Brownish Type C lower gear oil?

[marleywars]

71 60hp Evinrude Triumph that I got for $200. Compression on all three cylinders is at 150-152 (which is good). I'm in MN so no salt water if that matters. When I got the engine there were no screws for the lower unit oil. Bought those and put in about a quart of oil. In my testing, roughly 30 turns of the key and cycling of the forward/neutral/reverse (which worked - electric shift a gamble), I believe the oil cycled enough. It was on muffs too, not submerged. Anyway, I wanted to inspect the oil for it being milky (water) but it came out a light brown. If this thing which had been sitting maybe for a bit before I bought it, was exposed to the air, would that brownish hue come from iron oxidation of the internal gears? Why is it brown is my real question? So far I am not too concerned but has anyone experienced this?

 

[F_R]

Possible. But it wasn't locked up or anything, so maybe it will be ok. But then again, maybe it won't. The first sign of failure will be the shifting. The shift piston in the oil pump just can't stand any microscopic grit in the oil or it will stick and not shift.

 

[marleywars]

Really appreciate the feedback. It shifts as it should. I am going to purge the system here and add new. We'll see I guess. Thanks again.

 

[racerone]

Let the oil sit for 24 hrs and look again.

 

[marleywars]

Racerone, what could I hope for after that time. I did remove 3 ounces from it today. I guess if there was water in it, I would have seen separation between the two right? It seemed, despite the color, pretty uniformed. Basically, I think I am running a flush so as to remove any possible impurities as F_R suggested could be a real issue.

 

[racerone]

Are you seeing small air bubbles in the oil?----Let it sit for 24 hrs.