I'm thinking this isn't normal...

[De Hoog]

Hi all. I have a 1974 9.9 HP Evinrude that I picked up last year. It's super clean and was hardly used by the previous owner. I had it gone through at my local marina after it ran a bit rough. After a new carb kit, new spark plugs and new fuel pump later, she runs like a top. I put it inside my heated shop for the winter after running it about a half dozen times through summer and fall.

I took it out this past weekend for the first fishing trip of the year. Temp was 35-50 degrees through the day and water temp was 38-39 degrees. Had no problems starting and she ran great. I trolled and ran to different spots around the resevoir. After about two hours, I put the motor in neutral to check my gear and noticed small white chunks of grease about the size of a pencil eraser and smaller coming out of the exhaust hub on the prop. I put it in forward and it stopped. Put it in neutral again and more, but not as much, grease came out. Put it in reverse, it stopped.

I idled back to the dock hoping not to do any damage. Any ideas? It was enough to make me nervous something was going on and I'm no expert by any means when it comes to motors. I'd rather pick your brains first rather than drop a lot of coin I don't have at the marina.

By the way, no fish were caught. Not even a sniff. But it was good to get out after a winter of weekly tackle organization.

 

[BoatingCop]

It just sounds like some oily exhaust build up from the winter thats coming out. An oily residue coming out of the prop hub is completely normal on 2 stroke outboards. I can see it being a little thicker even when hitting the cold air/water. I wouldn't worry about it. Just check your lower unit lube and make sure it's not a milky color, and make sure it has lube in there.

 

[muskiemike12]

I have the exact same motor and it does the exact same thing. It is more noticable with colder water temps. When you drop the lower unit to change the water pump you will notice that the entire cavity of the LU will be coated with the unburnt fuel mixture.

 

[De Hoog]

So you guys are saying this is normal and I shouldn't be worried? Lower unit was checked before I put her to bed for the winter and all is well there. I'll take your word for it. The mechanic at the marina said this motor was the first generation and some changes were made so all the bugs weren't worked out yet as what usually happens with first generation of anything. He said it wasn't really made for trolling. I'm usually only trolling for trout in the winter if there's open water and then the rest of the year I'm just running to spots.

Thanks for the input and best of luck fishing!

 

[Captain Ahab]

It is the low RPMs used while trolling that are causing some of the 2 stroke oil to remain unburnt

This is a good thing as it means you engine is staying nice and lubed!

Worse case you will have to change plugs more often as they might foul

 

[Pappy]

Two things.
Make sure the engine is warming up at idle. Should be unfomfortable to hold your hand on the top of the cylinder head for longer than a few seconds once the engine has had time to warm up.
Second thing is that it sounds like it is running rich.
The fact that it happens in neutral is easy. The bulk of the exhaust comes out the prop hub. The propeller blades are not spinning at idle in neutual so the blobs float to the surface. It stil happens in gear but the thrust of the propeller places them back in the wake.

 

[Pappy]

Two things.
Make sure the engine is warming up at idle. Should be unfomfortable to hold your hand on the top of the cylinder head for longer than a few seconds once the engine has had time to warm up.
Second thing is that it sounds like it is running rich.
The fact that it happens in neutral is easy. The bulk of the exhaust comes out the prop hub. The propeller blades are not spinning at idle in neutual so the blobs float to the surface. It stil happens in gear but the thrust of the propeller places them back in the wake.

 

[304boy]

I'm no mechanic in no means but it sounds like build up breaking loose to me.

 

[smackdaddy53]

I have a '75 johnson and the same thing happens when I run it in a barrel of water, it is normal.