Lower unit Fluid - Any brand or Honda Only?

[maillon]

Hi guys,<br /><br />As may have guessed from my previous postings I am getting ready to winterize my BF130. I plan on changing the lower unit fluid. Does anyone have a position about what to put in? Is Honda fluid required? I went to a small honda dealer and he said the gear oil is all the same (90 SAE). He didn't have any Honda stuff but sold me some Evinrude fluid. I'm not sure if I should put it in. Any thoughts?

 

[fishnclips]

Re: Lower unit Fluid - Any brand or Honda Only?

I would run a semi synthetic, it will not be as thick at startup and will cause less drag.

 

[MajBach]

Re: Lower unit Fluid - Any brand or Honda Only?

When I winterize my boat (oh..I can't believe it's getting time to do that again) I just drain the oil that is in it and put in some fresh and cheap motor oil. I just do this to keep the parts coated and displace the water. Come spring, I drain and put in Merc high performace lube ( I have a honda 90). If you use the same oil you put in it before winterizing and the following season (I certainly wouldn't), I recommend the high performance stuff, liek semi synthetic as already suggested. I filled my lower unit with some OMC stuff a few months ago. Later during the season I brought my motor in for a tune-up at my Honda dealer. He called me the following day and said 'Why are you using that non-high performance stuff?' I told him I put the most expensive stuff I could find in it (I had to get this stuff last minute because i was on the road to go fishing and my dealer was closed). I asked him how he could tell it wasn't the usual and he replied that he just could. So, I suppose there is a difference if my mechanic could tell just by the feel or whatever. <br />BTW, he sold me my Honda and he is the one that recommends the hi-perf Merc oil in it.

 

[ZEE]

Re: Lower unit Fluid - Any brand or Honda Only?

Someone told me that the Honda BF130 used a Mercury lower unit and that Mercury props, etc. could be used. Makes sense that Mercury lube would be reccomended by someone in the know! It might apply to several Honda models.

 

[rl29]

Re: Lower unit Fluid - Any brand or Honda Only?

Zee: Where did you hear that the lower unit is made by Mercury. I have a hard time believing that honda would do that. Could possibly be though. Does anybody have any input on that?

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: Lower unit Fluid - Any brand or Honda Only?

I've also heard that Mercury makes the lower units.<br />Maybe someone can verify.

 

[MajBach]

Re: Lower unit Fluid - Any brand or Honda Only?

Mercury made the lower units for the Honda 75-90 and 115-130 from 1999 to 2002. Honda makes their own now. The salesman told me this in 2000 when I purchased the motor and my current mechanic told me recently that was true but that they had stopped.<br /><br />Now here's a rumour: GM is supposed to be making a V-8 for new Honda truck intoduced next year.