5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

[msd58]

1995 Mercruiser 5.0 with 500 hours ~noticed this season drips of oil coming from front of motor. Oil pan area seems dry and free from oil. I noticed oil in the area of timing cover. Front seal, timing cover or something entirely different? What could it be?

 

[kbetts]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

MSD58, Did you check to see what color the oil is? Brown, green, blue? Do you have a remote outdrive oil tank on the front of the Merc? Could your drive be getting warm and overflowing the oil tank and running down the front of your motor? Possibly spilled while topping off the fluid. Just want to point out the easy checks first.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

Upper Chesapeake Bay

Saltwater,..??......

My 1st Guess is the Timing Cover is Rusted thru..............

 

[msd58]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

MSD58, Did you check to see what color the oil is? Brown, green, blue? Do you have a remote outdrive oil tank on the front of the Merc? Could your drive be getting warm and overflowing the oil tank and running down the front of your motor? Possibly spilled while topping off the fluid. Just want to point out the easy checks first.

Its motor oil for sure............ Nope fresh water. No signs of rust on entire motor

Anyway. Its just drops. Its direcrtly below the timing cover on bilge floor. I know from schematics I have seen there is front seal that could be leaking also.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

Ayuh,......
Then it's Probably the front main Oil seal........

 

[Zackman]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

I have a similar problem on a 99 5.7L with only 218 hours. Have you checked to see if it drips while the engine is running or only after it has shutdown?

The reason I ask, is it appears on mine to only drip after the engine has stopped. Has been doing it all season and within 18 hours I've only loss a half a quart of oil. I've resolved to just clean the bilge and wait until the engine needs to be pulled for another reason.

 

[msd58]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

I never really looked to when the drips happen. I just notice they are there.

 

[msd58]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

Saltwater,..??......

My 1st Guess is the Timing Cover is Rusted thru..............

I spoke with my mechanic today about this issue. He says that he rarely sees that the front seal as the problem. He also feels based on my description that its the timing cover rusted through. One of the things he said is that he may have to pull engine to do the job. Why you ask? Because he said he may not have enough room to use his pulley puller remover and use his air tools. I measured, he had 13" of room between lower pulley and fire wall of engine compartment. He also said that the pan gasket could get ruined if it does not come apart properly. The motor is 1995 5.0 Merc. Q: Does that have a one piece gasket? ... Does the engine have to come out? Thats six hours labor.

Comments are welcome here.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

Ayuh,...........

The Oil Pan goes on After the Timing Cover,......
To do it Right, the motor should be on a Stand........

Many times when repairs are done In the boat,..... The Oil Leak just moves to somewhere Else.......

 

[msd58]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

Speaking of timing cover. I was at the boat today to look into the leak issue again. I wiped the entire timing cover clean and spent more time investigating the leak. I noticed there was quite a bit of rust on the timing cover just underneath outputshaft opening. I quit surprised to feel how rusty it was.

Thanks for all the posts

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

I've seen an oil pressure sender leak right where the wire spade attaches, it would ooze oil with engine running, oil would run the pan rail and drip from the front, this was in a car though, I think your 5.0 sender is right there near the front of the engine, mighnt be worth a look.

 

[msd58]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

I will check there tomorrow. However I wiped everything clean last week. I ran engine yesterday. I can get my fingers up into the timing cover up from the bottom. Thats when I felt all the rust. In addition I got fresh oil on my fingers from the area right where the output shaft is. I was not much but is was fresh oil.

 

[John_S]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

I'd have to agree with your mechanic on pulling the engine. I did this in the boat this spring. It took a couple of trys before getting to seal. You don't know that you screwed up until you have put everything back on the motor and run it. Retorquing the oil pan while in the boat is no easy feat. BTW, my engine bay has relatively easy access compared to most I've seen in a runabout, anyway.

PS: If your timing cover is rusted through, best to check the oil pan carefully, as well.

 

[msd58]

Re: 5.0 Mercruiser Oil Drip

I realize now the most likely the motor will have to come out after looking at the motor recently. It was just shock for such a minor repair.