I have a 25 hp Johnson on my boat, and after pulling it out of storage this year I noticed something liquid leaking out of the bottom of the motor.  It looks like a mixture of oil and something else (gas?).  It is coming out where the prop hooks onto the motor itself.  I was told that it sounds like I have a bad lower gearcase seal.  

Does this sound right?  The motor itself was made in 1997, but I bought it new last year at a big discount.  What could have caused the seal to go bad?  The motor is still fairly new so I doubt it would just wear out on its own this quickly.  Thanks for the help.

Been a while, but I seem to remember that the bottom end is supposed to be cleaned and re-lubed every season.  Best at the END of the season instead of the beginning.  If this wasn't done there could have been some water in there to mess things up.

It you can strip your HK, you can fix this.

Probably a seal and maybe a bearing screwed up.

Way older models had a screw in the lower unit for the purpose of draining / lubing.  If nothing else, the lower unit used to be removable.  Look for any bad gaskets, etc.  Good luck.  

Probably a lower seal. If you have low hours on it, try making sure you have the lower filled, then run it (in gear) for an hour or so in a 55 gal. drum. This may help seal the seal. If not, replace the seal. Get a service manual, do it your self, no big deal....

Ok, 1 st off drain the gear oil, then pressure/ vacuum test the lower unit. Then refill, if the lower unit passed the pressure/ vacuum tests. These tests will tell you if you have a bad seal.

Did you winterize the engine, if so my bet is that the problem is just that left over winterizing oil is draining out the exhaust.

By the way, I used to work on OMC outboards before starting my current job!

edited to say that the exhaust usually goes out the 2 little ports on the back of the engine...........but also goes out the center of the propeller hub.

Hope this helps,

Jamie

If it is thru hub exhaust there will be a plastic ring on the outside of the prop on the aft end if not it is not a thru hub exhaust. Hence: Propguy!! [;)]

If the gear oil comes out milky white when you drain it you do indeed have a leak. Milky oil means that water has gotten into the gear oil (probably from a bad seal)..Good Luck