1990 bravo 1 fluid question

[ericcarr2000]

Ok, as some of you know throughout this past winter Ive taken on the challenge of separating the upper & lower halves on my drive, replacing the O-rings between them and performing a pressure test before assessing the situation anymore. Ive only owned this boat for a year now and this has been the first time Ive actually had the drive off. When I pulled it off the fluid was nice and greenish blue in color as it should be. All I really did was perform the routine maintenance that it needed. It held the 10 pounds of pressure for the recommended 10 hours of time, so im assuming all is good with her. So at this time I sanded her down and applied the self etching primer, painted her phantom black & clear coated her. Now all that's left to do is re-install her in the spring, little cold outside at the moment in Michigan, and fill her up with fluid. I guess my question is, what exactly is the procedure for filling it up, in the past all I really done was the Alpha ones not any Bravo ones. I didn't see any hole towards the bottom of the drive to attach my pump in order to pump the fluid up through it until it just drips out of that little plug hole towards the top.
Can I just add the fluid slowly in the reservoir located in the engine compartment on the transom?

 

[Fun Times]

No you don't want to fill the drive from the top as it could create an air pocket. It's recommended to fill the drive from the bottom drain hole till the oil comes out the top vent hole with an air free flow.

If you have the drive on the boat than you could just continue to keep pumping to fill the oil reservoir...If your going to wait awhile before mounting the drive to the boat then fill the drive full of oil as you really don't want the drive to sit with no oil.

Then before mounting the drive, go add some fresh oil in your cleaned out oil reservoir, next go to the plunger on the bell housing and push in on the plunger valve till some oil starts to flow out... Doing this procedure will help remove any air pockets that could develop between the drive and reservoir. Item #30, http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...c=BELL+HOUSING

For your oil drain location, being a 1990 drive it could be in one of two places. One behind the prop on the prop shaft carrier or more towards the noes of the lower unit.

See item numbers 6 & 7 or 34 & 35 for oil drain locations. http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...G%28BRAVO+I%29

 

[alldodge]

Just for a tad bit more clarification; after filling the drive, cleaning and refilling the reservoir, install the drive. Then pull the top plug out of the drive and wait until the gear lube starts running out the hole. Once the gear lube starts coming out, this tells you the air has been purged from the line leading from the reservoir. Reinstall the upper plug

 

[ericcarr2000]

Ok so you're telling me it's pretty much the same procedure as with the alpha ones then? It's just I don't recall on seeing that drain plug on the lower half is all. I'll check on the part where there is supposed to be a node on the prop shaft.

 

[alldodge]

Ok so you're telling me it's pretty much the same procedure as with the alpha ones then? It's just I don't recall on seeing that drain plug on the lower half is all. I'll check on the part where there is supposed to be a node on the prop shaft.

Yes, and since you cannot see it on the outside of the drive it should be located here

 

[ericcarr2000]

Ok, now I'm filling her back up with the fluid. I've pumped 2 quarts in her now. How many quarts do these take?

 

[Fun Times]

Almost 3 quarts including the reservoir.

Being a 1990, do you have the longer reservoir or rectangular reservoir? The longer bottle holds just a little bit more oil though. It's a good idea to have a quart onboard as they do have an tendency to go down a little as you use the boat.http://www.mercruiserparts.com/tech...arts/MercruiserSterndriveFluidCapacities.aspx

 

[ericcarr2000]

I have the rectangular reservoir located on my transom.