Engine oil at Prop??????

[journeyman]

Last week I uncovered my boat and pulled it onto my driveway. There she sat until yesterday when I noticed oil dripping down the skeg onto the ground and there was a spot about the size of a sandwich plate. At first I thought gear case, but I checked the level and she's topped off. Pulled the bottom plug and no water or "Milk". The Gear oil is new and green. The oil that is dripping is dripping is brown. Checked Engine oil level and it's up there as well but very up there if you know what I mean.

Engine was serviced and tuned last fall with a water pump job done also. It was stored in the down position completely covered until last week. She ran fine and started easily.

Should I be concerned? I remember once I overfilled the oil in my lawn tractor and every time I drove down a decline, the engine smoked profusely. If the engine was slightly overfilled, would it make it's way down through the exhaust? Would the water pump job have anything to do with it?

 

[seasick]

it would help to what model engine you have.
Lower case oil smells a lot different than engine oil and you should be able to distinguish the two.
Assuming it is a 4 stroke, most likely it is engine oil running down the exhaust or non exhaust shaft. There are several causes for this condition, most are not such good news. The one cause that is not a big deal is if the crankcase was overfilled. If the stick reads high drain some oil until it reads in the normal range and see what happens after the next trip.

I its 4 stroke, take a sample of the engine oil and let it sit to see if water separates. I hope not.

 

[journeyman]

I can't believe I didn't post this '06 250 4 stroke.

Yeah, 99.99% sure it's engine oil. The stick has no indication of moisture and the engine runs fine without looking like I'm electing a pope. The oil showed up before starting it for the first time this year so it was an issue already. Can't say foor sure if there was oil in the shrink wrap, I just didn't see any.

Any idea how overfilled it would need to be to create a problem.

Planning on going to Baert's tomorrow. They may want to see it ang it's a hard time of year to get an appointment, I'm sure! Hope it's not something serious.

 

[ReelCozzi]

I have a 2008 F250 that is also leaking oil from the base of the prop - similar size spot as yours on my driveway. My 228 was winterized and stored at Baert although the oil level is about a quarter inch below the high level mark.

I clearly saw what looked like a golden brown drop on the skeg today. Compared to motor oil the dripping oil smells like oil-based paint. The motor oil is almost odorless.

I dropped my 228 off at Baert late this afternoon. They plan to pressure check the lower unit.

 

[Tashmoo]

My guess is that the person that serviced your engine did not have or did not use the special tool that is designed to capture oil from the removal of the filter. If you remove the filter without it oil spills into the engine casing and drains down your lower unit housings and find an exit point.

At least this is the case with an F 350. I would bet that when you opened up and tilted the engine for the first time you dislodged this oil.

 

[reelserious]

More likely than not it is just the fogging oil that was used when winterized. If it is, then the dripping down the skeg and out the prop is normal.

 

[VeroWing]

More likely than not it is just the fogging oil that was used when winterized. If it is, then the dripping down the skeg and out the prop is normal.

Bingo!

 

[Gman25]

My guess is that the person that serviced your engine did not have or did not use the special tool that is designed to capture oil from the removal of the filter.

That would be my guess too.

 

[journeyman]

Update - Visited Baert Marine today and talked to Clyde. I brought a sample of the oil in the form of a smudge on a piece of paper which he looked at and thought it most likely was excess fogging oil. He suggested I run the engine and bring it up to temperature giving plenty of time to flush things out. I did and no more oil, Bone dry for hours now!

Thank you Clyde and thanks Guys for your responses. I was kinda sweating bullets there for a while thinking this could be bad.

I'll be in the water soon!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[hotajax]

"Engine" Oil

Congrats that it only cost you a trip to the service dept. That probably spooked more than one guy on this board. Anybody call the fire department when you burned off the fogging oil?

 

[seasick]

I am not sold on that yet. It's a 4 stroke so the oil will drain into the crankcase if it drains past the rings.
In addition, the motor was stored in the down position, why didn't the oil drain during storage? Maybe the angle in the driveway is different than in the storage area.
Do they fog these beasts with straight engine oil? And would they use so much as to leave a saucer size puddle?

I hope you are correct and all is well.

 

[journeyman]

Seasick, my driveway is at an angle where as the area where the boat is stored all winter is level. Part of the puzzle I'm sure. You may have hit on something.

When I talked to Clyde, he said that sometimes the fogging oil collects in the "Air Box". If anyone is familiar with that term, they may be able to explain it but I can't.

Still keeping my fingers crossed but it is now 8pm, so no oil for 10 hours now. I am also hoping all is well!

 

[seasick]

Seasick, my driveway is at an angle where as the area where the boat is stored all winter is level. Part of the puzzle I'm sure. You may have hit on something.

When I talked to Clyde, he said that sometimes the fogging oil collects in the "Air Box". If anyone is familiar with that term, they may be able to explain it but I can't.

Still keeping my fingers crossed but it is now 8pm, so no oil for 10 hours now. I am also hoping all is well!

I guess the angle is the answer. I am glad it was something simple. Enjoy.

 

[journeyman]

I dropped my 228 off at Baert late this afternoon. They plan to pressure check the lower unit.

Any News?

 

[ReelCozzi]

I spoke with Clyde yesterday. They will be working on my boat today to fix a leak in my brake line and look into the oil coming out of the prop. I should have some feedback by the end of the day.

At this point I think it's fogging oil but I would like Baert to verify for peace of mind.

 

[ReelCozzi]

Baert verified that it was excess fogging oil running down the exhaust.

 

[capt chris]

Glad that's all it was. I had a similar situation which turned out to be more serious. The local Yamaha dealer, we don't have a Grady dealer for 365 miles, changed the oil using the drain plug and cross threaded it when it was put back in. It leaked slowly and formed a small puddle beneath the skeg. I took it to another Yamaha dealer here and when he took the plug out all the threads came with it. The entire lower unit housing had to be replaced in order to replace the threads. Yamaha covered it under warranty and needless to say the first dealer lost a customer for life. Glad your situation was just fogging oil.

 

[capt chris]

Glad that's all it was. I had a similar situation which turned out to be more serious. The local Yamaha dealer, we don't have a Grady dealer for 365 miles, changed the oil using the drain plug and cross threaded it when it was put back in. It leaked slowly and formed a small puddle beneath the skeg. I took it to another Yamaha dealer here and when he took the plug out all the threads came with it. The entire lower unit housing had to be replaced in order to replace the threads. Yamaha covered it under warranty and needless to say the first dealer lost a customer for life. Glad your situation was just fogging oil.