Thread: Warning...

Old wives tale. Freezing will not burst an open container whether it be a prop hub, 5 gallon bucket or a water trough. I keep 25-30 boats year round at the shop and I never drain them and I've never had one freeze and burst in the winter. To freeze and burst it must be a sealed container.

If you have a lot of water INSIDE your lower unit from a leaking seal and that water has separated from the lower unit oil, then you might have a problem.

So the foot that bust will have a bad seal to let water get in. Ok that makes sense....

Each lower unit has two pairs of seals (actually 2 of the same seal just facing different directions). The prop shaft seals and the drive shaft seals. They come with 1-Vacuum seal facing out and 1-Pressure seal facing in. If the vacuum seal goes bad it lets the water come into the lower unit, but the pressure seal keeps it from pushing back out. Sometimes the opposite happens. You'll see oil leaking out, but no water in the oil.

Originally Posted by BigRiverMarine

Each lower unit has two pairs of seals (actually 2 of the same seal just facing different directions). The prop shaft seals and the drive shaft seals. They come with 1-Vacuum seal facing out and 1-Pressure seal facing in. If the vacuum seal goes bad it lets the water come into the lower unit, but the pressure seal keeps it from pushing back out. Sometimes the opposite happens. You'll see oil leaking out, but no water in the oil.

This is great info. Bill, my brothers motor leaks just a little oil like that. I'll show him this post....thanks

Originally Posted by crappie cowboy

This is great info. Bill, my brothers motor leaks just a little oil like that. I'll show him this post....thanks

I've seen a bit of oil leak out of the prop shaft because a piece of line went between the seal and the shaft. Pull out the string and alls well. The string acts like a wick and the oil runs down it. Had one of mine do that. Removed the string and it was good to go. No bad seals in this case.

I thought it was " Old wise tales."

Originally Posted by Takeum

I thought it was " Old wise tales."

Could be. I know lower units not language.

Old wives tale or not, I don't want any water in any part of my motors constantly freezing, thawing out, and then refreezing and to avoid any unnecessary tension or pressure on my trim hydro lines for any extended amount of time... I keep them dropped if left outside any amount of time during the winter. But hey to each his own.