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Small Outboard Query

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:07 am
by slug
Looking for some advice from the mechanically minded. I'm getting ready for sale my deceased father in law's 12ft tinny/15hp Johnson. Motor is probably 10/15 years old, but wouldn't have been used 2 dozen times. It's been sitting around unused for a couple of years - I've cleaned it up & given it a fire up on earmuffs (used old fuel mix that was in the tank - probably a bad idea? - I did give it a 'shake' first ). Anyway, started about 4th pull and seems to run great - although quite smokey (light greyish) from exhaust. Turned it off & came back 10 minutes later to find a pool of creamy brown 'sludge' on the ground under propeller & a trail coming from exhaust/prop. Is this telling me I got piston/ring issues?
Up until he passed, he was always telling me what a great little motor it was, and he was fanatical about maintenance & knew his stuff .

Re: Small Outboard Query

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 2:44 pm
by Scottie5.3
Mate sounds like gear oil too me, can check it out if you like

Re: Small Outboard Query

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:10 pm
by slug
Hey thanks for the offer Scotty - I'm interstate tho (came down to help packup house, etc, etc).
If it's gear oil, that's bad right? ( how would gear oil leak - this thing has had very little use & will have been treated like a baby). I thought it might have been the 2 stroke oil 'separate' being so old, but I guess it wouldn't start & run so good then?

Re: Small Outboard Query

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:20 pm
by Scottie5.3
Well its either coming from propshaft seal or driveshaft seal and leaking down. Neither one is to hard to do or that expensive. Does the oil smell bad? Like car diff oil
Sounds like there has been water in the oil anyways if its creamy, can be caused by just sitting with no use and going hard/brittle