LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

[JoeW]

After a season of boating, the gear oil in my lower unit comes out really ugly. It looks like a light brown mud. Is this normal? Here's a picture.<br /> <br />UglyGearOil picture <br /><br />There appears to be no water in it, and it's very thick.<br /><br />Thanks!<br />Joe

 

[Fishin4fun]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

I had similar stuff in my lower unit on a motor I once had, turns out it does have water in it! Replaced the seals and woolahhhh no more mud colored oil..

 

[LubeDude]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Yep, thats a really good picture of what you do not want to see comming out of you lower unit, Its reseal time. It could just be the little gaskets around the drain and vent plugs to, they are often overlooked when changing fluid, you might try changing the fluid with new gaskets, running the boat for a few hours then draining again and refilling (a flush) and then running a few more hours and letting it sit overnight and checking it again in the morning. If its clean and no water comes out, just keep an eye on it the rest of the season.

 

[BillP]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Sorry to disagree but different brands of gear lube turn different colors and some look like that after use. Water separates quickly from the gear lube and sits in the bottom of the gearcase. It drains out first and clear. You cannot mistake it from the lube. If the motor sat a few hours before you drained it and there is no water sitting on the bottom of the container everything is ok.

 

[JoeW]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Thanks guys!<br />I hadn't run the boat for a week before I changed the oil. I didn't see any water in the muck when I drained it, but I'll change the seals on the plugs as lubdude suggests. It can't cost much and I want to be sure there's not a problem. <br />Thanks again.<br />-Joe

 

[quantumleap]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

BillP., That sure doesn't look healthy to me. What brand of lower unit oil looks like that? I'll be sure not to buy that stuff. I don't like my lubricants looking like chocolate milk!

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

I've got to agree with quantumleap on this one. That is some sad looking lube. Mine never looks anything like that even after a season of boating. I'd almost bet that there's some water mixed in with that, although it may be a small amount. But it doesn't take much to turn it to gunk looking fluid. Try the seals on the screws, run it a day and see how it looks. Of course, what little fluid that is left in there will still mix with the new stuff, so it may take 2 or 3 changes to see if it's OK.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

It will look like that if you use an automotive gear lube! The water wont separate.

 

[BillP]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Some of the OMC lubes used to look like that almost straight out of the container...and got worse after use. It is nothing to freak about. <br /><br />Water absolutely DOES seperate from automobile 90w gear oil...the stuff that costs about $3 and has the pointy spout. Try it if you don't believe it. For many years ob motors specified 90w hypoid for their lower units. I used a ton of it on ob motors and saw plenty of water drain out before the oil did. If it sits over night it looks just like salad dressing...oil on top and water on the bottom.<br /><br />joew94th...what brand gear oil was that?<br /><br />I got money...any takers?

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

If you put it in a glass jar overnight, any water should seperate and sink. If it stayes the same, I think I would refill it with better oil, and see how it goes.

 

[JoeW]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

I can't remember what brand of lube I used. It might have been automotive. Is there a preferred marine brand for this unit?

 

[JoeW]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Unicorn,<br />I filled a small clear plastic container with this stuff. No separation after 4 days. <br />-Joe

 

[KCLOST]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Dude,<br /><br />You need to use only Gear Lube in that thing...<br /><br />90W.....Specified for Marine use....Many brands to chose from... Wally World has it...<br /><br />Usually comes in a tube or pint size container... Has a tapered insert so you can inject the lube in from the bottom drain until it fills up and exits the vent opening....

 

[LubeDude]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Use a synthetic, many here do and swear by it. And you can use an automotive "synthetic" lube! Another reason not to use an automotive regular gear lube is that they do not always have the anti foam qualities that the marine oils do.

 

[BillP]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

joew94th,<br />If it sat for several days and no water showed up it doesn't have water. Like I already posted, some gear oils turn weird colors. My guess is it is caused from detergents. Clear oil may mean no detergents. But if the lube meets the mfgs specs it doesn't matter what it looks like when you drain it.<br /><br />Automotive gear oils are made for high speed gears. They use the same "off the shelf" gear oil in 5000hp dragsters and 1000hp stock cars as in a Ford Focus. I doubt foaming is an issue with automotive oils if you compare applications.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Originally posted by BillP:<br />joew94th,<br /><br />Automotive gear oils are made for high speed gears. They use the same "off the shelf" gear oil in 5000hp dragsters and 1000hp stock cars as in a Ford Focus. I doubt foaming is an issue with automotive oils if you compare applications.

This statement simply isnt true. All High performance vehicles use a synthetic gear lube. and I beleive the focus uses ATF in there manual transmissions. The reason that foaming IS an issue in lower units is that there isnt sufficient expansion room in lower units and if you have foaming you are going to have gear failure if running for any distance at all.

 

[JoeW]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

I'll change the seals on the plugs AND put marine grade synthetic lube it just to be sure. This lower unit doesn't even take a whole quart anyway. It can't be that expensive. <br />BillP, I hope you're right. I may be worrying about nothing, but I just spent a small fortune on a near new hull & can't afford a new outboard. I want to take no chances. <br />Thanks everyone. As usual, this forum is awesome. <br />-Joe

 

[jim dozier]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

From a similar post. There is a paste used in the petroleum industry. I have used this professionally for detecting water in leaking underground storage tanks. This paste (comes in a tube like toothpaste) simply reacts with water on contact and changes color. If water is in oil or fuel as droplets or more commonly in a gearcase as an emulsion (looks like funky mayonaisse) it should change the paste color when contacted. Put the portion of the oil that you think has water in it and smear it on a piece of paper with the paste already smeared on it. If its water it should change color if not it won't. You might do a test with some clean fresh oil and some that you have mixed a little water in to see how sensitive it is. I have never used it in this particular situation. It was designed for marking the level of water (which would be at the bottom of a tank) which had leaked into buried fuel tanks. If you smeared a couple of feet on the end of a wooden dipstick and stuck it in a tank with 6 inches of water in it you would see 6 inches of pink at the bottom. I don't know who's right on this funky stuff but it looks like it came from a frappachino at Starbucks and it makes me nervous.

 

[dilligafda]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

Originally posted by BillP:<br />Sorry to disagree but different brands of gear lube turn different colors and some look like that after use. Water separates quickly from the gear lube and sits in the bottom of the gearcase. It drains out first and clear. You cannot mistake it from the lube. If the motor sat a few hours before you drained it and there is no water sitting on the bottom of the container everything is ok.

First of all BillP I don't know your experience with outboard engines.<br /><br />Second in my 20 years of working on gearcases and engines in general, if gearlube looks like that, there is water in the gearcase and no matter how long it sits, it will stay suspended in the lube. That's why you want to use a marine grade gearlube.<br /><br />Sorry guys, the crap you buy from your local auto parts house does not have the same additives to keep water in suspension as the marine grade. The reason for keeping the water in suspension is to keep it (the water) from attacking the bearings and gears. <br /><br />In this case, have the gearcase pressure tested and, replace seals as needed.<br /><br />Good luck!

 

[quantumleap]

Re: LubeDude or anyone: ugly gear oil question

My guess is it is caused from detergents. Clear oil may mean no detergents. But if the lube meets the mfgs specs it doesn't matter what it looks like when you drain it.

Huh? It definately matters what it looks like. You can tell alot about the running condition of engines,trannies, and gearcases based on the appearance of the used fluids. Just about any lubricant with a milky white discoloration means water contamination.