Grease from exhaust housing

[jablonsky70]

I have a 1959 Evinrude 5.5hp outboard and have noticed a black grease coming from the lower exhaust housing. I washed it out with a hose and have seen no more grease. Still concerned if I have a problem. Where is it coming from, and do I need to replace it somehow?

[frankr]

You put oil in the gas. Guess where it goes? Every drop of it goes through the engine. Some of it burns (makes smoke) and the rest goes out the exhaust, where it picks up black carbon particles. People see this crud and worry about some imagined doom.

[Don]

Like Frank says, probably just normal exhaust “drool”. But, you may want to change your gear lube to make sure it is not leaking. An engine that is out of tune or worn will produce more of this “drool” than an engine in good shape. Excessive idling might make it worse also. Use a good brand of TCW3 outboard oil, or perhaps the synthetic stuff. Please know that this engine must have a fuel/oil mix of 16:1 or it will be damaged, so don’t try to cut back on the oil to reduce the “drooling”. Ignore all the hype about “today’s superior oils” allowing you to lighten up the oil mix.

[Author]

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