Gear Lube

[Boilers2000]

Quick question and hoping I didn't make a mistake. Changed the gear lube last weekend and paused for a second because the Quicksilver HP gear lube was a blue/green color. Double checked the service manual, with a marina service guy and friend with a boat and all said it was the right stuff. My concern is that every video I watched it was a yellow color. Did I mess something up? Sterndrive is an SEI116.

 

[achris]

Nope. Normal duty gear oil is usually SAE90, and is honey coloured. Quicksilver High Performance Gear Lube is much higher quality, and blue in colour... And it's the only oil recommended by Merc for any of their drives.

It's all I use....

Chris....

 

[Boilers2000]

Thanks for confirming Chris. Usually can't go wrong following specs but second guessed myself with the color.

 

[alldodge]

Your using the right stuff so all good, but Merc now has Racing gear lube which is light amber

 

[Scott Danforth]

many of the full synthetics are light amber colored and do away with the heavy dye.

 

[Bondo]

many of the full synthetics are light amber colored and do away with the heavy dye.

Ayuh,...... I use either Mobil 1, or Penzoil full-syn, 75W-90,....... whichever is on the shelf, when I need it,.....

High quality oil, without the dye,.....

 

[Scott Danforth]

I use Amsoil.

 

[scoflaw]

Your using the right stuff so all good, but Merc now has Racing gear lube which is light amber

Couple of months back you were adamant that the Racing gear lube was nothing more than HP in rebadged packaging . What are your thoughts now ?

 

[alldodge]

Couple of months back you were adamant that the Racing gear lube was nothing more than HP in rebadged packaging . What are your thoughts now ?

There was a long and lengthy discussion on the new racing lube on OSO. Much discussion happened, and was found out that Merc did go from a synthetic blend to full synthetic lube for racing lube. Most the folks on OSO have been using Amsoil severe gear lube for some time. Figuring Merc is trying to get some of them back, so changed the XR requirement from high performance to Racing this year.

This is the latest data, and so far as marine specs, there still are none available, so may just see some more changes :noidea:

 

[QBhoy]

The high performance quicksilver gear oil I use is green, I’m sure.
If you have the header tank fitted, worth cleaning the crud out the bottom each year. It can actually block the feed hole in the bottom of the tank of left too long.

 

[achris]

The high performance quicksilver gear oil I use is green, I’m sure.
If you have the header tank fitted, worth cleaning the crud out the bottom each year. It can actually block the feed hole in the bottom of the tank of left too long.

Dark green when it's a bit older. Starts life as blue...

 

[QBhoy]

You’re maybe right Chris. I try not to spill too much. Horrible stuff. Perhaps I’m just thinking on the staining on the header tank colour.

 

[alldodge]

Guess it must be my old eyes but sure looks more green then blue to me also, and I change every year.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I dislike the quicksilver because the parafins would separate and sludge up my remote reservoir

 

[dingbat]

Been using Merc high performance for years.

Looks green to me 👁

 

[Boilers2000]

Thanks for all the comfirmation... as great as YouTube can be sometimes it's not always accurate.

 

[QBhoy]

I was sure it was green. Haha.

 

[harringtondav]

I've used NEO 70W90 RHD syn for 20 of 22 yrs in my Alpha II. It's pricey, but I can still see the Gleason cutter marks in my gear sets in the contact area. Bearings and contact surfaces are pristine. Also only a small coating of mud on my magnet on the drain plug.