Lower Unit oil milky after 15 minutes ?

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Lower Unit oil milky after 15 minutes ?

If you inadvertently remove the shifter pivot screw, IF you do not operate the shift and do not move anything, there is a good possibility that it will go right back in.

It can not go in incorrectly--ie. miss the far hole. The only thing that can happen is the shifter pivot yoke moves and then you will miss the pivot bearing and you will get a no shift condition. In any case, no damage will be done to the gearcase or gear pak. It is just a big bother to disassemble the lower unit for a preventable accident. Chrysler's way of telling you that you did something stupid. LOL

If I have any doubt about the seal on this screw, I fill the hole above it with silicone RTV after tightening it. This effectivly provides a back-up seal and is removable if I need to access the screw and remove it during gearcase disassembly.

 

[bradleeson]

Re: Lower Unit oil milky after 15 minutes ?

I thought I had it because I was getting the pivot screw through the coupling. But after wasting a bunch of time and effort I dropped the lower unit, and what happened is that the shift yoke had fallen off the shift arm.

Anyways, it was pretty easy to do, and I changed the impeller and gasket while I was down there.

 

[TWFisher]

Re: Lower Unit oil milky after 15 minutes ?

Brad,

So you did loose your shifting by removing this screw?

I did the exact same thing as everyone else, thought I was going to drain the oil, but once I removed the screw and seen the small seal and the polished chrome shaft I knew this was more than a oil drain. Luckly for me, I think, I was very steady, did not move anything and slipped the screw right back in. I have since ran the engine on muffs and it shifted in and out of forward, though I did not try reverse.

How did you know you had a problem. Were you able to replace the screw and it not shift or did the screw just not go back in.

How can I check to make sure I don't have a problem?

 

[bradleeson]

Re: Lower Unit oil milky after 15 minutes ?

Yeah I was able to replace the pivot screw and the first time I tried I had connection and the propeller showed that it was in gear. So I thought I was good, but after having some more time I went and hooked up my cables, and then discovered that I could not get into neutral, and in fact that it was not truly even in gear. The drive shaft was not responding. I had it stuck in there somehow, but it was not right.

After dropping the LU it was a bugger to get the shift yoke back on and place the coupling. (flashlight, extension magnet, little grabber thing that looks like a dipstick and patience) ;-)

My situation was different because the shift rod was moved around quite a bit to get it back in place. You did not mess with yours, so that should potentially be in you benefit! I really think that if you can pop it into neutral and then get it in gear, you should have it.

 

[TWFisher]

Re: Lower Unit oil milky after 15 minutes ?

Well, I went out there a minute ago and tinkered around with it. I think Im ok. It goes into forward, when I turn the prop by hand, it turns over the engine, it goes back into neutral and then goes into reverse and turns the engine over when I turn it over by hand. I went over this about 5 times to see if anything odd would occour, but it worked the same each time. I think Im ok but I guess Ill find out for sure once I put her in the water.

You know, I seen the hex head screw at the bottom of the LU but didn't think it could be the drain, it looked like something some one had installed in a shop. It didn't look factory or professional. As easy as it is for a novice to mistake the pivot screw for an oil drain, it seems the manufacturer would have taken steps to see that this screw was better identified.


Thanks Brad,

Frank, what are your thoughts?

TW