what is this oil or gear lube in my bilge

the boat’s sitting in the marina and today i noticed the gear lube oil was down three or four inches in its bottle. havent seen it like that before and i topped it up about a month ago and ran the engine last week. i filled it back up today and cleaned out the bilge. when i checked on it tonight looks like the level hasnt changed (yet) but i see this creamy brown liquid in the bilge. is it gear lube?
 
Does your bilge usually have a little water in it, if so just a tiny bit of spilled oils of any kind can look pretty bad, meaning maybe just a couple drops spilled when you topped up the oil?
 
I chased something like this all summer 2 seasons ago. Then I noticed the power steering pump was whining and was low on fluid...ok fine where is it leaking from? I was all booked in to have the pump replaced as I could not see where it was leaking from...day before I gave it one final shot. Ended up being the plastic alligator style clamp that Volvo penta uses for the ps fluid cooler was failing over time. New stainless clamps and all is well again. Good luck.
 
Gear lube has a very distinct odour. Check the smell in your bilge against the smell in the gear lube bottle. Should tell the tale.
 
Hard to tell but doesn't look like ps fluid. It's either gear oil or motor oil. Gear oil really reeks too so that should help find the issue
 
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You'll probably need to dip your fingers or a rag into that oil in your bilge & give it a sniff.
Best of luck, finding your leak.
I would be looking into where your gear oil is going, if you need to keep adding oil. Sooner is better with an issue like this.
 
well, since I filled it, it pretty much stayed around the same place. so the next day I took it out and kept an eye on it. ran a good run (1.5 hr) out to place out 2 crab traps. anyways, when I got back I noticed a little reduction but nothing alarming. it moved down maybe 1/4 inch. then this morning I took it out and ran out to my traps (another 1.5 hr) and saw another small reduction but nothing significant. I left it in the marina and didn't check on it since. Seemed to be ok, all of a sudden though. Although, I think I hit something on the way back and it completely messed up my sonar. Geez, if its not one thing its another...
 
Inboard engine oil leaks: from valve covers, lifter covers, oil pans. Worst of all is the main bearing rear seal. As your engine acquires hours, it will have some blowby oil gather in engine area.
 
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