Ran with no gear oil :( 2015 4 stroke 30hp

whaler13BosN

Recruit
Joined
Aug 24, 2021
Messages
3
Bought a used longshaft Merc 30 EFI for my whaler, threw it on the boat and off I went for an hour of boating. Realized after an hour or so that I had lost the top end power and something seemed off. Wouldn't plane anymore. Pulled the boat and started to check things out, only to discover I hadn't check the lower unit gear oil.

What should I do? Fill it and run it again? Bring it straight to a shop for a rebuild and diagnosis? Is this like a whole new lower unit screw up or like a few hundred bucks for labour and some bearings and seals? haha Ugh. I'm so disappointed in myself.
 

Faztbullet

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
15,933
If you toasted gears its more than a few hundred... just cant slap gears and bearing in as all have to be measured and shimmed...
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,837
Its always a good idea to change all the fluids in any used equipment you buy. With that practice, you would have caught the fact and saved yourself bundles. On something that I think is in OK condition but hasn't been operated for a long time, I buy it just on sight and get home and get everything lubricated before starting/using. Have never been sorry.
 

whaler13BosN

Recruit
Joined
Aug 24, 2021
Messages
3
For sure. That was my plan but I got impatient because the weather was so good and threw it on the boat.
 
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