Burnt lower unit oil

[bacafrog]

I have a Alpha 1 Gen 1. I just purchased this boat about a month or two ago and I decided to change the lower unit oil. It came out black and had a burnt smell to it. I just want to know if this is normal, or is there something going on inside the case I dont know about. I tried the search function and couldnt find anything useful about this. I am assuming that the oil is black and burnt smelling from someone not changing the oil out enough. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

Gear oil always has a fowl burnt like smell to it.
I would change it and keep an eye on it.
It should be changed every year and was probably not the case with it being black in color.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

mine wasn't black. but it was darker than new.

i didn't do anything to mine over the course of the summer and it was fresh and new starting last spring.
when draining. i feel the first part of it and rub it around with my fingers feeling for metal fragments. i felt none in what i drained from mine. yes, it's darker than the new, but it was used quite a bit this past summer so i figure it may be the norm....

better darker in color i figure than milky in color or metal fragments in it... that would be sure cause for concern then...

 

[bacafrog]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

Well mine was darker in color then yours, and smelled like someone was frying it in a frying pan. I did fill the oil around in my fingers and found no metal parts. The magnet on the drain screw had some metal on it, but I figured this was normal wear and tear. Thanks for the quick response on this. I will fill it up and keep an eye on it. Figure I will change it 2 times during this next season.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

That's a good idea to change it several times during your first season until it starts clearing up. I change my lower unit oil once a year and the oil draining out looks pretty much like the new oil going in. It's such an easy, simple and cheap item to do, why not keep the lower unit oil clean and fresh? Good Luck!

 

[ErieRon]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

That's a good idea to change it several times during your first season until it starts clearing up. I change my lower unit oil once a year and the oil draining out looks pretty much like the new oil going in. It's such an easy, simple and cheap item to do, why not keep the lower unit oil clean and fresh? Good Luck!

Couldn't have said it better myself ! A lot of the preventative maintenance is that way. Whether it's my car, or my boat, it always pays to take that extra step. Results of being frugal are all through this forum, and it just doesn't pay.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

and cheap item to do

didn't you notice mercruiser hp gear lub has about tripled in price this last year or so.... can't remember what i paid, but it was outright rape. that said, i still use it...

i surely won't argue with clean lub of any kind is a plus....

i'd likely have changed mine once over the course of the summer if funds would have been normal, but they weren't. so in lieu of a change i checked it a couple of times for gear lub loss and water intrusion... what ya see is what i got out of it. estimated 75-100 hrs on it... normal use. not hard use.. original '75 mc-1 drive. if i'd have had my druthers, i'd have changed it one time about mid season...

 

[bacafrog]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

Is the Quiksilver oil just as good as the MerCruiser oil? I can pick it up for around 7 dollars a quart.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

Is the Quiksilver oil just as good as the MerCruiser oil?

Quicksilver = Mercruiser

probably a good idea to pressure test your drive as well

 

[cr2k]

Re: Burnt lower unit oil

Sierra makes a good synthetic blend that works as well and may be a few $ less.