Adding gear lube?

[sumcat1]

Do you need to add gear lube during normal use? I have an '05 Alpha with gear lube monitor. When I bought the boat new the skeg was slightly bent from a parking mishap. The dealer said they would swap it with one from another boat. Don't know if they swapped the lower unit or the whole OD. I added lube twice in '05 (20hrs). This year I am ready to add for the 3rd time(21hrs) and it is down to the add mark. Hasn't been that low before. It has not been changed yet but I have checked twice for water. Looks good and no sign of leakage on the outside. Does this sound normal or should I have it pressure checked. I have little experience with ODs.

 

[wvit1001]

Re: Adding gear lube?

Other than changing the outdrive oil I have never had to add any in the 4 years I've had my present boat.

It doesn't burn up so it must be going somewhere. It probably only leaks around the seals when the shaft is turning so you don't see it when the boats just sitting.

 

[Don S]

Re: Adding gear lube?

No, it shouldn't keep going down. When the gear lube is changed, there is an air bubble in the drive that will eventually burp out and allow the level to drop a little, but it should hold after that.
Sounds like you need to have it removed, check the ujoint bellows for gear lube and pressure check the drive to find the leak.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Adding gear lube?

There is a chance the dealer swapped the lower unit and installed it empty without adding fluid to the resevoir.Have you added the euqivalent of filling a lower unit??

 

[sumcat1]

Re: Adding gear lube?

Charlie: Don't know how much lube that is but wouldn't it have gone down much faster. When you change yours how much do you have to add after you begin to use the boat?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Adding gear lube?

Shouldn't be much....
I would follow Don S advice at this time....
Before you do some real damage.....JK