Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

[Open_fsh24]

Good evening guys,

I decided to change my lower unit oil today as it's been quite sometime since i've changed it (01 Merc 250 EFI). When changing it i noticed the oil was very dark navy blue but had some light drops that were creamy colored. For the most part the oil is dark blue but if you shine a light to the creamy areas it has light swirls, not sure if this is something to be concerned about or its just regular wear and tear on the oil. I noticed that the majority of the light creamy drops came from the last bit of oil that came out of the lower unit.

Someone told me that it's normal as its regular wear and tear on the oil, and that if the lower unit had just a little bit of water all of the oil would look like condensed milk (brown & creamy/ thickish), not just a few little spots. Is this true or is it possible that only a few areas contaminate and are creamy?

a couple drops of water did fall in from the low water pick up but isn't want made the streaks at the end. Please view the attached pics and let me know what you think. It's a little hard to tell and theres a lot of glare as its dark and had lights/ camera flash reflecting off the oil so you can tell it had streaks.



You're feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

Pull the drain plug for a second then you will know for sure.

 

[xjma]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

Either way, good thing you changed it. There may have been a tiny bit of water, but not enough to totally ruin the oil. there can be a really small amount and it's OK, but any appreciable amount and you run it, it will mix and the oil doesn't do it's job. When the oil is just sitting, it will separate (like italian dressing). If you had just run it you'd know better, it may have been a little discolored from mixing the water in. When it's like really light in color like milky white, you're screwed.

I'd just be happy that you have fresh oil in there.

 

[Open_fsh24]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

b-hile - What do you mean? i pulled the plug and drained the whole lower unit which is what you see in the pics, is that what you meant?

 

[Open_fsh24]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

xjma - yea last time i ran the engine was last wens, which i ran for a good 8hrs non stop and seemed fine. Definitely happy i have new oil in there.

You guys think this is something i should be concerned about? change seals? Do you think it's even water?

Thanks guys, just want to be sure i take the proper steps and not destroy my lower unit.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

Not sure, the last time I saw pics like that was, when Jimi Hendricks was alive.??
I guess I'm no Help

 

[sschefer]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

The answer is no.. When you see water in your lube you won't need to post pics on here and ask a question. There won't be any doubt in your mind at all. That amount of water, if it is water, is probably just condensation.

 

[Open_fsh24]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

I'll take your word for it. I'll go for a few more runs and do an oil change afterwards to be on the safe side.

If there is a leaky seal , would I be able to tell after 1 good run or will it take a few runs to reflect in my lower unit oil.

 

[oldman570]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

I would run it as it is. after runnig for a few hours , leave it set in the running position over a 24 hour period and check the oil by pulling the lower gearcase drain and see if any and how much clear water comes out. If very little or none run it. If quite a bit the seals will need to be looked into. When checking for water leave the upper gearcase vent plug in. Water will seperate from the oil after setting and not being run.
Oldman570

 

[Treker57]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

Not sure, the last time I saw pics like that was, when Jimi Hendricks was alive.??
I guess I'm no Help

Or maybe Iron Butterfly

 

[Open_fsh24]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

Also a little curious about pressure testing. How would I go about this? Add 15 psi of preassure, for how long? and if there is seapage what is the acceptable amount over a specific time span?

 

[sschefer]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

Honestly, it takes less than a tablespoon of water to turn the lube milky colored. You're way to worried about nothing. If it was leaking at the prop shaft bad enough for water intrusion to occur you would see a small puddle of lube on the ground. That's lube your looking for not fuel and exhaust carbon washing out of the mid section, that would be black. Put a piece of newspaper under the prop and wait 24 hours. No lube, no leaks. If you get black, black gunk comming out of the lower unit at the prop, that's exhaust carbon mixed with fuel. You might have a flooding problem but it's not water and not in the lower unit. If was leaking at the shaft seal or shift lever seal you'd have milky colored lube after a short 5 minute run. No milky lube, no leaks.

 

[Open_fsh24]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

Honestly, it takes less than a tablespoon of water to turn the lube milky colored. You're way to worried about nothing. If it was leaking at the prop shaft bad enough for water intrusion to occur you would see a small puddle of lube on the ground. That's lube your looking for not fuel and exhaust carbon washing out of the mid section, that would be black. Put a piece of newspaper under the prop and wait 24 hours. No lube, no leaks. If you get black, black gunk comming out of the lower unit at the prop, that's exhaust carbon mixed with fuel. You might have a flooding problem but it's not water and not in the lower unit. If was leaking at the shaft seal or shift lever seal you'd have milky colored lube after a short 5 minute run. No milky lube, no leaks.

After I finished changing the lower unit lube I actually came back a few hours later and saw a little water and black gunk on the floor which came from the prop, was concerned that this was lube leaking. But it could of been that I inclined the lower unit up to get all of the lub out then back down again to put in the new lube and might have stirred exhaust carbon which ultimately dripped out of the prop. I pre-mix oil and gas. You think it has nothing to do with it?

if a seal was leaking, where would it leak by now that i placed new lube in?

 

[Open_fsh24]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise



This is what it looked like. I cleaned it up right after and haven't seen anything since. Thoughts?

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

I have to echo what others have said here. You do not have water in your lower unit lube. If you did, it would be unmistakable. When you removed the lower unit fill/drain screw, water would have poured out first, and since it didn't then no water = no problems with seals.

As for the last photo and your description, I would bet the farm that it's just exhaust remnants. Wipe some on your fingers and smell it. If it smells like gas then it's exhaust. If it smells like lower unit lube (you just changed it, you know it has a very distinctive smell) then it is.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Does this look like water in my lower unit oil!!!??? Please Advise

b-hile - What do you mean? i pulled the plug and drained the whole lower unit which is what you see in the pics, is that what you meant?

My mistake. You are OK