Ugg what have I done?

[nichollb]

Got a 1991 Four Winns Freedom 4.3L OMC drive.
I have been trying to get to know it. I decided to change the gear drive oil. I have no idea how long the old stuff had been it there. Oil that came out looked fine.
I changed it used a pump and the filled from the the correct holes all that I learned here on the forums. Worked great 2 qts toped it off.

Ran it for about an 1 1/2 hrs.(fresh water lake) rechecked the gear oil level and the dip stick was foamy (hmmm) took the top cover off an the level is the same but the oil looks like cream.

Water mixing with my oil??

I did not replace the gaskest when I did the change they looked just fine.
Is there any thing I can do other than drain it try putting on the new gaskets and refill and take it back out??

Am I missing something?

 

[cr2k]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

I would do pressure/vacuum test on the drive. Also have you pulled your prop to check for fishing line around the prop seal? If you find it there DO NOT just grab an end and start pulling. Treat it as a complete ring and gently remove the whole thing as a unit by moving it straight off the shaft. Pulling an end can cut a seal real easy.

Yes that is water in your oil.

 

[brhodes]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

I'm a rookie, in the middle of my own bellows and shift cable nightmare, and I have a merc outdrive, but I'm gonna guess from reading on here for about a year that you should replace gaskets anytime you split anything apart. Cheap insurance. Glad you caught it early though. Good luck

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

Got a 1991 Four Winns Freedom 4.3L OMC drive.
I have been trying to get to know it. I decided to change the gear drive oil. I have no idea how long the old stuff had been it there. Oil that came out looked fine.
I changed it used a pump and the filled from the the correct holes all that I learned here on the forums. Worked great 2 qts toped it off.

Ran it for about an 1 1/2 hrs.(fresh water lake) rechecked the gear oil level and the dip stick was foamy (hmmm) took the top cover off an the level is the same but the oil looks like cream.

Water mixing with my oil??

I did not replace the gaskest when I did the change they looked just fine.
Is there any thing I can do other than drain it try putting on the new gaskets and refill and take it back out??

Am I missing something?

Drain & change the oil. You may have to do it a couple times to clear it up. Run the engine off muffs & check the condition of the oil. If it's milky, & may need a water pump shaft seal. And make sure the o-ring is in place on the cover that you removed. Look at the prop shaft, is it leaking gear lube from around the seal?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

That much water in the gear lube after that short of a run is doubtful it came from the drain and fill gaskets.

Time to pull the drive and pressure test it.
It could be the prop shaft seals,the water pump shaft seals behind the impeller,shift shaft seals and about a dozen other things.
You need a new o-ring for that top cover so might as well buy the complete seal kit.
Drain that milk out ASAP.....

 

[nola mike]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

That much water in the gear lube after that short of a run is doubtful it came from the drain and fill gaskets.

Time to pull the drive and pressure test it.
It could be the prop shaft seals,the water pump shaft seals behind the impeller,shift shaft seals and about a dozen other things.
You need a new o-ring for that top cover so might as well buy the complete seal kit.
Drain that milk out ASAP.....

Strange though that the old oil was fine, and all he did was change it. I'd change the oil again with the plug gaskets and see what happens...

 

[Don S]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

Pull the outdrive and check the bellows for water. That is the fastest way to get that much water in a drive.

 

[nichollb]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

I see a couple of "that much water" comments how is the level of fluid the same? The dip stick still showed the same amount of fluid as B-4 just a creamy rather than brown oil look to it.

So I stoped at the boat store on the way to airport this AM to get the O-rings that I neglected to replace when I decided to change my perfectly good oil.
The Sales man said my year (1991) and one or two others is the only time that OMC used an O-ring to seal the drive. He sold me 3 "updated" plugs with nylon gaskets. One the upper dipstick, two the fill hole pulg, three the bottom drain/with magnet. Anyone else done this? or did he just sell me $30 of parts? Rather than $3 in O-rings.

I am out of town for a couple of days won't be able to drain/refill and try the new parts till the end of the week.

(I showed the sales guy the photo and he says the gear oil get a frothy look to it and takes a while to settle?)

 

[nichollb]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

"do pressure/vacuum test on the drive"

can this be done by simply draining the fluid and applying air pressure through the dip stick hole to see if my new gaskests are holding??

 

[nichollb]

Re: Ugg what have I done?

Update,

I drained the milky oil out let it drain over night. I upgraded from the O-ring gasket, to nylon washers and allen head caps rather than a sloppy flat head caps. Took it out for a full day on the lake. Checked the drive oil the next Am and it was clean like new.

My OMC Cobra has survived to boat another day