Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

cribber

cribber

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Here's my dilemma... I have a 2008 Volvo Penta 3.0L engine with an SX-A drive and want to do a service on it and replace the gear oil in the lower unit. Can I use Mercruiser/Quicksilver 90w gear oil in my Penta drive? I noticed that the Quicksilver gear oil is dyed marine blue/green when the gear oil in my lower unit appears to be clear on the dipstick. Surfing the net I couldn't find anything that said the Quicksilver oils is synthetic which Volvo says is required for the SX-A drive.
 
zbnutcase

zbnutcase

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

Too thick of an oil can cause shifting issues with these drives. You need to buy the correct full synthetic oil for your drive, doesn't have to come from Volvo either. 'nutcase
 
cribber

cribber

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

The manual calls for SAE 75w/90 service GL 5 synthetic gear oil. My local Wally carries Quicksilver SAE 90 gear lube but doesn't have the SAE seal on the bottle, doesn't mention anything about being synthetic, or what the GL rating is for this oil. All it says is marine grade Lube on the label and I'm not sure if should put this stuff in my drive unit.
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

First of all there is no upper/lower unit as it pertains to changing the drive oil. Its bascially one big oil cavity.

Second, uses what the drive is specified to use. Any GL5 75w/90 will work. I use Mobil 1 75w/90 GL5 oil in mine.

Make sure you fill from the bottom to the vent screw...no higher.
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

There is Mercruiser synthetic gear lube, just not the one you were looking at.
 
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rodbolt

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

you can add coffee, Orange juice or plain water.
however warrenty will be void if the GL5 SYNTHETIC oil is NOT used.
does not have to be Volvo but it must be the 75W90 GL5 synthetic.
why, I dunno. same as some black painted TBI 5.7 motors specify warrenty is void if synthetic oil is used and that same 5.7 TBI with a red dress on says its void if synthetic is not used.
put in whats reccomended and odds are life will be gooooood.
 
cribber

cribber

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

however warranty will be void if the GL5 SYNTHETIC oil is NOT used.

Rodbolt I hear ya and will go with Penta recommended lube so I don't violate my warranty. Disappointed that Mercruiser/Quicksilver were elusive in their oil makeup and missing the SAE and other quality markings. Better the devil you know...
 
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rodbolt

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

as both a mercruiser dealer and a volvo dealer and tech for both I sell both.
the HP gear lube does meet the GL5 requirement but does not say synthetic, what we find is the HP merc stuff is semi synthetic that makes mud in the resevoir bottle yearly.
its the anti wear additives seperating and the bottle MUST be cleaned yearly.
so far the only volvos with a resevoir are the XDP drives but they require the same GL5 full synthetic that other volvo DP,SX and a few other alphabet soup drives call for.
thats as far as I can go on oils :)
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: Volvo I/O Lower Unit Gear Oil Change

however warranty will be void if the GL5 SYNTHETIC oil is NOT used.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... I run Mobil 1, in 75W-90 in my alpha,... It's spec'ed as what you Need....
 
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