gear lube in omc drive

[billy boater]

so i just replaced the gear lube in my cobra outdrive (2.3) i filled it from the middle untill it was full on the dipstick not screwd in. i ran it on the muffs for about 15 min going in and out of gear fwd and rev every so often. the oil went down a little but it is stll about a 1/2 inch above the line on the dipstick with it screwed in all the way. do i run it like this or should i drain it till its on the line????? thanks

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

Howdy,

Running it on "muffs" doesn't warm the oil much. I would let it sit over night (so all the bubbles can rise to the top) and then check it.

If it's still over full, I would run it around the lake (warm it up) and let it sit and check it again. It doesn't have to drop very far to expose the upper bearing and gears.

If it's still over full you can let a "little" out.



Cheers,


Rick

 

[boatguya1]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

Next time if it were me I'd fill it from the bottom to the middle then from the middle to the dipstick to avoid air pockets.

James

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

I know that some people suggest filling it that way. I'm not sure that it would actually hurt anything or if it really prevents any air pockets.......

But the OMC service manual is VERY SPECIFIC, saying to fill it from the fill port.

My brother bought my boat new in 1987 with the wonderful King Cobra stern drive complete with FOMOCO 460 inside!

He took it to 2 different FourWinns dealers in the SF bay area for "service" ..... The first one "serviced" him pretty good. They also didn't bother to put ANY oil in the drive after they drained it!

That summer by brother made it about half way around the lake before the drive seized.

The second time a different FW dealer did better, they put oil in it but they filled like a Mercruiser (from the drain port) and that summer it went a little further around the lake before it seized.

To their credit neither dealer needed Lawyering up to get them to replace the drive. (each time!!!

)

Seemed it was a common problem for a while.....


My take? I would NOT DEVIATE from the way OMC says to do it.


Cheers,



Rick

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

Next time if it were me I'd fill it from the bottom to the middle then from the middle to the dipstick to avoid air pockets.

James

I have filled many that way....never a problem.
I just feel better knowing its pushing gear oil up from the bottom and air out the center hole.Then fill from center up...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

Next time if it were me I'd fill it from the bottom to the middle then from the middle to the dipstick to avoid air pockets.

James

That is how many OMC gearsets have been wiped out. The manual says not to do it that way.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

That is how many OMC gearsets have been wiped out. The manual says not to do it that way.

Maybe my method worked because i left the dipstick loose overnight and rechecked the level.. Gave it plenty of time for air to work to the top.

I also made sure it took the entire 64 ounces that my particular drive called for.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

Maybe my method worked because i left the dipstick loose overnight and rechecked the level.. Gave it plenty of time for air to work to the top.

That is possible I suppose.......but testimonial evidence is really not a reason to change from a procedure recommended by OMC more than 20 years ago since it still works.

The most important part of this equation is that people who are maybe NOT very technical or not all that good with a "wrench" should not be given instructions to deviate from an accepted manufacturers procedure.

Suggesting a different procedure that adds a step and makes it slightly more complicated, and may increase the chance that someone (with maybe one too many beers in hand etc) is going to get it wrong and destroy another obsolete and/or difficult to repair drive.

Keeping it simple (KISS) is probably the best plan here......

In my case, even a "trained" dealer "service" person got it wrong....
I don't know what to do about them except that if they get it wrong, they'll usually "make it good".
If we (as backyard mechanix) get it wrong, we have to "stimulate the economy"


Regards,


Rick

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

Good point Rick...

The next time i have the pleasure of working on a Cobra the center hole it is...

 

[boatguya1]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

That is how many OMC gearsets have been wiped out. The manual says not to do it that way.

A few minutes ago I would have bet you $1000 I could show a sevice bulletin that said to do it the way I described. After a quick look I have not found it so I'm not as sure now, no bets at this point.

So I retract my statement that others should do it this way. I will keep doing it that way as I've filled literally hundreds of them this way without a problem. The damaged gear sets I've seen have been from people filling them like an outboard, from the bottom to the middle then stopping there.

James

 

[bruceb58]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

James,

I agree that it does seem kind of counter intuitive. I always made sure I check it the next day to make sure no big bubbles were in there and got burped out during the night. I do the same with my Volvo drive that I have now even though I fill it from the bottom.

Bruce

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: gear lube in omc drive

Oh, I think I read at "Sterndrives.com" or somewhere like that they suggest doing it that way.

I would be willing to bet that you're probably "ok" doing it as long as you fill from the "fill port" when oil starts running out of it.........


But because SO many people do this without manuals or info other than word of mouth, There's always a risk of someone getting it wrong.

We know filling it the OMC way works....albeit there's a teeny bit of over-fill resulting from following the OMC manual, they acknowledge it.