I recently had the joy of tearing apart my 1969 Starcraft Mercruiser 120 in order to replace the trim limit switch. All in all, the tear down was way past due as seals and u-joints needed to be replaced anyway. So in the end it was a good thing.
That said, I had to remove the rams during this project. I did not compress them, leaving the fluid in them well enough alone. In the pump reservoir there appears to be plenty of oil and it is clear, so good there.
Question though is what oil should I use should I need to top off or otherwise replace? The label on the pump states to use Kiekhaefer Formula Number 4-20W Oil, which near as I can tell no longer exists. I can't assume this unit is filled with Kiekhaefer oil.
If I want to go with a new fluid, would I just use a straight 20W? As for flushing, is it as 'simple' as running a lot of new fluid through the system or is a complete disassembly and cleaning of the system required?
That said, I had to remove the rams during this project. I did not compress them, leaving the fluid in them well enough alone. In the pump reservoir there appears to be plenty of oil and it is clear, so good there.
Question though is what oil should I use should I need to top off or otherwise replace? The label on the pump states to use Kiekhaefer Formula Number 4-20W Oil, which near as I can tell no longer exists. I can't assume this unit is filled with Kiekhaefer oil.
If I want to go with a new fluid, would I just use a straight 20W? As for flushing, is it as 'simple' as running a lot of new fluid through the system or is a complete disassembly and cleaning of the system required?
