Gear lube reservoir needs filling with each tank of gas?!

[jjschwi]

Is my gear lube reservoir supposed to need filling with each tank, seems I need to fill this too often. Is this normal, do you guys burn through gear lube or should it be a tank full for for the season? I recently supposedly had new seals put in, and they said they pressure tested it.. Wanted to see if it was normal.. I have a 4.3 liter merc. 2003 I/O

 

[saumon]

Re: Gear lube reservoir needs filling with each tank of gas?!

Not sure what you're talking about but gear lube fill is in the lower unit (right in front of the prop, and under the anti-ventilation plate (there's no "reservoir" as per se). If it's this one, no, it's not normal and it souldn't miss a drop.

Edit: my bad, I didn't notice it was an I/O...forget it.

 

[MarkSee]

Re: Gear lube reservoir needs filling with each tank of gas?!

You are talking about the either round or square gear lube reservoir that's mounted top/front port side of the engine?

The shop that did your seals should have properly filled it from the bottom up putting in about 2 quarts and the reservoir was up to the full mark. Was that what you saw but now you're losing a few ounces every trip?

No, you should be able to go all season without needing to put much in.

Do you see any leaking in/around the engine or back of the bilge by the drain plug? There's that fitting behind the engine that can leak.
It's got to be going somewhere. Might need to pull the drive to see if any is leaking into the bellows.

When I saw the reservoir on my Bravo losing gear lube, I did see it accumulating at the back of the bilge and was coming from the failed front seal leaking into the bellows.

Mark

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Gear lube reservoir needs filling with each tank of gas?!

No, its not normal.

If your adding, its leaking somewhere.

 

[Don S]

Re: Gear lube reservoir needs filling with each tank of gas?!

Is my gear lube reservoir supposed to need filling with each tank, seems I need to fill this too often. Is this normal, do you guys burn through gear lube or should it be a tank full for for the season? I recently supposedly had new seals put in, and they said they pressure tested it.. Wanted to see if it was normal.. I have a 4.3 liter merc. 2003 I/O

No it's not normal, it's a leak.

Pull the drive, drain the gear lube and do a pressure check. Look inside through the front of the drive (exhaust passage) the carrier under the raw water pump, the shift shaft bushing, and the ujoint shaft seal are common places for leaks.
All that is assuming you have an Alpha I Gen II drive. You don't say what you have in your post.

 

[pyrotek]

Re: Gear lube reservoir needs filling with each tank of gas?!

Normal for me. I go through about that much, maybe a little less. I have had the problem for two years, and end of each year the oil has absolutely no water in it, which is the most important. I'll be doing a bellows replacement end of this year, so I'll have everything apart and hope to finally find where it is leaking. Note mine is with a Bravo 1 with external reservoir tank.

 

[Don S]

Re: Gear lube reservoir needs filling with each tank of gas?!

Normal for me. I go through about that much, maybe a little less. I have had the problem for two years, and end of each year the oil has absolutely no water in it, which is the most important. I'll be doing a bellows replacement end of this year, so I'll have everything apart and hope to finally find where it is leaking. Note mine is with a Bravo 1 with external reservoir tank.

It might be normal for you, but just because you get away with it, doesn't make it right.