 Chrysler 55 h.p. lower end leak.

I have the exact same motor and model/year number as well

The water does exit there pretty hot, I used a digital thermometer and it reads about 125 F which seems normal to me.

 

[AuSable Junkie]

Re: 1969 Chrysler 55 h.p. lower end leak.

Thanks Matt. The motor runs like a top considering its age. I plan on taking good care of it so it will give many years of good service to us, I hope.