Re: Lower unit leakage

[Don]

Your pal is right, the cracked skeg is most likely due to freeze damage. There was water in your gearcase, it froze during the winter and split the skeg open. Like Frank says, the skeg and upper gearcase housings are a matched pair and should not be interchanged. But, many people do it all the time, and I’m sure it probably wouldn’t make much difference on this small engine.
Sounds like your friend will be able to weld the skeg crack, so give it a try. The problem is that you will need to find out why the gearcase was leaking to begin with, and make sure the weld is water tight. While the gearcase is all apart, it would be advisable to replace all the seals and orings which usually requires some special tools. You will need to inspect all the shafts and castings to be sure there are no imperfections/wear that will cause water leakage. Once the gearcase is reassembled, the only way to be sure it does not leak is with a pressure tester.
Again, there was water in your gearcase which froze during the winter causing the skeg to split open. Once everything is reassembled, it is a good idea to change your gearlube frequently to ensure there are no water leaks…
The original leakage issue allowed gear lube to leak out of the gearcase, it was replaced by water….