Yanmar Oil Leak

[Airline Ace]

I've got an 85 H31 with the trusty old 2GMF (the old 13hp version) and sail on the Chesapeake Bay. I've noticed a bit of an oil leak coming from what appears to be a bulging (?) gasket that separates the front housing (flywheel) from the bulk of the engine. I ran the engine for about 20 hours over a week long cruise and probably "lost" (sopped up by a oil pad) about a cup or so of oil. Anyone out there ever had a similar problem and was housing removal/gasket replacement/housing remounting a problem? If it isn't relatively easy, I'm just going to go to my local Yanmar dealer and get it fixed there. I'd rather pay him than spend a lot of time "fixing" it and then find out I screwed it up and have to have him do the work anyway (please, don't anybody tell my wife I said that!). Any input would be appreciated.

 

[ED SCHMITT]

I HAVE ASMALL LEAK AT THE HEAD GASKET OF MY YANMAR 14HP IN A HUNTER 1980 33. CHESAPEAKE MARINE WANTED $700 TO FIX IT. A FRIEND WHO HAPPENS TO BE A MARINE ENGINEER LOOKED A THE PROBLEM. WE REVVED UP THE MOTOR A SPOTTED THE LEAK. HIS ADVICE WAS SKIP THE REPAIR. TO KEEP THE OIL FROM ACCUMULATING UNDER THE ENGINE I USE KOTEX A WEDGE ONE (FOLDED) AT THE LEAK. AFTER RUNNING THE ENGINE A FEW DAYS I CHECK THE PAD. THIS GIVES ME A GOOD FEEL FOR THE AMOUNT I AM LOSING. AND IT KEEPS IT FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. MY FRIEND SAID THAT IF I START TO SEE A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE WHEN STARTING OR RUNNING THE ENGINE , OR WHEN CHECKING MY OIL LEVEL IT STARTS TO LOOK LIKE CHOCOLATE THEN I MAY HAVE TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT THAT REPAIR. ITS BEEN ABOUT A MONTH SINCE THE LEAK STARTED AND I HAVE ADDED OIL, BUT THE BOTTOM IS CLEAN AND THE PADSAND OIL HAVE ONLY BEEN A FEW BUCKS. GOOD LUCK. BY THE WAY I SAIL OUT OF LAKE OGLETON . THE BOAT IS THE "grand illusion".

 

[Tim]

OIL LEAK II

Ed: Just for grins, what is the significance of chocolate colored oil? Do you mean the viscocity or just color? My oil has always been "chocolate" in color, or at least it appears that way to me. I've been thinking of getting my oil analyzed... could tell an interesting story. By the way, instead of kotex, I've been using baby diapers for years in the pan under the engine. They are a lot cheaper than the oil pad sold at marine centers and work fine when changed occasionally.Thanks for your reply. I may do just what you are doing and just put a "watch" on the leak and fix it only when/if it gets worse.Tim