Help asap, tournament today! Water slowly draining from area under prop (see pic)

[Skunkmaster]

Motor has been down for over 24 hours and water is still slowly seeping out of this area (under prop, above skeg… not from the nut but the piece in the pic). I did find some debris in the speedo hole that I removed (recommended by another member), but water came out of the speedo hole and intake, not this area.

what is this area, and why would water be coming from it? This area is left out of every parts diagram I can find. Usually I drain all water with motor down for just a few minutes and it stops…we are going on 36 hours now and it’s still seeping from this area (like a drop every 60 minutes)

is this something to worry about?

C134B42C-787A-49D2-8AF0-C22448CE8A4C.jpegC1B14123-CA70-4278-9DC2-B7D3D4830881.jpeg

2021 50hp, 4 stroke, Mercury, serial number: 1C634244

[Skunkmaster]

Another forum mentioned this is the back of the gear case and it could be oil, but it’s water…I’m so confused! Parts diagram do now cover this section at all.

[Bob G.]

I would get more lower unit fluid for your motor and drain the lower unit. If it’s only lower unit fluid, no problem and add fluid. If water comes out, you have other problems and will need to have the lower unit pressure tested.

[Skunkmaster]

I did not see water when I let it drain a little. But still confused how it is leaking from the carrier, but not the bolt, it’s where the carrier meets the lower unit.
387567AC-83E2-4F2D-B107-90D9A06A2780.jpeg84F38DF4-64C9-4130-BA7D-7E681368D3A4.jpeg
is this color good or bad?

did I lose too much where I need to refill?

[Skunkmaster]

Anyone here in the mechanic forum know how much oil I can stand to lose and still be ok? I didn’t find water in my lower unit, and other members commented that there is no seal between the area in my photo (between carrier and lower unit) so it’s normal for water to sometimes get trapped back there and slowly deep back out when titled down.

my concern now is the amount of oil I lost fumbling the plug when checking to see if water was in there. Is there an easy way to check that the motor is filled high enough, or would opening the top vent to check allow air to come in and cause more issue? I would like to just top it off with a half pump of oil since I’m estimating that’s how much I lost (it seeped out for a good 5-7 seconds)

[SilverFox579]

I would have done the same as BobG advised, drain, check for water, and refill to correct level. If you continue to have concerns, your best course of action would be to have a qualified Merc tech check it.

Please be aware this forum is for 2-strokes 130hp and below and that Merc 4-strokes have their own sub-forum - Mercury - 4 Stroke / Verado

[EuropeanAM]

Just get a quart of oil ,take top vent out .
Make screw on tip for oil bottle fit the top vent plug hole.
Pull lower plug quickly shove the tip of oil bottle in the lower hole and
Squeeze bottle untill oil comes out the vent like crazy.
Pull out bollte , install plug as quickly as you can .
Some people worried to much.
Just let vent drain down till it stops after you get the lower plug in .
Install vent plug double check to make.sure both plugs tight .
Clean up spilled oil . And your done.

PLEASE do NOT follow these steps.

This would be a recipe for failed seals (at the least), and potential damage to gearcase (at the worst).

Use an appropriate gear lube PUMP that threads into the bottom fill plug opening.

With engine at level trim, fill gearcase JUST TO the bottom of the LEVEL or VENT opening (take your pick). FLUID SHOULD NOT BE SPEWING OUT, if it is, STOP and let it finish before installing the upper-vent screw and seal.

Remove fill hose and quickly install the lower drain plug and seal.

From the looks of that fluid, I suspect you had a little water trapped in the gearcase or exhaust cavities.