Lower Unit Screws

willy

willy

God
Anyone know any tricks to getting out froze lower unit screws to change your fluid, I ground a large screw driver to fit but the slots are a little worn and even after tapping a little they will not budge >:(
 
I had one once that was frozen in pretty good. I used a very large square shanked screwdriver and while holding it into the slot with a lot of pressure, turned the screwdriver with an adjustable wrench on the square part of the shank. New screws, gasket and Never-Seize on the threads from then on. ;)
 
Gotcha CB that is what I tried to do but the slot is too shallow for me to get a strong purchase even with a fresh ground large head screwdriver. Any other tricks besides tapping it to loosen
 
I've had good luck in the past w/ an "impact driver", it's like a screwdriver that you hit w/ a hammer.

Airslot
 
i have an impact screwdriver,its used with a hammer ,as you hit it with the hammer it gives the screw or a nut the twist it needs to loosen or rusted stuff ,it has diffrent adaptors for diffrent fittings,suprised nobody else has one,cost about $20
 
Thanks Jaysea, CB I got them off now I'm really confused, the lower unit oil flowed out, no water no shavings in fluid, no shavings on the magnets nice and clean and thick
Just one little problem I have never seen before
ITS TANNISH WHITE COLOR
no dirt no black or blue green like I have normally seen, solid white WTF is that you guys please tell me there is a lower unit oil that is white
 
:o Sorry 'bout that bud. You may possibly have a leaky lower unit seal. Milky white oil generally means water mixed with it. Better get that checked out. Not the end of the world and not too difficult to replace. ;)
 
Willy, the whitish stuff is water mixed in with your oil. That could mean your lower unit seal is bad or going bad. How much "milk" ya got and how long has it been since the last oil change?

Another thing, on the back of both screws there is a small plastic washer. I've been told that each time you change the oil to replace that washer. Now that brings me to my point - is the plastic washer there? If not, that could possibly how the water got in? Maybe not.

A little bit of water over a long period of time shouldn't be too bad as long as you change it often (1 or 2 times a year). Otherwise, you might be in need of a new lower unit seal kit. I've never done this work personally, and would probably have to pay the shop to do it for me as I don't know my way around the lower unit too well. But, with a good manual, it is very do-able for a backyard hack. Good luck.
 
Put your tanish color oil in a glass jar, leave it set the water and oil will separate if there is water there. If there is you've got seals to replace. Bill Mc ;D
 
Yea guys I have seen a little whitish in the fluid before, but this is solid white, like it never had any blue/black at all, thick and clean almost like it came that way. There where no white washers or anything else on the screws and the magnet and the oil (?) were clean no dirt shavings or anything else, never saw any thing like it
 
Just went out and checked fluid again, no water at all, and there is a white washer on the top screw could not see it before but there is none on the bottom. Is there supposed to be one there to?
 
I don't know if they all have the little washers - but my Johnson/Evinrude motors all had em.

That's wierd that its so white?? I've never seen it look that way! Only whitish swirly looking, you know?

It must have a heck of a lot of water in it or something??
 
Yes, both screws had the washer. 3 different motors I've owned. The oldest was a 1975 and the newest a 1991. I don't know if the newer ones still had the washer. But......I bet tha Skool man can school us on that!
 
Yea they do Blue I just got a diagram for it and both have those washers, only the upper one is on my motor, I'm wondering if that is why water got it, assuming that is what it is. Because like you said when I've seen water in a lower unit before the oil was dark with some whitish swirls in it. This is solid colored with absolutely no black at all and it feels like oil and there is no water seperating from it at all ???
 
Just got off the phone with a good friend of mine, older fellow been building and working on outboards for a long time. I told him what I found and he told me he has seen that several times in past, could be a leaking seal, could be since the blue washer that goes on first in the bottom screw was not put on last time it was opened it could have drwn water from there. But he says that if I had that kind of problem there would have been quite a bit of visible water in the oil which as of now (4 hrs) there is a table spoon worth he says he has seen it with very old oil that has not been changed for a long time and he has seen it when cheap oils were used and not changed and he has seen it when additives have been put in the oil. He told me to pick up the washers and replace and put new oil in and run it a couple of times then change it again. Look for water and go from there.
 
If its water,  it will separate.  My 40HP Suzuki had water in the lower unit discovered during the fall drain.  Changed prop seals first because they were easiest to change.  Next year I had water again.  Pulled lower end and changed the shaft seals near water pump.  Result, no water the next year.  I've had four motors and all had washers or seals on the two screws.  Someone in an earlier post had said they changed their lower unit oil twice a season, middle and at the end of the season.  Reason given for mid season change was to catch a leak early before any major sugery was required. I thought it was a great idea but I haven't started the practice yet.  Good Luck!  Bill Mc  ;D
 
Question can you change the water pump impeller and not drain the fluid, Rich had said the pump had been done and it pumps like a fire house, but that fluid definetly has not been changed for a long time ???
 
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