Where is my stern drive oil reservoir? (monitor)

[Biggyniner]

Being my first mercruiser based boat I din't notice initially, but I think my stern drive oil reservoir is missing?? It is a 93 Bayliner Ciera 2655, if anyone knows if I should look somewhere else? Most videos I have seen show the reservoir mounted to the engine... Any enlightenment is appreciated...

 

[midnightrider1818]

Maybe you have a gen 1 drive if that is the case its contained in the drive. It does not have a monitor

 

[Biggyniner]

Weird, it being a 93 should be a generation 2, unless it was changed... Is there anyway of telling by looking at the stern drive?

 

[alldodge]

Being a 93 it should have a Gen 2 drive and bottle. The bottle could be mounted on a bulk head or transom. Look at the link below and scroll down to the pics, and verify someone hasn't replaced the drive with something else

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...miscellaneous-mercruiser-information?t=329915

 

[Biggyniner]

Well according to the S/N it should be an Alpha 1 Gen 2...
0FO12113

 

[Biggyniner]

Being a 93 it should have a Gen 2 drive and bottle. The bottle could be mounted on a bulk head or transom. Look at the link below and scroll down to the pics, and verify someone hasn't replaced the drive with something else

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...ation?t=329915

Thanks for the link. According to the pictures I definitely have an Gen ii... I'll look again around the transom and inside of the swim platform when I get home...

 

[achris]

Any chance of telling use what engine or engines this is? Some of the very early gen II's didn't actually have gear oil monitors. Do you have a screw in the very top of the drive, not the vent screw on the side of the top housing, in the middle of the top cover?

Chris.......

 

[Biggyniner]

It is a 93 5.0 LX. Now.. the engine may have been swapped at some point, as the wiring was already pre labeled for me when I removed it. However I did confirm the block I pulled was a 5.0. I will look at the top of the stern drive to see if there is a screw. Also here is a picture of my Transom plate, I did not see any line running to it that was for the oil monitor that I could tell.

 

[Biggyniner]

Any chance of telling use what engine or engines this is? Some of the very early gen II's didn't actually have gear oil monitors. Do you have a screw in the very top of the drive, not the vent screw on the side of the top housing, in the middle of the top cover?

Chris.......

There is a screw in the middle of the top, in between the aft most cover bolts!!!! So... When I put it back together, to I just fill it up? Is it the same oil weight in the lower part?

 

[achris]

Ok, you do have an early Gen II, so no monitor...

That screw in the top cover is a dipstick... (Bet you didn't know that )

Upper and lower housings are joined by an oil passage. When you fill, you remove the 'VENT' screw in the side of the upper housing and fill from the 'FILL' screw in the bottom of the lower housing (right near the front), and you push oil in until it starts to flow from the VENT hole.... Doing it any other way will leave the drive with less oil than it needs, which leads to you having less money in your pocket...

Chris......

 

[Biggyniner]

Thanks, I also watched your videos and I bought the little pump thing. I will fill from the bottom, is that sufficient once it starts coming out the vent hole? I'm assuming I should check the dipstick and top off if necessary?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[achris]

Once it starts flowing out of the top (Vent) hole, that should be sufficient. Use the dipstick to check between oil changes...

Chris......

 

[harringtondav]

I'm assuming I should check the dipstick and top off if necessary?

Thanks for all your help!

If the lube level is low, but still shows on the dip stick, its OK to top off from the top hole.

But if it is below the bottom of the dip stick, you don't know how low it is, so you need to top it off using the pump procedure shown to avoid air pockets.

Edit: Since you don't have the monitor, you should check the lube level every couple weeks until you have a feel for the rate of lube consumption. If it gets to where you can't keep up up with the loss, you'll likely need to look into seal replacement.

 

[Biggyniner]

If the lube level is low, but still shows on the dip stick, its OK to top off from the top hole.

But if it is below the bottom of the dip stick, you don't know how low it is, so you need to top it off using the pump procedure shown to avoid air pockets.

Edit: Since you don't have the monitor, you should check the lube level every couple weeks until you have a feel for the rate of lube consumption. If it gets to where you can't keep up up with the loss, you'll likely need to look into seal replacement.

Good idea, thanks!

 

[dlogvine]

In 1993 5.0L mercruisers with alpha one gen 2 outdrives switched from no lube monitor version to a newer version with the lube monitor. The transoms plate for either version remained the same, so if you get a lube monitor reservoir with the hoses and mount plate, you can add it to your engine.