HELP - Mercury 8hp Kicker HELP!

[trippledigitss]

So my kicker is leaking oil at the bottom around the housing where the prop shaft is. I'm guessing it is a lower seal? The gear oil is not 'milky' but it is a little light colored and matches what is leaking out. I'm heading to the San Juans on weds and of course I want my kicker to fish with and none of the local shops can get to it until the end of the week. It is a 1995 Merc 8hp 2 stroke. Anyone changed out these seals before? Do you think its a pretty simple job? I am not a mechanic by any means (as far as I'm concerned my car only has 2 moving parts, the ignition and the gas cap) but not helpless either, I just dont know if I should try & tear into it.... 

Thanks for any useful input. 

[junkyard]

Where are you located might b able to lend a hand.

[trippledigitss]

Where are you located might b able to lend a hand.

Woodinville/Bothell area. Thanks for the offer of possible help!

[Hunterman]

So my kicker is leaking oil at the bottom around the housing where the prop shaft is. I'm guessing it is a lower seal? The gear oil is not 'milky' but it is a little light colored and matches what is leaking out. I'm heading to the San Juans on weds and of course I want my kicker to fish with and none of the local shops can get to it until the end of the week. It is a 1995 Merc 8hp 2 stroke. Anyone changed out these seals before? Do you think its a pretty simple job? I am not a mechanic by any means (as far as I'm concerned my car only has 2 moving parts, the ignition and the gas cap) but not helpless either, I just dont know if I should try & tear into it.... 

Thanks for any useful input. 

This is one of the easiest repairs to do on an outboard.. Pull the prop, take the number off the seal, call your local Merc. shop, pop out the old one clean the shaft, and push in the new one. Replace the lower oil and your done. Total job time should be about an hour on the long side.

Hunterman(Tony)

[trippledigitss]

So my kicker is leaking oil at the bottom around the housing where the prop shaft is. I'm guessing it is a lower seal? The gear oil is not 'milky' but it is a little light colored and matches what is leaking out. I'm heading to the San Juans on weds and of course I want my kicker to fish with and none of the local shops can get to it until the end of the week. It is a 1995 Merc 8hp 2 stroke. Anyone changed out these seals before? Do you think its a pretty simple job? I am not a mechanic by any means (as far as I'm concerned my car only has 2 moving parts, the ignition and the gas cap) but not helpless either, I just dont know if I should try & tear into it.... 

Thanks for any useful input. 

This is one of the easiest repairs to do on an outboard.. Pull the prop, take the number off the seal, call your local Merc. shop, pop out the old one clean the shaft, and push in the new one. Replace the lower oil and your done. Total job time should be about an hour on the long side.

Hunterman(Tony)

Thanks Tony - that is AWESOME news! The shop wants $155 plus parts and no guarantee it would be done by when I need it. I found this diagram online for a 94 and assuming its the same as a 95, which one is the seal9s) I need? Parts number 52 thru 56?

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Merc/Mercury/1994/1008211PD/GEAR%20HOUSING%2C%20PROPELLER%20SHAFT%20-%202.00%3A1%20GEAR%20RATIO/parts.html

[Hunterman]

I would replace part no. 55 & 56.

Hunterman(Tony)

[trippledigitss]

I would replace part no. 55 & 56.

Hunterman(Tony)

OK cool - running to the boat store right now, I hope they got them! Thanks man!

[trippledigitss]

Well when I went down to 3 Rivers to pickup seals I had the motor with me and the service & parts mgrs and service tech came outside to check it out. They put the lower unit on a pressure test with gauge and soap tested it and it had no leaks. They even put it up to 20psi and it held. They all said they didnt know why/what was leaking but not to waste time/money changing the seals as they were holding. So I drained the oil and put in new oil and ran it for about 5 min in a water tub and I didnt see any fresh oil leaking, there was still some leftover in the hub area but I didnt see any oozing out like before. There was also some running down the exhaust ports up at the back of the powerhead and it was olive colored like the old gear oil (the new stuff is blue) so I dont know why in the heck it would be in the exhaust?? They told me it could have leaked inside there and up into the exhaust but that it was holding now, maybe fishing line or something was caught in but it wasnt leaking and holding massive pressure. So anyway... There was no oil under it this morning after sitting all night. I'm going to check the level again tonight and top it off if I need to, but I dont know what else to do?

Anyway, the guys at 3 rivers were great. They all dropped what they were doing and came outside and worked on it right there - it was really cool, but I'm not surprised - every time I go there, for service, parts or gear, they are always GREAT. Well except the new guy in tackle that didnt want to take back this Okuma reel I bought & didnt like, he was nice but was doing anything to talk me into keeping it - and it sucks! Why did I listen to him!?! 

And thanks again to you guys here too for the help!