Milky White lower unit oil

[Tpotter1100]

Hello,
I just purchased my first outboard, 1989 Mercury 9.9hp 2-stroke, and I was draining the lower gear oil and it was milky white. I drained it completely and then flushed with new oil. I'm guessing that i may have an oil seal? or possible o-ring bad in the lower unit? Noticed minor metal shavings on the magnet, nothing major. I was curious if anyone had a procedure on how to go about changing the seals/o-rings in the lower unit. The manual i have found through the forum, doesn't have much info on this.

Thanks in advance.

Tpotter1100

 

[flyingscott]

Reseal the whole thing they are not the strongest lower units and water destroys them

 

[Tpotter1100]

Ouch! ok. Is this something a DIY kind of guy can do?
Is there a possible kit that has all the seals/O-rings, etc??
i'm assuming that getting the bearing carrier out is the worst part? Do I need special tools for that?
Dang, i was really hoping to be out on the water this weekend....

 

[Osage Auto Service]

Hold the panic!!! I'd try adding a "Seal-swell" additive with your gear-oil change... It's not so much what the OLD oil looked like, but what this FRESH oil looks like in say.... 2 months of every weekend usage....

 

[Scott Danforth]

there is no mechanic in a can.

the lower needs to come apart and new seals need to be installed

 

[flyingscott]

I agree no mechanic in a can is gonna fix that motor. Those lowers are known for being weak and are almost impossible to find used. Save a dime now spend a $1000 later is not the way to go about it. Yes you can reseal the lower yourself get a factory manual and read it carefully.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

There is no such thing as minor metal shavings.

 

[Tpotter1100]

FlyingScott and Scott Danforth, did I type something wrong?? HAHA, I'm not looking for a mechanic in a can. I'm just wondering if a shade-tree mechanic can do this, or if i need expensive shop tools. I appreciate the responses, but you are not helping me much. Kind of bringing me down, man haha Give me a link, or something, or better yet tell me how you've serviced yours before, show some pics, etc....

I'm looking for a link to an actual service manual. Or someone with a link to someone else that may have done this before. (A Forum Post, a Video, etc) The link in the sticky post doesn't provide a 'factory' manual as you've called it. It only shows the electrical and fuel system.

Does anyone have a link to a factory service manual for a 1989 Mercury 9.9 hp?

I am also trying to see if there is a link to a lower unit seal kit. (that would provide all the necessary oil seals and rings) and possible instructions.


Thanks,

Tpotter1100

 

[Tpotter1100]

Hold the panic!!! I'd try adding a "Seal-swell" additive with your gear-oil change... It's not so much what the OLD oil looked like, but what this FRESH oil looks like in say.... 2 months of every weekend usage....

THANK YOU!!! I'll try that.

 

[flyingscott]

Really that is the post we have been contradicting. Using swell seal is a bad idea and worse advice.

 

[Tpotter1100]

Sorry, I didn't read it that way.. I thought you were contradicting me in a way..... I hate texting/email/chat. you never get the full meaning of what someone is saying.

I definetly want to repair this correctly. but as you can tell, i need a little more guidance than i'm getting.

 

[Tpotter1100]

There is no such thing as minor metal shavings.

Thanks for the helpful post!

 

[Tpotter1100]

ok, so i have a service manual being sent to me. Any tips and tricks on getting the bearing carrier out? I have read where you can take a cap off of a spacer and use it as a 'hex-key' with the propeller and get it off? i don't believe my 89 Merc 9.9 has the same type of bearing carrier to do that. Have any you had any luck on making a tool or how to get this out?

 

[flyingscott]

Take a pic of the bearing carrier. I will disagree with deepcmark about metal shavings on this one lower unit only. If you have a design 1 lower you have an upper bushing that could be bad. That will send minor metal shavings into the lower. So pay close attention to the bearing/bushing under the water pump.

 

[Tpotter1100]

[No message]

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Take a pic of the bearing carrier. I will disagree with deepcmark about metal shavings on this one lower unit only. If you have a design 1 lower you have an upper bushing that could be bad. That will send minor metal shavings into the lower. So pay close attention to the bearing/bushing under the water pump.

So if you found shavings you would just refill with lube and go? My point was if you have metal shaving your problem is not going to go away with a mechanic in a can.

 

[flyingscott]

So if you found shavings you would just refill with lube and go? My point was if you have metal shaving your problem is not going to go away with a mechanic in a can.

Never said anything of the sort. What i said was that particular lower can have a bad upper bushing. The bushing can start to drop metal shavings they wont damage the lower. I have seen that lower do it. I also said pay close attention to it when he reseals it. That comment was for design 1 lowers only.