2005 Johnson-8: Lower gear oil came out BLACK!

[mokeman3]

I bought my Johnson 8 in 2005 (manufacture date: 2004) for a 9.x foot Zodiac, and fell in love with it. Can't believe something like this could run so smooth and sweet (was running a 60's Gamefisher 7.5 HP before).

Anyways, I ran it quite a bit (mostly at full throttle all the time) in the first few years that I had it, and not so much once I got my Bayliner. The Johnson's been sitting on a stand in a temperature controlled garage.

Anyways, I sold the Bayliner last year, and decided that I'm going to play with the Zodiac this year. So I took the Johnson 8 out of the garage, and decided to do maintenance on it, including replacing the lower gear oil. Oh my !

The oil came out BLACK! With streaks of very small particles. I don't know if it was metal, or what. I'm worried now.
I flushed it as best I could, and I changed it twice (second time after running it in the tank for a bit).

I feel so stupid for forgetting to change the lower unit oil every year, but I'm wondering if I've damaged it, or is this amount of blackness normal (for not changing the oil in so long) ? I love this outboard, and it would kill me to know that I've severely damaged it. The outboard it like new.

Any input is appreciated. Not much I can do at this point anyhow other than to do more frequent oil changes.

Here's my baby:

 

[5150abf]

Re: 2005 Johnson-8: Lower gear oil came out BLACK!

You can breath again, black is normal and acceptable, it is white or milky oil that is bad, black just means it was used.

Unlike engine oil it isn't exposed to combustion which is what makes all the nasty stuff in motor oil that will eat parts, a lower just sits in an oil bath all the time.

The metal flakes are also normal, especially if that is the first time you have changed the oil, as things wear in you will get some flecking like that, as long as they are flakes and not chuncks you are fine there also.

I change my oil every fall right before storage to be sure there is no water in it and I will check it periodically though the year by losening the lower plug and checking the color of the oil but I have an older 80s Evionrude.

 

[mokeman3]

Re: 2005 Johnson-8: Lower gear oil came out BLACK!

You can breath again, black is normal and acceptable, it is white or milky oil that is bad, black just means it was used.

Unlike engine oil it isn't exposed to combustion which is what makes all the nasty stuff in motor oil that will eat parts, a lower just sits in an oil bath all the time.

The metal flakes are also normal, especially if that is the first time you have changed the oil, as things wear in you will get some flecking like that, as long as they are flakes and not chuncks you are fine there also.

I change my oil every fall right before storage to be sure there is no water in it and I will check it periodically though the year by losening the lower plug and checking the color of the oil but I have an older 80s Evionrude.

"Flecking" is a good word to describe what I saw running out in the black oil, - no chunks. And while there was "some" gunk stuck to the little magnetic stem on the drain plug, I didn't think it was any more (metal) than I would have expected, especially since this was the first ever L.U. oil change, so thanks for the re-assurance.

The only think I wish I would have done was to change the little clear plastic washers, especially since I also bought a 6-pack of those little things. I'm not sure why they say that you "have" to change them each time, but I'll make sure to change them next time (unless you think that I really should change them before putting it in the water).

Thanks again.

 

[5150abf]

Re: 2005 Johnson-8: Lower gear oil came out BLACK!

You should but alot of guys don't, I have never had a problem and I am sure you are fine.

Just catch it next time.