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Posts: 925
| Hi Guys:
It looks like I may have pressed my luck one too many times. I have to be honest I have never properly winterized my 2001 Yamaha F80 in since I bought it new.
I never fished late into the fall so the motor had been dry for a few months before it went to winter storage.
I know this is backwards but I would change the oil and lower unit in the spring, not in the fall prior to storage.
I've never had an issue in 12 years. Well now apparently I may have an issue.
I stored the boat in my brothers garage on Black Friday and as those of you that live in MN know we had frigid temps at the beginning of December.
He called me and said your motor is leaking oil. Immediately I figured my lower unit must have had water in it and froze.
So my question is how do I know if I have a problem? Do I run it in the spring and if it seems fine I'm ok? Or do I need to bring it to the shop in the spring and have them look at it?
Midge
Thanks. Lesson learned and hopefully I don't have an expensive problem on my hands. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Where is it leaking from and what's it leaking might be just a seal. As long as the housing isn't cracked you could be lucky and just need a seal. What is the colour of what's leaking if it's grey and milky it contains water. |
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Posts: 925
| Frank:
Thanks for bringing that up. I forgot to mention I was thinking it is just the seal because it is leaking clean gear oil and it isn't milky at all. |
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Posts: 559
| Take the prop off and look at the seal. Also take out the top vent plug and look for ice. I would then put a heat lamp on it and drain it. |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Midge, you probably are OK, if the oil is clean your seal was probably damaged earlier. If there was enough water to freeze the casing and break it, the oil would be white-ish. |
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Posts: 540
Location: Leech Lake, Walker MN | Maybe just a bad seal or o-ring at the filler plugs need to find out where it's leaking from just a thought |
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Posts: 925
| I know what the O Rings are for the plugs but what do you guys mean when you say "seal?" |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Prop shaft seal behind the prop. Take the prop off and you should see oil in the housing from the leak if that's the issue. |
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Posts: 3508
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Before doing anything, I think it would be best to first know where the oil is leaking from. Checking the seal behind the prop is definitely a big one, but only if that is where the oil is coming from. I would also be checking the seal washer that is on the lower drain plug to the lower unit. If that has not been replaced in some time, it could potentially be the issue, which really...is no issue at all. When you change the oil in the spring, change out the seal, and be on your way.
Biggest thing here is tracing the line of oil to the leak...
Steve
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Posts: 5874
| If this thing has been sitting for a while, and if there is/was any water in the lower unit, the gear lube will not be milky at this point. The water and lube would have separated, with the water being on the bottom, and gear lube "floating" on top of it.
As Steve said, determine where it's leaking from. Take off the prop and inspect if it's coming from the seal. Look at the fill and drain plugs. If it appears to be coming from high up towards the top where the engine housing is, then I'd say you have water in the lower unit, so much that it's pushing the lube out the top. I've seen this a few times, and one resulted in a frozen and cracked gear case.
Either way, I'd get it in a warm environment, and let it thaw, remove the lower drain plug, and see what comes out. |
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Posts: 925
| Ok - my worst fears I think have been confirmed. I went over and drained the lower unit and there was some water that came out.
The oil was leaking from what I think is the seal between where the lower unit connects to the rest of the motor.
I could post of picture if needed.
Here is the kicker, I went to take the prop off and it wouldn't spin. Then I tried to put it in gear and it would go into reverse, but not forward.
I'm a CPA and by no means a mechanic, but I assume my gears are messed up and I have a problem on my hands that will need to be fixed in the spring?
Thanks - Midge |
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Posts: 5874
| Take the lower unit off, and get it to your dealer. It's not that hard to do. Take it in during the winter, and avoid the rush in the spring. You'll sleep better once you have resolved, too.
Make sure it's in neutral, remove the bolts, and it should come right off. Not sure on the Yammy, but there may be a bolt under the trim tab, too. It helps to trim the motor up some, so as not to drop the unit unexpectedly.
Have the dealer inspect it, and repair or replace as required. If the can repair it, have them put in a new impellor, too. |
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Posts: 3508
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I'd agree with Shep on this one. Here is the nice thing with yamaha motors (at least from the ones I have seen and worked on). The shaft on those engines should turn rather than engage by going up or down like the OMC products did. what this means for you is an even easier job of pulling the lower unit if you do it yourself as the shift linkage will be a splined shaft.
So...to remove the lower unit, there will probably be 6 bolts: two on each side of the lower unit that you can readily see, one under the back trim tab and one on the top back portion of the lower unit. There is probably a black plastic cap over it.
Once you remove those bolts, the lower unit should just slide right down and out....one of the easiest removals out there for a lower unit.
If you do this, have the dealer replace the water pump impeller as well, given it has not been done in a while. Preventative maintenance there, guaranteeing your cooling system is ready for spring.
By chance do you live in a cold climate? If you had some water come out, it could very well be possible that the lower unit gearing is frozen together, thus not allowing you to turn the prop. That is why you can only engage it one direction. If you could spin the prop, you would find you could engage it both ways by spinning the prop in gear one way, then going to the reverse gear.
Oh...and just a quick question midge...where are you located? If you are close to the twin cities, I'd give you a hand on it.. 
Steve
Edited by VMS 1/15/2014 7:11 PM
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