Change or not to change?

[OXN939]

Not quite a truck, but figured this would be the closest forum.

Changed the water pump on a '21 Tohatsu MFS 20 four stroke outboard last week. As I was replacing the water pump housing, I noticed a few drops of oil that could only be from the lower unit. Local dealer said it should be fine, run it and check the lower unit oil. Ran it about an hour today and drained the lower unit oil, which looked as shown. Stuff in the drain pan doesn't look great, but the oil straight out of the gear case (in the teaspoon) looks fine. Also, the stuff in the drain pan seems to be clearer after sitting for a few hours.

So. Could the milky-ish color in the drained oil be air bubbles and /or contamination from the pan, or should I just go ahead and pick up a pressure tester to see if the seals need changing? Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Steve300xcw]

Ive never been in a boat that didnt try to ruin my day in some way. So my opinion might be a bit skewed.

Boats an planes..Stuff gets fixed before it needs fixed...

 

[anonymous22]

The milky oil suggests water contamination, often caused by frequent low-speed operation or a faulty thermostat that prevents the engine from reaching its operating temperature.

Additionally, it may result from physical water intrusion due to a blown head gasket, oil pan seal issue, etc

 

[OXN939]

The milky oil suggests water contamination, often caused by frequent low-speed operation or a faulty thermostat that prevents the engine from reaching its operating temperature.

Additionally, it may result from physical water intrusion due to a blown head gasket, oil pan seal issue, etc

Man these AI bots are gross. Mods?