Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

skid_68

Cadet
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
13
I've seen some people mention that they pack their tilt clutch housing with marine grease instead of filling it back up with oil in order to keep water out. I plan on doing this, but have a question. I read somewhere that some one drilled a hole in the housing, and installed a grease zerk fitting so they could pump that sucker full of grease. Does anyone else recommend doing this? Where would you drill and install the zerk fitting? Would you take the oil fill cap off while pumping grease in there to insure that the air is going out, and the grease is going in? Thanks.

Paul
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

I would think that big brass gear trying to roll through the resistance and tackiness of grease would put a heck of a load on the electric motor (and coupling/shaft roll pins)
They are already struggling by design.

I used 85W140 in mine. seals like grease- flows like oil

Would you take the oil fill cap off while pumping grease in there to insure that the air is going out, and the grease is going in?

grease guns have no relief valve, if you are strong enough, you can make 10,000 psi, so yes, if you are pumping grease in to anything... you better let the air out the top plug, same as with filling any sterndrive compartment with any fluid.
 

zbnutcase

Commander
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
2,055
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

Do not ever pack a tilt clutch with grease!!!!!!!!!!
 

KRH1326

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
491
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

I must humbly agree to disagree.

Mine is packed with grease. Has been for several seasons (cleaned and repacked prior to each winter) Has operated flawlessly, and smoothly.

I wouldn't recommend a zerk, as mentioned above, the pressure build up.
Also, by having to open it each season for maintenance, you are eliminating any water prior to winter.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=340984
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=259807
 

skid_68

Cadet
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
13
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

I think I will try what KRH has been doing. But now I wont be putting a zerk in. Just hand pack it. If others want to chime in, the more thoughts the better. But as of now, Im leaning towards greasing it. :D
 

superbenk

Commander
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
2,022
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

I grease mine. While my clutch discs are shot & held together in an "unconventional manner," the grease lubrication works just fine for keeping the tilt mechanism working.
 

studdy05

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
81
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

I've used both. Grease for me makes more sense. I've not done the zerk mod but I think it's kewl and makes plenty of sense.

I'll explain it best this way, under the current design of the drive shaft that the clutch plate sits on and your gear is attached to, when underway and when it raises and lowers the drive shaft is poorly supported and will have just a tiny bit of give and flex to it. Even the best of oil seals can't keep oil in and water out over any period of time.

Fighting that battle if you are in the water a bunch or worse yet "on the salt" makes for a dandy issue. Experienced hands on this site have been recommending and using a grease pack to ward off the damage from corrosion and lack of lube.

So what best works is what best works for you. I have quite a few "mods" most die hard orthodox people on here would say are fool hardy. But as long as you have a well thought out plan, re-engineering makes sense. OMC was brilliant, but in some ways that brilliance was just lost on me. And clutches that don't seal well is in the top ten list of the goofiness often found with brilliance.
 

cr2k

Captain
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
3,730
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

If you grease via zerk, how often would you do so and where would the "purged" grease go? If you keep doing that it will eventually end up being pushed up the shaft and into the electric motor. Packing that motor with grease would be disastrous. Not mention expensive as they are close to $300 these days.
 

KRH1326

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
491
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

When I started this project boat, I tore the entire engine, int. housing and leg off/out and did complete rebuilds from fan belt right on out to the prop cone. I rebuilt every single aspect with new seal kits 100%.

I had the clutch pack filled with oil.

The first few times I used the boat, I could see a petroleum rainbow, on the water. I went nuts looking for the source. Finally my tilt stopped working and got the leg kick up in reverse, but I hadn't put two and two toghether yet. Fearing for the upper or lower, I pulled the boat off the mooring and started looking. Nothing amiss.

Frusterated, I tackled the tilt issue. I popped that cover and out poured water. Even though all seals and rings were new and in perfect order. Turns out every time that I raised or lowered the leg, water in, oil out...my mysterious rainbow.

I went to an old school marina that still had a few oldtimers that had the OMC training and experience. That grease solution has been around for a long time.

As countless others have stated in the forums, when that gear shaft loads up the quadrant with weight, that seal gets off center pressure that causes it to 'elongate' enough to allow water in, oil out.
 

studdy05

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
81
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

Where would the purged grease go or what about excess grease you ask? I suspect with the zerk mod yould be better off popping in new oil seals and instead of placing them back to back they would be better served by both being inward facing. This might allow for grease to have a margin of safety in overfill. Ild also take out the top oil fill screw and peek in while adding grease. Just putting in a zerk and pumping until you can't is one reason some folks won't be good candidates for making mods. Mods call for a measure of good sense and enough ethics to inform any potential buyers what you've done. Quite frankly, I'd never sell my OMC to a novice. Out of the box, OMCs are like dating a stripper. And mods are like sending a stripper to a shrink.
 

jpainter

Recruit
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
5
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

also, consider how the clutch pack would function with the grease vs the thick pasty grease- probably not too good! I have fought the tilt motor thing in the past and finally got resolution by buying a new motor and sealling it up 100% if you can keep the water out of the motor, it seems to do the trick. Replace the seals on inboard side of clutch housing, permatex the gasket in between your motor and where you mount onto intermediate housing and most importantly, keep your bilge as dry as possible. You can also buy and o-ring kit for the shaft that provides extra sealing from water. I am no expert but I did finally defeat this all too common problem. Also, the screws and nylon washers for draining and filling- I put a really thick coat of paint over them to help ensure no water gets in.....I went overkill on everything and not really sure what the final issue was but it doesn't leak for the last few years and functions properly
 

superbenk

Commander
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
2,022
Re: Pack it with grease? (OMC Tilt Clutch Housing)

I dunno, I've been through the entire tilt mechanism several times & never was able to make it work satisfactorily. Grease was the best solution for keeping the water at bay for me, but I never was able to make the clutches work right. Finally came to the conclusion mine were worn out and dealt with it in a less than recommended way. Now it works reliably all the time :)
 
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