Lower unit seal leaking?

[Short timer]

Greetings, 

Once again I need some advice/knowledge from this remarkable group of folks.  I have a 1997 Evinrude Intruder on a Ranger R72, the previous owner stated that it has only about 22 hours on the whole rig.  I started it yesterday, after sitting for 31/2 months.  At first, it did not want to start, with choking I finally managed to get it started.  I ran it for a few minutes, maybe 10 or so, and shut it down.  Went about some other business and when I looked at the lower unit it seemed to be leaking fluid.  My first assumption is that the seal around the prop went south.  So, I thought I'd better get ahead of this thing and call a pro.  After speaking with Randy at Randy's Marine service in Junction City Kansas, I am not real convinced that the seal is leaking.  Here's why,  Randy said that this year of setup with a black cover over the oil tank is not vented and that in all likelihood what I am seeing is fuel and oil that was not consumed with starting and running.  I filled the lower unit with 90 weight gear lube, it only took a small amount, there was no water in it when I pulled the bottom plug.  Randy said that with it sitting like that the oil injection and the fact that it was hard to start meant that I filled the carbs with oil.  What do you folks think about this?  The "leakage" appears as a very black runny oil liquid and does not seem like gear oil, any and all words of wisdom will be appreciated!

[Way2slow]

Most likely what you are seeing is the exhaust drainage you get almost any time you run one on a hose.  It will be a black, oily looking streak but has more black carbon in it than oil.  Totally normal and nothing to worry about. 

You can leave the top plug in the gear case and take the bottom plug out just enough to let a few drops of oil leak out ands see make sure it's all oil and no water come out with it.  When running down the lake, it's being pulled out through the prop so you don't see it, but on the hose, some leaks down inside the housing and down the skeg.

Tighten the bottom plug back in the hole and then take the top plug out.  If a small amount of oil doesn't come out, use something flexible like a tie wrap to stick on the hole and see how far down it has to go to touch the oil.  Shouldn't be more than a 1/4" or so.

[Short timer]

Thanks Keith, I was hoping you would reply, I trust your judgement and knowledge!

Dave