Gear oil change

[cwrhyne]

In September of 2016 right after I bought my Crownline I took it to an authorized Volvo service shop in Marion IL. I asked them to winterize it and change engine oil and drive oil. Last week I decided to change both oils before I took the family out for the first time this year. The gear oil was as black as anything I've seen and smelled like death. Actually I imagine death would smell better. I let it drain for 4 hours to make sure all the old oil was out. I filled with Delvac 75w90 and took it to the lake last weekend with no issues at all. My question is should I run it a couple times and drain and fill again since it has obviously not been done in a while? Or is it normal for gear oil to look/smell like that after one full boating season. I'm not exactly new to boat ownership, I'm just new at doing the maintenance/mechanical stuff myself.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm new to this sight so if it has been answered in another forum I apologize. I've been all over google and cannot seem to fine anything one way or another.
1999 Crownline 202
Volvo Penta DP-SM 5.7 GS

 

[GA_Boater]

Not knowing what the dealer used when changing the lube make it a little hard to say what it should look like after a summer of use. Most marine gear lube is dyed blue or green and is translucent when new.

The good news is you didn't say there was water in it. I would run it until the end of the season and change it in the Fall with marine lube. Delvac isn't marine rated and there are plenty of options for marine synthetic gear lube.

 

[cwrhyne]

Awesome. Thank you. I chose Delvac only because that is what my owners manual says. Actually is says to use mobilube but from some research i found that that has been rebranded to Delvac 75w90. I know to use synthetic with no LS. I can get Lucas Marine from my local Academy if that would be a better choice.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Im an Amsoil fan myself

 

[cwrhyne]

Any particular flavor of Amsoil?

 

[Shade Tree boy]

I’m a believer in using the Volvo gear lube. Why not use what is designed specifically for your equipment?

 

[cwrhyne]

Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just cannot find it around here. But volvo doesn't make oil. Someone makes it and brands it volvo. I believe it used to me exxon which is why my manual says to use mobilube which is now delvac which is what I'm using. But that was in 1999 so I have to believe that there may be something better out there now. I'm open to suggestions. I keep hearing Amsoil

 

[cwrhyne]

I just got off the phone with the Lucas Oil rep and he told me that the Lucas Marine Gear Oil 75W90 M8 DOES have limited slip additive. So I guess I'll be using Amsoil.

 

[BRICH1260]

I`m running Amsoil..

 

[dizzy1]

I've been using Supertech(Walmart) Synthetic gear lube without LS additive in my Volvo SX drive for 5 years straight now. No issues. Goes in crystal clear. When I change each year, still comes out crystal clear so seems under normal use and yearly changes the fluid really shouldn't change colors.

 

[Silverbullet555]

Amsoil used to make some of the VP oil. Not sure if they made the gear lube as well. I just order the vp stuff.

 

[cwrhyne]

I didn't think you can use the LS because of the cone clutches

 

[bruceb58]

I buy the Volvo oil. It's easy to buy online.