Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    164

    Lower Unit Leaking Gear Lube

    Mercury 150 Optimax Pro XS (1B917541)

    First, let me say I know this is a strange one and I will try to explain as briefly as possible.

    Yesterday I noticed that my lower unit is leaking gear lube. The boat was winterized last November, and part of the service included draining and replacing the gear lube and seals. The boat was stored in the garage all winter long with the motor trimmed down, and no gear lube leaked out over the winter so I know this is not just residual old gear lube that collected in the prop when it was drained out. Also, the boat has not been taken out this year, so there is no chance of picking up fishing line, etc.

    But here is the strange thing...last week I took the boat to a trailer repair shop to have the trailer serviced. The motor was on the transom savor as always when I trailer it. When I picked the boat up, I noticed that the transom saver somehow came separated from the roller on the bottom of the trailer. The other end of the transom saver was still attached to the lower unit with the rubber strap. I didn't think too much of this since I expected the trailer mechanic accidentally hit the trim button on the motor and caused it to tilt up a bit and therefore allowing the transom saver to come off the roller. I secured everything back down and trailered home, put the boat in the garage, and trimmed down the motor as usual.

    Two days later, I have a leaking lower unit and a puddle of oil on the floor. This may be a coincidence, but I find that hard to believe since everything was fine before going to the trailer shop. Do you think that somehow while the trailer was serviced (for example, being jacked up to take off the tires), some type of jolt was applied to the transom saver, and hence the lower unit, which could have damaged a seal?

    Obviously the gear lube will need to be drained and have the seals pressure tested, but is there anything else I should be concerned about? For example, damage to motor mounts from a potential jolt applied to the lower unit?

    Thanks for any advice.





  2. Member 06 SB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    West Point Lake, GA
    Posts
    10,985
    #2
    Did it rain then go below freezing while the boat was at the shop?

    Impact damage of that nature would have evidence of impact elsewhere so I highly doubt an impact caused it.
    Last edited by 06 SB; 04-15-2018 at 10:51 AM.

    USN Retired
    2020 Basscat Caracal
    2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s



  3. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Columbiana AL
    Posts
    4,854
    #3
    If I were in this situation I would drain the gearlube and buy more along with new drain screws and gaskets and do it myself and see if that corrects the issue before I took it to a certified boat mechanic.

  4. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    164
    #4
    I never thought about that, but that is a possibility. The boat was stored inside at the shop for about a week before he worked on it, but after it was done it did sit outside in the lot for a day or two. I know it did rain a bit and the temperatures have been colder than normal for April, but I'm not sure if it was below 32.

    Would the rain and freezing temperatures damage a seal? I know of some people who store theirs outside all winter long, although probably with the motor trimmed down rather than up like I had it for trailering.

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    7,671
    #5
    Yes if water got in behind the prop, it would freeze.. Look at the prop/lower unit again. Could someone have hit it with a truck/tractor in the lot?

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    164
    #6
    Thanks for all the replies. Nobody would have hit it in the lot since it was backed in an area all by itself with the motor over the grass, not where anyone would be driving. Maybe the freezing water was the culprit if it got in behind the prop.