Lower Unit Drain Plug Stripped

[miichael18]

I was going to change the gear lube in my 1989 force 125 and the lower drain plug is a hex screw and its stripped out. So now i cant drain the lower unit. it has a fill hole and vent hoe up top for filling. I took both of these out and put my pump in the fill hole and pumped alot of the old gear lube out (which was black). All together i got about half a quart out of it. Will it be ok to just fill it up with fresh run it a few times then get out as much as i can and do it again? or are there any other way to get most of the lube out? I tried using a easy out tool to get the drain plug out but i stopped before i went in enough to damage the bolt and maybe take a chance on it leaking.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Lower Unit Drain Plug Stripped

What your doing with the oil is fine, and will be okay the rest of the season, THEN ....<br />Do this. Get that screw out. Drill through, an EZ out (get the EZ out made for socketheads first and try that. Grind the tip down until it will fit snug when tapped in). Do whatever, but get it out. Put grease on everything so the chips will stick in it. . Don't worry about the threads, as your going bigger. Once its out, flush any chips out (just run thin oil through). You will need a "R" drill, and a 1/8-27NPT Tap(National Pipe Tap) Its a tapered tap for the plug you will use from now on, which will be a 1/8 Socket Head pipe plug, 1/4 inch long. Screwed in with an Allen Wrench.<br />Now, after getting out the old screw, drill through with the "R" bit (its a letter drill). Coat it with grease to hold chips. Now coat the tap with grease too. Tap ONLY a few turns (you can practice on a scrap piece of 1/8 steel/alum first if you feel the need). Check to see how far the plug goes in (remember its tapered), and keep tapping a little more until it snugs up just about flush. You have over 3/8ths of metal in that area, so bigger is no problem (did it to mine by the way, stripped).<br />Done, go have a beer and a cheeseburger.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Lower Unit Drain Plug Stripped

get the tap and the plug for the V6 merc tech bulliten on overheating.<br /> i cant remember but i belive its a 1/16th pipe plug.<br /> its tiny but is used to plug the upper waterpump drain holes on the 225 mercs if nessasary.<br /> will be smaller and cleaner than a 1/8th but 1/8th will work.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Lower Unit Drain Plug Stripped

sorry hit the wrong button. usally what we did was use a number drill just smaller than the thread minor diameter and take just the plug threads out like a spring.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Lower Unit Drain Plug Stripped

Originally posted by rodbolt:<br /> get the tap and the plug for the V6 merc tech bulliten on overheating.<br /> i cant remember but i belive its a 1/16th pipe plug.<br /> its tiny but is used to plug the upper waterpump drain holes on the 225 mercs if nessasary.<br /> will be smaller and cleaner than a 1/8th but 1/8th will work.

Smaller plug would be great, but I thought it hard to find, so thats why I sugested 1/8. If ya can get it (kit) from Merc, do it! I'm not sure I even went 1/8, but my Force is in the water, ready for fishing, so I can't go look.

 

[miichael18]

Re: Lower Unit Drain Plug Stripped

if i take the lower unit apart would i be able to get to the screw to put a pair of vise grips on it and turn it out? if i drill it out how am i gonna get the screw out the hole i drill? it will probably fall in there where i cant get it.