outboard storage?
 

hey all last year i bought a 4 stroke 5hp mercury outboard from bass pro shops and they also broke in the engine for me with this whole package and when i picked it up the sticker on the side of the engine cover said to store on the side with the sticker facing upward. my old 2 stroke i stored on a wooden saw horse verticle, with this being a new 4 stroke i figure it was ok until a few weeks ago i went to move it and there is oil seeping out of the bottom part of the engine(well more towards the bottom end near the prop area). so i stood the engine back up vertically. so is this storage sticker that says store on its side only before the engine break in and store vertically after the breakin period? i plan on getting BPS to give it a quick check and top up the fluids before i use it.

If it's leaking near the prop area, you will need to get the gear box rebuilt. I am thinking you got water into the gear box (which is common for outboards)and it froze spliting the housing open and thats why the oil is leaking out. A person should always change the gear box oil, before winter, to ensure no water is in there.

Quick check
 

It could be some water. Loosen of the drain screws and drain some oil out the bottom end into a pan. Let it sit for a while if mixed if not mixed you will see right away the water come out separate from the oil. Not a good sign after the cold winter. Water expands and can do damage inside. As long as nothing major is cracked a small engine like that is not too hard to fix the bottom end. If something in the main housing cracks it can cost you some bucks. I would drain it fist just for my own better feel. If it is just straight oil it may only be a seal that need replacing. Still a pain in the butt to do but not costly. More for the time or labour than the parts. Have done several bottom end rebuilds in my time so am a bit familiar with the gearcase area.

You should have received a manual with that. Check in there to see what it says about long and short term storage.

Mine did the same on a 9.9 ... it was just a little engine oil that went by the piston , thru the exhast valve and out the exhaust ...I drained and refilled the lower leg topped up the ehgine and fired it up in a 10 gallon drum of water. Just a lot of smoke !!!

check the Pistons!!
 

Had this happen to me last year salmon fishing. Tilting the engine on its WRONG side when a piston is at the bottom of the stroke lets oil get into the piston when tilted on the wrong side. Usual sign is what you described. If you pull the spark plug you will see its covered in engine oil. pull it over a few times with the plug out, put in a new plug, top up your oil, and you are good to go.

I couldn't figure out why I could not pull my engine over, until I pulled the plug and realized that the hydrolic compression of the engine oil in the cylinder had locked the cylinder. Thought it had magically seized. No big deal, now that I know. And now you know too!!

Drewski

the funny thing is i bought it bass pro shops broke it in for me and it went into my basement till now. i haven't used it once yet. does it matter wheather its stored vertical or horizontal? i will dig up the manual and recheck.

You nailed it, I had the same thing with a 5/hp 4 stroke Nissan.
Dodger.