BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

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BIGALF

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Dec 31, 1969
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I changed my oil on my BRAVO lll today and noticed that after I drained all the oil, the oil resovior was still fill with fluid. The instruction book said remove the resovior and drain.My question is why doesn't drain when the oil is out of the BRAVO III. Doesn't oil flou to the lowest level? If not how does it go into the BRAVO III from this resovior if there is low oil???
 
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achris

achris

More fish than mountain goat
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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

If you leave it a couple of days, it will drain... It's because the tube between the reservoir and the drive is 1/4", and oil doesn't like moving quickly in small tubes.
 
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BIGALF

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

Thanks, I will not see it for 10 days. I see what happens then.
 
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MarkSee

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

And you had the drive all the way out/up when you drained it?

Sometimes when I pull my for annual service and have it in the garage on its stand for a couple weeks, I'm amazed at how much will slowly "dribble out" over that time even though it seemed to be empty....

Mark
 
Fun Times

Fun Times

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

Sounds more like the gear lube reservoir is clogged due to the common sludge found at the bottom of the reservoir bottle. You should be cleaning the bottle every year or two to prevent oil sludge blockage. The bottle will normally drain as the drive drains in warmer whether that I'm sure Florida should be having right now.
 
Scott Danforth

Scott Danforth

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

agreed, if it doesnt drain, its clogged. a very common issue on the mercruiser reservoirs.
 
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BIGALF

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

When you pump in the oil from the bottom until it comes out the vent hole in the side of the outdrive does that mean that it is full? Or do you have to put the vent screw on and fill the balance from in the reservoir. I think there has to be some air in the outdrive that will not come out from the reservoir. Am I wrong?
 
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MarkSee

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

Make sure the cap on the reservoir is off and when it reaches the vent hole, put that screw in then keep pumping until you have at least an inch in the bottle. Then at the bottle, fill to the full line.
Exercising the drive during normal running operation may also lower the level so keep some onboard to top-off.

Mark
 
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agallant80

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

Here is my $.02 on it. You change the fluid every season not because the fluid goes bad but because there is no way to know if water has intruded in to the out drive or not. With that said I would not worry about what is left in the resovior.
 
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BIGALF

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

Thanks, I can't find anywhere in the Mercruiser Service manual that says after the oil comes out of the vent hole screw the plug in and keeppumping until it starts to fill the reservoir. Can't I just fill in the overflow bottle slowley until it gets to the fullline?
 
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MarkSee

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

BIGALF said:
Thanks, I can't find anywhere in the Mercruiser Service manual that says after the oil comes out of the vent hole screw the plug in and keeppumping until it starts to fill the reservoir. Can't I just fill in the overflow bottle slowley until it gets to the fullline?
Click to expand...

Re-read page 1b-11 in sm #28. I've extracted a few of the steps here, what does step 13 say?

11. Using lubricant pump, fill sterndrive unit through fill/drain hole with lubricant until oil is
even with bottom edge of vent hole.
12. Without removing lubricant pump fitting from fill/drain hole, reinstall oil vent plug and
sealing washer. Torque to 40 lb-in. (4.5 Nm).
13. Continue filling drive until there is one inch of oil in the gear lube monitor.
14. Remove lubricant pump fitting and quickly reinstall fill/drain plug and sealing washer.
Torque to 40 lb-in. (4.5 Nm).
NOTE: Drive oil will purge from square gear lube monitor if rubber seal is not in cap.
15. Fill gear lube monitor to FULL line on decal.
16. Ensure rubber seal is in place on gear lube monitor cap.
17. Install gear lube monitor cap.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT overtighten cap.
18. Check oil level in gear lube monitor.
19. Recheck oil level after first use.

MARK
 
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BIGALF

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

Thanks will do. My service manual doesn't say what your manual says. I think you also have to remove the gear lube cap before you start to pump.
 
M

MarkSee

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

sm 11 goes from '88 up to some time in '98 then sm 28 takes over from there until sometime in 2006......at least according to the titles on the Boatinfo site....

Mark
 
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dubs283

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

BIGALF said:
I have been using #17 manual that doesn't show much on the outdrive.
Click to expand...

#17 is for V8 engines GM, and it has two parts

you need #11 or #28 bravo drives and transom assy
 
B

BIGALF

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

Is there any back flou valve or check valve anywhere between the resovior and the outdrive that might prevent the oil from going into the outdrive from the resovior? Is it a gearlube valve that is shown on the Bell Housing Assy? What is its function? Can I pump oil to the resovior from the outdrive or will the valve prevent it?If not then can I just pump oil from the bottom of the outdrive with the vent plug in and the cap of the oil resovior off.If it doesn't go then I guess that would mean there is a clog in line somewhere.If i pump to hard could I blow and seals?
 
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B

BIGALF

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Messages
242
Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

FYImy boat is a 1997 240 Sea Ray Sun Deck with 5.7EFI and Bravo III outdrive. I just got back from my guy that worked on the boat from day 1. He stated that there is a gear lube valve and there is no reason to pump oil in the outdrive after it reached the vent hole. If valve is shut it would not go any further anyway. He said all I would have to do is fill in from resovior after it ran awhile.
 
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M

MarkSee

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Re: BRAVO lll OIL CHANGE

When the drive is installed against the bell housing the valve is pushed "open" which is why lube can flow both directions.
That valve would only be "shut" if the drive was away from the bell housing.

I copied right from the Merc serv manual above in post #11 and anyone who has changed their own gear lube on a unit that has a bottle will attest that lube will continue to flow upward and fill into the bottle past the vent hole.

Maybe he's saying by time the lube is at the vent hole level any possible air pockets have been pushed up higher and that continuing to pump from the fill hole and pouring from the bottle is the same.

Mark
 
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