I may have a problem,,,,,,

[Snider4]

I have a 50 hp merc 2 stroke, I changed the lower unit oil at the end of the season and had the toon out three times this year. I noticed today that oil was dripping out from around the vent screw, I removed the vent and drain screws and I had a ugly mix of gear oil and water run out. I filled the case with a cheap wally world gear oil and drained again then replaced with Merc gear oil. I discovered that I had put two washers on the same drain screw in the fall and the other screw had no washer, I gotta stop drinking beer while working.

Could I have done any damage to the lower unit?

[curtiscapk]

Snider,

I would think you are good. Those washers are really small and you only went out 3 times as long as it was mostly oil your probably good.

[HandymanHerb]

I think you may have got it in time, but yea fix first and beer to celebrate getting done.

[crspang]

Dip a magnet in the oil you removed and swirl it around to look for metal shavings.

[FloterBoter]

that's a pretty common thing to happen.
i'm really anal about checking those washers.

btw, walmart supertech lubes meet the engineering specs.
i still use mercruiser/quicksilver, but there's nothing wrong
with the supertech stuff. doesn't have the same additive
package, but meets merc's specs. the guy who runs
supertech and changes it twice a season is better off then
the guy who runs merc for two or three years. (i know guys
who do that. i change mine every year, sometimes twice
a year.)

[Snider4]

Thanks guys you all made me feel better. I was sick to my stomach when I found it. I had already dumped the oil in my big recycling jug when I saw the magnet idea, I did have my fingers in the pan after draining feeling for metal but could not feel anything.
Whew,, gotta start paying more attention!