Green fluid leaking from prop exhaust

[fseymour]

I recently inherited a 1983 Aquasport 222 CCP.  Great boat, anxious to get it in the water.  It ran well last summer, but wouldn't start when i went to pull it out of the water for the season.  Got it trailered and brought to my warehouse.  Been stored inside in 60+degree temp all winter.  I put fuel stabilizer in the tank, but that's it.  Motor is a 1994 Johnson 225HP two stroke with oil injection.  Problem with starter was bad starter motor, replaced and turns over fine.  I went to flush it today, hooked up the hose to the flush port on the back of the engine, turned water on, no problems.  Water came out clean.  10 minutes later there is a bright green fluid trickling down the skeg from the prop, and some green fluid inside the prop from the through exhaust.  Ideas?  Could it be the prop seal dried out?  Is the green fluid the engine oil?

[fitz73222]

Hey fseymour,

Crack the fill screw on the gearcase and see what color the gear oil is. Then look at the oil tank and see what color that oil is. Pull the propeller and see if the propshaft seal is surrounded by oil. Use your nose and put some oil on your finger and smell it, then compare the smell of the oil from the gearcase and oil tank. Outboard oil can have an ammonia smell, gear oil can have "sulfery" stink smell. I`ve had various gearcase drips through the years and most of the time it is unburned fuel, but I only run MERCS! so they drip black!!!
Fitz73222

[RickK]

I had a problem with "oil" running down the skeg in front of the prop, so my first thought was seals in the lower unit.  Took it to where I bought the motor and they said the seals were fine and that it was unburned fuel/oil. When the motor started running crummy (I thought ethanol) I took it to a marina and they started working on it and replaced the "re-circ valve" (or something like that) during the diagnosis and that stopped that "leak". Seems it sent the unburned fuel/oil back into the pistons for re-burn.

[gran398]

If it runs fine, don't let it (blue/green drip) worry you. Every old OMC I've ever run does the same thing....just blow-back unused 2 cycle lube, dripping down the lower unit, usually on the driveway.

Run the wench at WOT next time out.....she needs to be broken-in....

[miky2884]

sounds like a bad lower unit seal to me i wouldn't be so sure that this isn't a serious problem....just my 2 cents

[slippery73]

Drain some oil out of the lower unit after it is run in gear. If there is water in your gear case it will emulsify and will be a yellowish green color. I'd drain it and add new fluid, then recheck frequently to make sure you don't have water getting in anywhere.

[gran398]

My experience has been the same as Ricks. I just spent $335.00 on seals, etc. whatever for the same issue on my 25 3 cyl '96 Johnson(Jon boat). Still shows blue/green trace down the lower unit. Money pissed away,  IMO.

I'll say it again....every OMC I've ever run ( and there have been a few over 40 years) have ALWAYS had a lower unit drip, from black to green. And just a drip, not gushing of course.

Asked my trusted mechanic back in the late 70's about it (trying to be a responsible boat owner) he shrugged his shoulders, and said don't worry about it.

So I didn't, and after the $335.00, won't. Pretty apparent if you blew a seal.

There's a video (joke) about that (on the net) involving chimp's, very funny,  but we won't go there.... ...

Bottom line, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.