Gear lube leak

[Dukksoup]

Hi everyone , Looking for some help with my 4.3LX with merc drive on it,(1994 regal) I have noticed the gear oil resivior level is slowly going down, when I look below the engine oil pan I notice a small trace of gear oil on each side of the bilge pump, I took it out today and noticed as I drive the boat the resivior is filling back up, right up to the neck, when I got home I noticed at the bottom of the gear oil resivior there is water in there, I then pulled the bottom plug on the leg and the oil in there is ok, no water in there, I've read all the other posts in the forums and did not see any answers to this, I just need an idea so I know what I'm talking about when I bring it in to the dealer, and avoid getting bent over at the service counter $$$$$$$........thx so much for any ideas, .........................dukk

 

[Zackman]

Re: Gear lube leak

I'm assuming you have an Alpha Gen II drive....

The expansion of the oil when it gets hot is normal.

Sounds like you have a leak either in the resevior, the line, or at the thru hull connection at the transom assembly. You'll need to get in there with a good flash light and mirror and find out where is coming from to pin point it.

The resevior should be cleaned yearly at the end of your season. Remove resevior, drain all oil, clean ( I use a rag wrapped around a small screw driver to get all the oil and dirt out).​

 

[Dukksoup]

Re: Gear lube leak

I'm assuming you have an Alpha Gen II drive....

The expansion of the oil when it gets hot is normal.

Sounds like you have a leak either in the resevior, the line, or at the thru hull connection at the transom assembly. You'll need to get in there with a good flash light and mirror and find out where is coming from to pin point it.

The resevior should be cleaned yearly at the end of your season. Remove resevior, drain all oil, clean ( I use a rag wrapped around a small screw driver to get all the oil and dirt out).​

I got in there with a flash light and can see no trace of oil comeing out anywhere, as far as the resivior, all lines are good, no leaks at resivior, like I said , when I'm driving the boat it's filling back up, and the bottom about 1/4 in'' is water, guessing a sel or something??, no trace of water in bottom leg when i pulled plug????? any other ideas??

 

[Zackman]

Re: Gear lube leak

It's not filling back up, the oil in the drive is expanding due to the heat generated by the gears, this "pushes" the level in the resevior up Always check and compare the lube resevior level with the drive cool.​

If there is gear lube in the bilge, and you did not spill any, where is the gear lube coming from? Are leaving any details out that might be important? When was the gear lube last changed?​

 

[Dukksoup]

Re: Gear lube leak

It's not filling back up, the oil in the drive is expanding due to the heat generated by the gears, this "pushes" the level in the resevior up Always check and compare the lube resevior level with the drive cool.​

If there is gear lube in the bilge, and you did not spill any, where is the gear lube coming from? Are leaving any details out that might be important? When was the gear lube last changed?​

Thx again Zackman., In the fall I drained the gear liube out, and refilled it, when I took it out of storage the resivior was empty, first thing I thought was I never put enuf oil in there and it settled,I filled it back up.... as I was driving the boat today I noticed when I'm moving the resivior is filling up, at the bottom of the resivior I can see a diff. color of oil , very murky looking, which I'm sure is water and settling

 

[Dukksoup]

Re: Gear lube leak

Just very strange how water is filling up the gear oil container while traveling on the water with boat??

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Gear lube leak

The oil coupler between the drive and transom assembly which connects your reservoir to the drive may be leaking.Water is forced in while underway.It can't go into your drive because it's full so it goes to the reservoir.

 

[Zackman]

Re: Gear lube leak

Is it murky looking as in the reservoir hasn't been cleaned in a few years and all the solids in the gear oil have precipitated out to the bottom of the reservoir? Note previous post stating the reservoir needs to be cleaned yearly. When I clean my reservoir there is alway a think pastey residue that sits in the bottom, which needs to be cleaned out before filling with new oil.​

Or is it murky as in milky like water is mixing with the oil? Maybe if you can post a picture of you reservoir, that would help.​

It might be possible, but doesn't sound right to me that you would have a leak on the water side and water would migrate up the hose instead of the oil draining out into the water. ​

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Gear lube leak

Is it murky looking as in the reservoir hasn't been cleaned in a few years and all the solids in the gear oil have precipitated out to the bottom of the reservoir? Note previous post stating the reservoir needs to be cleaned yearly. When I clean my reservoir there is alway a think pastey residue that sits in the bottom, which needs to be cleaned out before filling with new oil.​

Or is it murky as in milky like water is mixing with the oil? Maybe if you can post a picture of you reservoir, that would help.​

It might be possible, but doesn't sound right to me that you would have a leak on the water side and water would migrate up the hose instead of the oil draining out into the water. ​

Water is forced into it by the boat moving forward through the water.

 

[Zackman]

Re: Gear lube leak

jim, the boat is moving in the opposite direction as that of the lube oil line and connections. Unless he spends all his time in reverse

Seems to me, if there was a leak on the water side, it would help draw lube out of the reservoir not force water in...​

 

[bamadave]

Re: Gear lube leak

What I am having trouble with is no water in the bottom of foot. Water is heavier than oil. I understand the hi performance outdrive oil is better at mixing but he says he sees water coming up the bottle but none in the foot. Can someone enlighten me why this is?

 

[Zackman]

Re: Gear lube leak

Dave, I may be reading between the lines, but as I read his posts, he does not see water but some very murky stuff and is assuming it is water. It may be water or it could be just the residual stuff that collects in the reservior over time.​

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Gear lube leak

Just very strange how water is filling up the gear oil container while traveling on the water with boat??

Line you missed reading between the lines!

 

[Dukksoup]

Re: Gear lube leak

thx to all for your replies.............I decided to remove the base around the engine which th cover sits on, for a better look at things...here's what I discovered, the line from the resivior goes all the way down to a 45 degree fitting into the transom, there is NO leak at all up to that point,I did notice that the resivior bottle was sweating a bit from the bottom, didn't look like enuf to be losing about 1/4'' oil every 5 days though, seems to me it's leaking after the line enters the transom?????? Could it be??

As far as the water entering the gear oil resivior, I decided to drain everything out, NO water looked to be in the leg at all, I did notice though...the bottom drain plug on the leg was missing the gasket, and the o ring seemed pounded out, is this make sence while driving the boat water is entering the drain plug and going back up to the resivior????? PLEASE tell me this could be possible?? THAnX again for all your replies

 

[Zackman]

Re: Gear lube leak

Line you missed reading between the lines!

Nope, didn't miss that one. Makes perfect sense if you know that the oil is going to expand as the drive heats up. ​

 

[Zackman]

Re: Gear lube leak

As far as the water entering the gear oil resivior, I decided to drain everything out, NO water looked to be in the leg at all, I did notice though...the bottom drain plug on the leg was missing the gasket, and the o ring seemed pounded out, is this make sence while driving the boat water is entering the drain plug and going back up to the resivior????? PLEASE tell me this could be possible?? THAnX again for all your replies

Your plan sounds good... drain everything and try again. Be sure to replace both drain plug gaskets. Fill from the bottom of the drive with the top plug open. Once the drive oil reaches the top plug stop and with a new gasket on the top plug, secure the plug. Now remove the pump hose and do the same with the bottom plug.

Go up to the reservior and remove it. Clean throughly. Fill reservior and in the morning recheck and fill to the full line.​

Take boat out, have fun, after everything has cooled... Like the next day... check the level in the resevoir and fill as needed.​

Good luck.​

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Gear lube leak

No way water would come in the drain plug and go up to the reservoir.Any water will stay at the bottom of the oil.If you had some water in the leg when you removed the plug water would come out first then the oil would start to come out.When you say that the level in the reservoir is going down 1/4" every 5 days is that out of the water sitting on the trailer?If so you should see oil running down somewhere on the out side or water if that's what's in the bottom of the reservoir.

 

[Dukksoup]

Re: Gear lube leak

No way water would come in the drain plug and go up to the reservoir.Any water will stay at the bottom of the oil.If you had some water in the leg when you removed the plug water would come out first then the oil would start to come out.When you say that the level in the reservoir is going down 1/4" every 5 days is that out of the water sitting on the trailer?If so you should see oil running down somewhere on the out side or water if that's what's in the bottom of the reservoir.

You think of the impact of water hitting the bottom leg when traveling on water, and right there in the front of the leg is the drain plug with NO gasket and a pounded out o ring, my thought is the water rushes in that line fairly hard and back up to the resivior, this only happens when the boat is in motion.The gear oil is seeping somewhere when the boat is on the trailer, When I did drain everything No trace of water was in the leg at all, My understanding is that the merc gear oil takes on water in the oil pretty well to a certain point, non the less I did clean the resivior, going to pick up more gear oil(merc) 2 plugs with gaskets and o rings and give it a shot, I'll know within 10 minutes on the water if this cured anything, as far as the small amount of gear lube I'm losing, like I said it's NOT the hose or connection thru transom............will try this out in 2 days at the lake and post results, thanx you guys for your replies, much appreciated

 

[cr2k]

Re: Gear lube leak

We have seen 2 gen II drives lose oil and fry the upper gearcase in the past year. If we are seeing this at one shop how many more are out there? There seems to be an issue with the vertical drive shaft seals. They are cheap plastic and do not fit very tight. The last one was never taken apart from factory and the seals somehow managed to move up and out of the seats.

If you have done an impeller at some point you may have knocked the seals loose. Last resort, drop the lower and check the seals.

Check the upper oil often by pulling the plug to make sure there is oil there.

Gen II is not necessarily better, just easier and cheaper to mass produce.

 

[Dukksoup]

Re: Gear lube leak

We have seen 2 gen II drives lose oil and fry the upper gearcase in the past year. If we are seeing this at one shop how many more are out there? There seems to be an issue with the vertical drive shaft seals. They are cheap plastic and do not fit very tight. The last one was never taken apart from factory and the seals somehow managed to move up and out of the seats.

If you have done an impeller at some point you may have knocked the seals loose. Last resort, drop the lower and check the seals.

Check the upper oil often by pulling the plug to make sure there is oil there.

Gen II is not necessarily better, just easier and cheaper to mass produce.

My understanding is thats why they put the resivior container containing gear oil, to make sure the upper case has a good supply of oil, and when the level drops to a certain point the alarm buzzer sounds off, letting you know you have a low oil problem, as far as the resivior filling up when I'm moving, I'm still thinking it's the missing gasket on the lower drain plug