What is this?

[EricT22]

New to boating a bought my first boat. 88 sea ray Seville cc with 4.3 Merc. Can you guys tell me what this reservoir is and what should be in it? It’s loacter behind the battery under the seat.

 

[GA_Boater]

Tilt and Trim pump. It's a hydraulic pump connected to the cylinders on either side of the outdrive to raise and lower the outdrive

 

[EricT22]

Ok thanks. Trim works so should i just fill up with hydraulic fluid or is there a specific fluid that goes in there?

 

[Alumarine]

See what's in there.
If it's red it takes ATF.
If it looks like motor oil then 10w-30 oil will work.

 

[EricT22]

It’s empty. No fluid in it at all...

 

[Baylinerchuck]

That’s not a great sign....put 10w-30 in it then run the trim up and down. It’ll either work, or you’ll find the leak......unless it doesn’t work at all.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

I flush mine a lot if you have a Mercruiser and your going to keep it. Buy a fluid evacuator.get one that holds 6 quarts if possible. You will find you change your fluids in everything you own more often. Brake fluid power steering fluid. But especially your trim and engine oil oil in your boat. Harbor freight sells a 6 gallon one for $149 may be an overkill for one guy at his house but the 6 gallon one is nice for larger things. Suck the fluid out of your trim pump a couple times a year. Im sure your seals are taking in some water havent seen many that dont. You can use 10/30 if you want but its pretty cheap to buy actual mercruiser trim fluid or Sierra packages it as well. Ive worked in shops without them and when the techs see them in action soon the shops buying enough of them that no ones waiting for one. So they really are handy.

 

[tacx]

I flush mine a lot if you have a Mercruiser and your going to keep it. Buy a fluid evacuator.get one that holds 6 quarts if possible. You will find you change your fluids in everything you own more often. Brake fluid power steering fluid. But especially your trim and engine oil oil in your boat. Harbor freight sells a 6 gallon one for $149 may be an overkill for one guy at his house but the 6 gallon one is nice for larger things. Suck the fluid out of your trim pump a couple times a year. Im sure your seals are taking in some water havent seen many that dont. You can use 10/30 if you want but its pretty cheap to buy actual mercruiser trim fluid or Sierra packages it as well. Ive worked in shops without them and when the techs see them in action soon the shops buying enough of them that no ones waiting for one. So they really are handy.

You replace your trim oil a "couple times a year"? Is that normal?

 

[roffey]

I belive your power stering fluid like your trim fluid should not need fluid added unless it is leaking some where, same sort of thing as breaks and steering fluid on a car, top them up but look for a reason as to why. An empty reservoir would be a huge red flag. Personaly I never change the power steering or hydraulic fluid but change oil and gear lube once a year at shutdown.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

I didnt notice the question about replacing my trim fluid twice a year. Yes i do. For me its part of my service at the end of every years, with a vacumm fluid extractor it takes about a minute to remove whats in the resivour. My boats a 96 and there is moisture in the fluid at times not much but enough to know theres moisture in the system, has been for 10 plus years. I assume its creeping in from the seals. The cost of fluid is a couple bucks. And my system is still 100% functional the moment I see the slightest bit of moisture in my resivour I change it shortly after that and then at the end of the season when im winterizing my boat I do it again. Ask me again in another 15 years if adding $5 a year to fluids and an extra couple of minutes saved me from ever replacing my pump and cylinders. And then I will be able to tell you if that was worth the effort and money.

 

[wahlejim]

Or you could buy a seal kit for $20 and not have to worry about it