Gear Lube

[Diana]

A few questions. First, when I raise my outdrive, I see an oil type substance leaking out, any idea what it might be? Secondly, I opened the top gear lube plug, and it looks dry, does this mean I'm out of gear lube, and why can't I just add lube directly into the top?
Thanks much!
Diana

 

[DukesFin]

Re: Gear Lube

Diana,

Please post what year/make/model outdrive you have. Nobody will be able to guess what you've got.

Also, where (exactly) did you see the leak coming from? What color was the "substance" you saw? How much? Dripping? Flowing? If you can take a picture of said leak and post it, you will get some really quick accurate help...

Good luck!

 

[Diana]

Re: Gear Lube

I have a 1990 Mercruiser I/O 30L 130 hp Alpha 1 Deckboat. I can not see where the leak is coming from because only half of my prop shows above the water line when in the "tilt up" position. The substance appears to be a "brownish" like oil.
THanks again!
Diana

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Gear Lube

It could be the outdrive gear lube or power trim fluid leaking.
Are you seeing this brownish oil on the drive itself or in the water?
Either way you need to find out what and where its coming from.If its gear lube you could destroy the drive by running it. If gear lube is coming out then water is getting in..:%

 

[Diana]

Re: Gear Lube

Gary,
I am seeing "brownish fluid" inside by boat. I think I may have 2 problems here. As I said earlier, when I lift my trim up, I see oil in the water, when its down, nothing. Now I have this new "brownish fluid" problem going on.
How can I check to see if my gear lube is low without taking the boat out of the water? I'm a new boater, and am still learning to trail.
Thanks again!
Diana

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Gear Lube

They could both be coming from the same problem. I hope its trim fluid leaking and not gear oil.I have never worked on an Alpha1 but i'm sure some of the merc guys will respond to this.I would think that the drive must be in the down position to check the level. Is there a gear lube resevoir inside the boat?
Dang! you got the broken spark plug fixed now this...:'(

How hard would it be to get the boat out of the water?

 

[Diana]

Re: Gear Lube

Gary,
No, there is no resevoir. Just a few weeks ago I had the lower shift cable replaced. The bill of sale states that they removed and filled gear lube from drive, and replaced the yoke, refilling that with gear lube also.
I think I need a gimbal, but who knows.
I think next year I'll buy an outboard. :''(
Thanks again!
Diana

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Gear Lube

A bad gimble bearing probably won't cause a gear oil leak and it would be making alot of noise.
You should call the folks that did the shift cable,maybe they did not tighten up a drain plug or something.
Kind of strange this problem started after they just worked on the drive.If the yoke was replaced it could be leaking gear oil there into the bilge..
I'm still thinking some merc guys will reply to this thread.
Can you post any pics of the oil or where its coming from.
Hang in there Diana,don't start thinking outboard just yet!

 

[Senior B]

Re: Gear Lube

A few questions. First, when I raise my outdrive, I see an oil type substance leaking out, any idea what it might be? Secondly, I opened the top gear lube plug, and it looks dry, does this mean I'm out of gear lube, and why can't I just add lube directly into the top?
Thanks much!
Diana

 

[Senior B]

Re: Gear Lube

[Your out drive has a tilt motor that uses 10-40 motor oil for power tilt fluid to raise and lower your drive. The resevoir for this is in the engine compartment and is attached to the tilt motor. There are two oil lines that hook up to it. You might have a leak or the cap might be loose. Your out drive it-self uses 90 wt gear oil for lube. The newer boats have a resevoir in the engine compartment for the gear oil but I don't believe it was like this in 1990. Your Alpha has a dip stick to check the fluid level. I would bet that if this leak is happening when you raise the drive that one of the oil lines is loose at the tilt motor.

 

[Don S]

Re: Gear Lube

Why do you think you need a "gimbal"? Assuming you mean just a gimbal bearing. Is it making noise? Is this brown substance coming in from around the shaft going into the coupling? IF so, then maybe the seal ring between the bellhousing and the drive got knocked out of place when the drive was reinstalled. Maybe the bellows is leaking. This would allow water in the bellows, which will get into the drive and push an oil/water mixture into the bellows area and along with rust will turn brown.
You really need to describe exactly where the oil is coming from and when.
You need to drain the drive and see what is in it also. Milky lube, or just water.

Forget the outboards. They have different problems, not cheaper, just differnt............... sometimes.
PS: Your 1990 Mercruiser Alpha I outdrive does NOT have a dipstick to check the gear lube.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gear Lube

I'd guess you should be taking another Trailering Lesson,.......
You Can't Fix, or Find the Problem with the boat sitting IN the Water........
Get it On the Trailer,+ get the Problem Fixed,......
It'll get nothing but More Expensive if you Don't.......

 

[Diana]

Re: Gear Lube

Once again gentleman, thank you. I do have a milky substance in my tilt/trim cylinder. So, what should I do now?
I ran my bilge pump last night, and it has remained dry.

Note to Bond-O: As I do appreicate all the help I have been recieving, I really do not need any sarcarism. I am a newly single women, trying my best. It is not easy trying to find someone to meet me at the public boat ramp to help me.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Gear Lube

Diana,
How did you find the milky oil? In the trim resevoir?
Anyway could you post some pics?
The bad thing is it does need to be pulled out of the water.
Where is the guy that helped you get the sparkplugs out? Or maybe a neighbor could help you load it up..
Hang in there!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gear Lube

I'm Sorry Diana,.......
No Sarcarism Intended........

My answers to All the Thousands of Posters here is Usually,....
Short,+ To the Point,........

I'm a 1 fingered Typer, who's been a Mechanic all his life.....
I Usually don't ramble,+ just Explain the Truth As I See it.........

Again,.... I'm Sorry,+ Won't interfere again........

 

[Diana]

Re: Gear Lube

Gary,

Yes, the milky residue is in the trim resevoir. The mechanic told me that the grease I saw in the water might grease run off from the work he did, but who knows. I will pull the boat out early next week. By the way, he wasn't the one who extracted the plug, it was me d
I tried again as you had recommended after he told me that it would cost $400.00 to pull out the head.

Bond-O,
Apology accepted, I really am trying.

 

[Diana]

Re: Gear Lube

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/Mixergrrl/TT1.jpg
[img]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/Mixergrrl/tt2.jpg

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Gear Lube

If your having trouble posting a pic send them to me and i'll post them.Or just copy and paste the image code in photobucket..that link above is not working.8)8)

 

[Diana]

Re: Gear Lube

One more time

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Gear Lube

Good that one worked...