Outboard motor leaking grease

jag22

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13 Jun 2012
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Hi, after using my 3hp 2 stroke yamaha engine during the weekend, I noticed a lot of grease had sprayed out of the motor and the shaft was very hot, also on the outside of the shaft there was a lot of residual grease. The grease was light brown in colour, I do not know what colour it should have been. Does anyone have an idea how serious this problem is or what might have caused it?

thanks!
 
one possibility is the seals in the lower unit have failed, water got in rusted the gears, and now the rusty oil has been expelled as an emulsion that looks like grease.

which part actually felt hot?
 
it was the shaft just below the main engine unit. Very hot after running the motor on the dinghy for 15 mins. Early in the day the motor was fine as far as I could tell
 
Grease ???



It normal for two strokes to "leak" a bit of partly burnt oil from the exhaust but its usually black .. dark anyway and smells burnt


What you describe sounds more like emulsified gear oil. If its gear oil it'll be recognisable by is foul smell.
If gear oil is leaking there is a seal gone around the gearcase somewhere and you will also have water in the gearcase.


The "shaft" does get hot .. its got hot exhaust gas inside it


Edit : but you should not be getting gear oil up around the top end
 
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it was the shaft just below the main engine unit. Very hot after running the motor on the dinghy for 15 mins. Early in the day the motor was fine as far as I could tell

1/ the only grease would be on the pivot on the bracket & then very little is req
2/ the leg will get hot due to exhaust gasses
3/ was the cooling water "tell tale" working
 
it looks like putty in colour and is similar consistency, feels a bit greasy. I think it is gear oil mixed with water. I'll take it in to a local place and get it serviced. Hopefully the whole thing isn't shot through!
 
it looks like putty in colour and is similar consistency, feels a bit greasy. I think it is gear oil mixed with water. I'll take it in to a local place and get it serviced. Hopefully the whole thing isn't shot through!

Drain little of the gear oil . It should be "clear and bright". If its milky or "milkshake" like it has water in it and the gearcase needs new seals
 
No I don't think it was, could it be impeller related?

If there no water coming from the telltale most like the water pump impeller is knackered.. When was it last changed.

If there was no cooling water it would explain why the leg was unusually hot
 
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