Lower Unit Oil Leak

[squid row]

2001 Yamaha 40 HP, 2 stroke

Small amount of lower unit oil appears to be coming from up past the prop. By small I mean a few drops overnight. I changed the oil about a month ago and the oil that is leaking looks brand new with no water or junk in it

What should I start checking?

[Parker Yacht]

2001 Yamaha 40 HP, 2 stroke

Small amount of lower unit oil appears to be coming from up past the prop. By small I mean a few drops overnight. I changed the oil about a month ago and the oil that is leaking looks brand new with no water or junk in it

What should I start checking?

Not sure I follow the explanation.
What do you mean, "Up past the prop"?
Can you post a picture?
Depending on where you are, could be it got filled when it was cold and not the heat is making it expand?
Post a Pikture---.

[squid row]

Not sure I follow the explanation.
What do you mean, "Up past the prop"?
Can you post a picture?
Depending on where you are, could be it got filled when it was cold and not the heat is making it expand?
Post a Pikture---.

I'll try and grab a pic this afternoon but it looks like the oil is coming out the prop shaft area. It is not leaking from the fill screws

[TomS]

I'll try and grab a pic this afternoon but it looks like the oil is coming out the prop shaft area. It is not leaking from the fill screws

Maybe fishing line wrapped on the prop and sliced the seal. Been there done that. Take the prop off and inspect.

[Pstephens46]

I'll try and grab a pic this afternoon but it looks like the oil is coming out the prop shaft area. It is not leaking from the fill screws

Pull the prop and thrust bearing in front of prop to get a clear view of top prop shaft seal. Look for leaks, fishing line etc, and clean it. Tilt down and see if it continues. The seals are fairly delicate so don't go gouging around with a screwdriver.

[squid row]

Pulled the prop and washers

found small amount of fishing line, a bad seal of some kind and what looks like a broken spring of some sort

[Parker Yacht]

Pulled the prop and washers

found small amount of fishing line, a bad seal of some kind and what looks like a broken spring of some sort

The cheap(est) solution is to buy another seal, take the spring out and install in that seal.
The cheap(er) solution is try and pull the seal(s) with some thingamabob and possibly scratch the whattchamacallit, and install two (2) new seals.(Could end of being the most expensive solution).
The not so cheap solution is pull the carrier, replace the seals, pressure test, fill with lube oil.

[squid row]

The cheap(est) solution is to buy another seal, take the spring out and install in that seal.
The cheap(er) solution is try and pull the seal(s) with some thingamabob and possibly scratch the whattchamacallit, and install two (2) new seals.(Could end of being the most expensive solution).
The not so cheap solution is pull the carrier, replace the seals, pressure test, fill with lube oil.

Thanks. Guessing that spring thing came out of a disintegrated seal of some kind

[Pstephens46]

Thanks. Guessing that spring thing came out of a disintegrated seal of some kind

Yes, spring is part of the seal. Seals aren’t expensive. There is a “hack” method to replacing that Ole refers to.