Gear lube overflow

[ulman]

Hi

Engine: Mercruiser 5.0 MPI, year=2010
Drive: Alpha One Gen 2

I think I have overflow from the gear lube monitor when I run the boat.
There is lubricant on top of the cap and a small amount in the bilge.

1. Can anyone suggest a reason?
2. Should I stop running the boat until it is repaired?

Regards
Thomas

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Gear lube overflow

Did ya overfill it? Or is water getting in the l-unit? I'd drop the l-unit oil and see if it's milky/filling with water,not good....
Grub

 

[ulman]

Re: Gear lube overflow

Did ya overfill it? Or is water getting in the l-unit? I'd drop the l-unit oil and see if it's milky/filling with water,not good....
Grub

No, I didn't overfill it
When I stop the engine and checks the lube bottle, it looks perfectly fine. The colour is normal and the level is where it should be. The bottle is not full. I'm pretty sure the lubricant is blown out of the vent on top of the cap, as there is lubricant on top of the cap

Is there anything I can do as long as the boat is in the water?

 

[achris]

Re: Gear lube overflow

Could be the bottle vibrating and causing the oil to foam up and leak out. Have a look at the bottle while the engine is running. Maybe try bracing it up a little better (the bracket's not a great design to start with)....

Chris......

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Gear lube overflow

The bottle on my 3.0L is always burping a little past that little rubber flapper after a bumpy day on the water. I've just gotten used to wiping it off every once in a while.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: Gear lube overflow

Actually it should not burp anything. There is check valve in the cap that allows air in but nothing should come out being when the outdrive heats up, the oil expands and will overflow the bottle.

 

[achris]

Re: Gear lube overflow

Actually it should not burp anything. There is check valve in the cap that allows air in but nothing should come out being when the outdrive heats up, the oil expands and will overflow the bottle.

I agree with you.... however, my oil lube bottle cap always has an oil film on it... Go figure...

Chris......

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Gear lube overflow

Actually it should not burp anything. There is check valve in the cap that allows air in but nothing should come out being when the outdrive heats up, the oil expands and will overflow the bottle.

Yes, if only it actually worked I've thought on a few occassions of drilling the cap for a fitting and extending the vent line up through a real check valve. The little rubber flapper gets coated in oil from splashing and it is possible for small amounts of oil to get pushed past it.

 

[ulman]

Re: Gear lube overflow

My own theory is that there must be air in the system.
Last year the mechanichs wasted a lot of lubricant in the bilge when trying to fix another problem. Maybe they just added new lubricant to the system through the lube monitor instead of through the drive. In that case there could be air in the system.

 

[Fun Times]

Re: Gear lube overflow

Make sure the black gasket under the cap is in place and the cap is tight.

If the orange rubber check valve is compromised in any way shape or form then you will get oil flowing out of the cap like that.

This is usually a pretty common problem and a new cap will most likely solve your problem.

New Mercruiser Gear Oil Lube Bottle Reservoir Cap 36 808625 36 8067271 | eBay

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Gear lube overflow

I would still pull the drain and check the fluid. Not at the lube bottle like you did. since the lube in the bottle will never see water until your boat is sunk. Pull the drain plug, if clean fluid comes out, put plug in and be on your way. If water comes out, you have a problem.