Lower unit plugs full of metal

[Cricket Too]

These are the drain plugs off of my '04 Evinrude 200's (FICHT). The first pic is the Stbd and the second 2 pics are the port side...I attached 2 for the port side since it looks worse than the Stbd..

Does this seem like an excessive amount of metal shavings on these plugs? This was the first time I've changed the lower unit oil since buying the boat, last year, so I don't know when the last time it was changed was....I'd hope every year, but this seems like a lot of shavings for the last 30hrs that I've run it, then again I've never owned engines this big before so maybe it's normal. It's not heavy chunks, it pretty much goes away when you rub it between your fingers but the port side definitely had some small metal pieces/flakes that didn't, but again not big chunks.


Stbd Plug





Port Plug

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

change your fluid more often. that looks a bit normal for not having changed the fluid frequently.

are you sure the PO changed the fluid?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

Are those chips of feel like filings? My primary comment is that is why there is a magnetic plug to prevent that stuff from circulating.

I would keep a closer eye on it and run it!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

I disagree! That is a lot of metal. Since it is before the height of boating season, I would AT LEAST remove the prop, bearing carrier and reverse gear. Inspect the gear teeth for "spalling" If any imperfections are found, it is time to rebuild or replace the lower unit. High horsepower engines can go through a set of marginal gears relatively rapidly. You don't want to get caught out on the sound with a set of trashed gears.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

Thanks for the replies guys.

Scott....no I have no way of knowing if the PO actually changed it every year, he said so but based on these plugs when I pulled them I tend to think he didn't.

Bob.... they are mostly filings but there were some very small chips in there that didn't disintegrate when I wiped them between my fingers.

Frank....I don't boat in the Sound, although I did grow up on it. I'm on the South Shore in the bay and ocean...not that that's any better. i definitely don't want a LU going out in FI Inlet.

Like I said most of this was filings, but the fact that there was that much on there is what threw me, but it is entirely possible that it's at least 2 seasons of running...around 100hrs or so, could be more.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

I grew up in Yonkers. I bought my second Glastron at a marina in City Island. I used to launch at --Damn, I forget the name--A marina near the casino/dance hall in Mamaronek and cruise the sound to the Big Apple. I circumnavigated Manhattan and took my 15 footer though Hell's Gate. Just thought you might be interested. Oh, I remember--Glenn Island.

BTW: That metal could be wear from the drive dogs. If they get too bad, the engine will slip out of gear at high speeds and get progressively worse to the point that it will not stay in gear at any speed. Replacing drive dogs is relatively inexpensive and easy but I still maintain that a check of the internals would be a good choice of action now.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

If thats a "Lighting" gearcase it has about 25 more hours before it takes a crap....

 

[JimS123]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

I've been running OBs and I/Os since about 1955. Most were bought new, but I did get a couple of used ones when I was young and foolish. Annual oil changes for sure. I NEVER saw ANY filings on any motor I ever ran.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

If thats a "Lighting" gearcase it has about 25 more hours before it takes a crap....

How would I know if they are "Lightning" gearcases? They are 2004 DI's (Fichts), they have 550hrs on them. They slip into gear perfectly, zero clunking, zero grinding and I'm not one who slowly engages thinking they are being nice to their lower unit and then grind clutch dogs away...I throw them into gear the right way.

I've always changed oil every fall, and I've always had some shavings on the bottom plug, and I've had a lot of engines (not since '55 but since about '80)....I've just never had this amount of shavings. I'm thinking this oil (from the PO) was 2 or 3 seasons old, based on the color of it. My oil always comes out looking the way it went in or slightly milky....this stuff came out gray/black....didn't smell burnt but it was used up man.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

I would change and flush the LU and run a bit and do it again.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

This is a "Lighting"....

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

That oil(?) does look nasty. I doubt it was changed on a regular basis. I would also do what MH Hawker recommended....

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

Some engines when new and untill gear box wears in nicely will form metal shavings that will be trapped on lower plug magnets, that's what they are for. Wory if it keeps doing so inmediately after last gear oil change. Probably gears are too tight and wearing one against the other ?

Happy Boating

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Lower unit plugs full of metal

If you got that after 30 hours on new LU oil then I'd say you have a problem--both from the filings and the color of the oil. And if you drained it all--was it low?

I have replaced the LU on my 150 Yamaha twice. The second time I got a much bigger "beard" and the pro's at the shop said the LU had to be replaced (and in addition to being honest, since I wasn't getting the replacement from them, they were telling me straight).

I can't say whether what you have is "too much," especially since we don't know how many of the 550 hours that represents. If it were me, I'd drain flush and fill, then check after 20 hours, unless you start hearing or feeling clunks, slips, etc. If after 20 hours after a flush it's just as bad, something is grinding. If not as bad but not perfect, you are probably just picking up residuals, I would guess.

I think I'd also ask someone at a reputable shop who changes lots of different LU's frequently to see what the "average" looks like; those of us who do it one or two motors at a time might not know. My guys had the experience from insurance companies requiring a rebuild, from which they learned what a bad beard looks like inside, and what it takes to rebuild.

If it's bad news, I found that rebuilding yourself is very hard, rebuilding at a shop costs as much as a new one if things are bad in there, SEI's new manufacured L/U's are abuot 35% of the cost of new and have a great warranty--but have a higher rate of failure.

I have heard that you can send the filings to a lab that can tell which part is failnig, but given the cost to rebuild can't say it would be worthwhile to know.