I had a slow drip last season that I now understand came from the shaft seal on my port outboard (2002 225). I would get a couple of drops per day from the front mount holes and they would drip onto the tilt mechanism. In the past couple of weeks it has started to get worse right before the season starts. I am running a test now with a plastic container, but it looked like a quarter of a teaspoon of clean oil per day on the rag I had to catch it with. I worry that I somehow exacerbated the issue when I dropped the lower units to replace the water pumps, but I was careful when putting them back in. Since my outboards have 1800 hours on them and an unknown service history, I am leery of paying the $4500 in parts and labor that I expect this $8 part would cost to replace here in Seattle. So, my plan to get another year out of this motor before I sell it (with full disclosure to the buyer) and repower next winter:
Keep the port (leaking) motor down at all times, even when in my slip on Puget Sound. If I understand the issue correctly, the oil will not bathe the shaft seal unless the motor is trimmed up, thus no leak. I will trim my starboard motor out when docked as usual. I will need to keep a keen eye on my lower anodes on the port motor and perhaps bottom paint it if I am seeing excessive fouling. Our water is cold, so that should help some, but I do worry about stray current in my marina (Shilshole in Ballard). Is my logic about the tilt allowing the leak sound? Does it change at all if the oil is at the half way mark instead of full (about a quart of difference)? The thought of losing a season to a motor that I plan on replacing next winter is killing me.
Thank you so much!
Just in case, other things I did on the motors this winter:
Ran them every two weeks (no freezing weather and used a small heater when cold)
Changed high and low pressure filters
replaced exhaust manifold anodes (and all hoses, seals, gaskets and half of the bolts associated)
replaced plugs
replaced water pump seal and impeller
changed lower unit oil ( no water)
Changed motor oil with Honda branded and Honda filter (no visible contamination)
repaired a crack in the cover that let some salt water into the rear and rusted the bolts holding the VST (on both motors)
replaced the thermostats which were clearly old and seized solid.
Keep the port (leaking) motor down at all times, even when in my slip on Puget Sound. If I understand the issue correctly, the oil will not bathe the shaft seal unless the motor is trimmed up, thus no leak. I will trim my starboard motor out when docked as usual. I will need to keep a keen eye on my lower anodes on the port motor and perhaps bottom paint it if I am seeing excessive fouling. Our water is cold, so that should help some, but I do worry about stray current in my marina (Shilshole in Ballard). Is my logic about the tilt allowing the leak sound? Does it change at all if the oil is at the half way mark instead of full (about a quart of difference)? The thought of losing a season to a motor that I plan on replacing next winter is killing me.
Thank you so much!
Just in case, other things I did on the motors this winter:
Ran them every two weeks (no freezing weather and used a small heater when cold)
Changed high and low pressure filters
replaced exhaust manifold anodes (and all hoses, seals, gaskets and half of the bolts associated)
replaced plugs
replaced water pump seal and impeller
changed lower unit oil ( no water)
Changed motor oil with Honda branded and Honda filter (no visible contamination)
repaired a crack in the cover that let some salt water into the rear and rusted the bolts holding the VST (on both motors)
replaced the thermostats which were clearly old and seized solid.
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