Out to lunch Gear Oil Prices

[Cortes100]

I'm next door in Alberta. Like someone mentioned already, Canadian Tire is a good resource for Quicksilver in the $25 range.. Wally world doesn't carry it up here.
Earlier this year, we did a road trip into the US, and stopped at a Walmart. While the girls were picking up groceries, I walked around the store looking at other stuff. The marine oils/lubes, like Quicksilver were half price what we pay. So, nobody is going to argue that us canucks get hosed on certain items.
I still have several jugs of QS and Merc oil products, otherwise would have picked some up.

 

[Scott Danforth]

So, nobody is going to argue that us canucks get hosed on certain items.

you guys also spend 5X on the boats to begin with.

 

[racerone]

???-----I do not get " hosed " when I make trips for medical care up here !!

 

[alldodge]

I'm gonna make some popcorn, y'all continue on

 

[Lou C]

Well there is that & isn’t college much less expensive in Canada as well?

 

[airshot]

Just to put things in proper perspective. I did not specifically complain about $30 a litre but when Amazon tries to suck me in for $61 a litre a post on here is warranted.

That is rediculous, just bought that same lube from my local marine dealer to drain my outboard for winter storage....24 bucks with tax !! Walley word was 19.95 !

 

[stopngo]

That is rediculous, just bought that same lube from my local marine dealer to drain my outboard for winter storage....24 bucks with tax !! Walley word was 19.95 !

Did you see my screenshot?

 

[racerone]

Prices on Amazon sometimes include the " free delivery " -----And can be a good deal for someone who lives miles from a store.------After all coffee at the drive through is about $30 a gallon .----Convenience costs big $$$$

 

[dingbat]

Prices on Amazon sometimes include the " free delivery " -----And can be a good deal for someone who lives miles from a store.------After all coffee at the drive through is about $30 a gallon .----Convenience costs big $$$$

Doesn't have to be miles from a store.

We are Amazon Prime subscribers. Free, mostly next day delivery to my front door on anything sold through Amazon for $60 a year.

Cost me more than $60 for a tank of gas let alone the time and effort involved in going to various stores and buying it.

Have a number of consumables, ie coffee, dog food, etc. on subscription. Items are delivered to the front door on a scheduled basis.

Local grocery stores offer on-line ordering with curbside pickup or home delivery for a small fee.

 

[Simoniz]

Regarding this idea that any water in the gear oil will show at the lower drain / fill plug, I’ve tried that and seem to have been ok.
However having just had my Mercruiser Alpha 1 Gen 2 apart to replace some oil seals, I note that there’s only a very narrow, rather long passage between the upper and lower units, running between the mating surface where the quad seal goes to just above the lower taper roller bearing race in the upper unit.

Given that there’s only 1 passage, I can’t imagine there’s much circulation of oil between the drive shaft housing and the gear case in normal use, so if water got into the upper unit, say via the lower oil seal, would it make its way down to the lower drain plug, or sit around the lower taper roller bearing if it came out of suspension?

I think if I do a water check in future, I’ll check the oil for emulsion in both halves of the drive.

Regarding the Quicksilver vs Walmart oil debate, I’d still like to see an answer to this too:
“Im inclined to agree, but what's the difference then between Quicksilver Premium and High Performance Gear Lube?”

 

[Simoniz]

To add: Just been looking at a bottle of Quicksilver High Performance Gear Lube and a bottle of Walmart Supertech EP80/90 oil.

The Quicksilver is to spec API GL-4, and the Supertech is to API GL-5.

Castrol has this to say about the different specs:

API GL-4 – Intended for gear sets with light to heavy load and sliding forces. GL-4 lubricants are often used in syncromesh manual shift on-road and off-road truck transmissions.

API GL-5 – Intended for heavily loaded gear sets with high sliding forces such as hypoid differentials. GL-5 lubricants contain high levels of extreme-pressure additives to provide protection under boundary lubrication conditions. Common heavy duty applications include differentials in on-road and off-road trucks, differentials, final drives in Caterpillar scrapers, and differentials and planetaries in Euclid haul trucks. Some manual-shift transmissions can use GL-5, but typically should not be used in synchromesh-type transmissions, as the EP additives can be corrosive to yellow metals found in those transmission types. Limited-slip differentials also typically require a specific lubricant with a limited-slip additive.

This is an interesting article about the differences between GL-4 & 5. It concludes by saying: "SEVERE GEAR is recommended in differentials, manual transmissions and other gear applications requiring an API GL-5 gear oil. It can also be used in axles where an API GL-4 lubricant is recommended." Bearing in mind that axles aren't exactly marine outdrives, but since they both contain taper roller bearings, ball bearings, and spiral helical gears, Id have thought that, apart from the water intrusion issue, they are the same.

The Difference Between GL-4 and GL-5 Gear Oil - AMSOIL Blog

The main difference between GL-4 and GL-5 gear oils is in the level of extreme-pressure (EP) additives.

blog.amsoil.com

 

[Texasmark]

When was the last time you checked?
I was floored when motor oil (15-40) for the tractor was $8 a quart when I changed the oil last week

Robot or human?

I just bought the gallon sized Rotella T-6 5w-40 full syn. at wallyworld for $26 and some change. Pennzoil in the quart was reasonable....forget the number as I have plenty in stock. On automotive oils, I have started using wallyworld full syn. which now carries the GM Delos or ros or however you spell their special spec. Good prices.

 

[The Force power]

Regarding the Quicksilver vs Walmart oil debate, I’d still like to see an answer to this too:
“Im inclined to agree, but what's the difference then between Quicksilver Premium and High Performance Gear Lube?”

The marine gear oil has anti foaming agents, the traditional gear lube is not hence a vent on the gear box.
However I use regular 80 /90 gear oil and I can't say that it causes any pressure built up causing seepage or leaking seals/gaskets

 

[Simoniz]

The marine gear oil has anti foaming agents, the traditional gear lube is not hence a vent on the gear box.
However I use regular 80 /90 gear oil and I can't say that it causes any pressure built up causing seepage or leaking seals/gaskets

The Supertech has anti foam agents - says so on the bottle.
Also, the issue with foam isn’t to do with any pressure increase, its to do with the breakdown of the oil film which the air in the foam causes.
If you have a sealed gear case containing 1 l of oil and 50cm3 of air, the volumes remain identical regardless of how they are mixed, ie separated or complete foam. The only time foam can cause a volume and hence pressure increase is if some sort of chemical reaction takes place to create the foam, ie washing soda and vinegar.

 

[The Force power]

The Supertech has anti foam agents - says so on the bottle.
Also, the issue with foam isn’t to do with any pressure increase, its to do with the breakdown of the oil film which the air in the foam causes.

Thanks, learnt something new.

 

[racerone]

When an outboard is running there is a slight pressure developed in the gear case.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, a check of wallyworld shows the super tech gear oil less than $7/qt, and Quicksilver in the $25/gt range. That trend seems to hold for 2 cycle oil as well, although the Pennzoil brand is nearly as cheap as the super tech.

 

[Scott Danforth]

hey guys, remember, the OP is in the middle of Canada near nothing. so checking wallmart or other brick and mortar stores in the US is off topic.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, our Canadian friend was not the only one complaining about the gear oil prices.

BTW Amazon has Valvoline marine gear oil for $10.21/qt. Not bad if you can get free shipping.

 

[The Force power]

hey guys, remember, the OP is in the middle of Canada near nothing. so checking wall mart or other brick and mortar stores in the US is off topic.

We have wall mart in Canada...even in the middle if not near (then there would be a Canadian Tire store nearby) There's where I get my oils