Any idea if this hole should be in the lower unit.

I just got this boat about 2 weeks ago. I was changing the lower unit oil this evening and saw this hole.

I don't know if it should be there or not.

Johnson Fast Strike 175.

It almost looks as if it is missing a screw or something was there at one point.

I did not go out to look at my Evinrude 200 just now, but that looks like the "weep hole" that is there intentionally. When the boat out of the water, you should monitor that hole for any sign of gear oil or gear oil/water mix seeping out.

A few years ago I spotted just that - a few drops running down the side of the case after the boat sat in the garage a few days. My mechanic said I caught a seal failure before it could get bad enough to hurt anything - oil weeped out but water did not get in. Noticing this probably saved me from needing a new lower unit instead of the much easier seal replacement.

Was the grease contaminated that doesn't look normal to me ,it looks like the rivet in your motor motor rotor has eroded it out due to worn out bumpers, if it is the weep hole the only concern id have is stopping the problem from getting worse.it is in front of the water pickup so I'd say if the grease is uncontaminated,I'd just replace the rubber bumpers on your totor,and not let them get to that point again before I changed them

The lower unit oil did not appear to have water in it, just very black.

Replaced it with QuickSiver High Performance Gear Lube SAE 90.

I agree with you Stick, it just doesn't look "normal" to me, but again, I just got the boat so I don't know what normal is...

What about my our totor, is the rubber shot,I'd say your OK on the grease if it wasn't milky

Im not sure what your talking about?


Where would this rubber be located?

My old Rude 150 had a hole their too remember thinking it was odd when I had to repaint it. Was told it's supposed to be there.

Don't you have a transom saver on the back when you trailer that's what those round impressions are from in the pics,when there used a lot the rubber breaks down and will exspose the rivet that holds it on , looks like the rivet may have been right over the weep hole making metal to metal contact causing the erosion of the hole

that is a drain hole to let water out of lower unit. normal nothing wrong with it.

Ok stick. I understand what you mean now.

Very possible that the previous owner had an older transom saver as the one that came with the boat is relatitively new. Probably why he replaced it.

bottom pic is weep hole, needs to be there.

top pic I am not sure should be there, will go look at mine this morning and let ya know.

Thanks Hop. The one I'm referring to is the weep hole.

I had the top screw out of the lower unit changing the oil when I noticed the weep hole.