How Much Gear Lube?

[fedpo]

Can anyone tell me how much gear lube goes in the lower unit of a 2003 200 HP Saltwater Merc engine? Do I simply add until lube comes out of the vent hole, then replace the plugs or is that too much lube?

 

[Jeff_G]

Re: How Much Gear Lube?

That's it. Put it in the bottom drain hole until it comes out the top vent hole then replace the vent plug first. Use Mercury's Hi Performance gear lube. Easiest way is to get the quart bottles and the little plunger pump that attaches to the bottle.
Cheers

 

[sschefer]

Re: How Much Gear Lube?

Jeff, does that motor have the fill and vent plugs on the top and the drain on the bottom?

Anyway fedpo, if it just so happens that your's does, then you still fill from the bottom but stop when the fluid comes out the fill hole. Don't do like I did and take it to mean that you fill it at the fill hole and wait for it to come out the vent hole or you'll overfill it and won't have any room for expansion. Makes for a really noisy lower unit and you can blow your upper shiftrod seal. I think merc may have stopped making them that way but I'm not sure so I thought I would mention it.

 

[jeff_smith_0423]

Re: How Much Gear Lube?

That motor takes 27 ounces of lube. Depending on the quality of your pump, you might need a second quart handy. It's a pain to get the last bit out of the bottle.

 

[sschefer]

Re: How Much Gear Lube?

That motor takes 27 ounces of lube. Depending on the quality of your pump, you might need a second quart handy. It's a pain to get the last bit out of the bottle.

Jeff do you know if it has that deceptive fill hole at the top next to the vent hole? Don't know why they didn't call that "Full".

 

[jeff_smith_0423]

Re: How Much Gear Lube?

I don't know - i don't have one nearby. I just looked up the capacity because it's frustrating to start a project and not have enough lube.