Intermediate housing lube drain?

[Chad Flaugher]

1974 Cobalt, Ford 190 hp OMC w/electric shift stringer outdrive. My service manual suggests checking the fluid level, but mentions nothing about changing the lube. I've serviced both the upper and lower units, and even the tilt gearcase. I cannot however find a drain screw for the intermediate housing. Ideas? Thanks!

 

[wrench 3]

For some unknown reason OMC never put a drain in the intermediate housing oil reservoir of the stringer drives. When I was running one, I checked the oil for water contamination every fall. It was always clean so it only got changed when I had the shaft out to replace the ball gears.

 

[Chad Flaugher]

Thank you for clarifying that for me. I thought I was going crazy.

 

[southkogs]

Yup, there's just that port at the top, just aft of the boot. I use an oil siphon pump to get mine.

 

[Chad Flaugher]

Oh heck yeah!!! I thought of that too, but then I figured I was just a perfectionist as usual. Thanks for chiming in you guys! I'll extract what I can, inspect, and refill. That'll make me feel better. :biggrin-new:

 

[Boomyal]

They did finally include a drain plug for the intermediate housing with the advent of the hydro-mechanical drive, circa 1978. Otherwise, as mentioned, you just need to suck it out thru the fill hole.