How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

[projo198]

I have the page of the manual and I understand that you drain from the oil drain plug at the bottom, fill from the oil fill plug at the middle and check from the oil level dipstick on top.

What I don't understnad is if you are filling from the MIDDLE of the unit, how does oil get to the TOP of the unit? Doesn't that defy gravity?

Or is a pump required and you pull out the hose and reinstall the fill plug as fast as possible before it all dribbles out?

Thanks.

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

It requires the use of a pump that fits in to the threaded openings on the drive..

http://www.iboats.com/Lubrimatic-Lo...66390958--session_id.572446812--view_id.47675

Explanation removed because of conflict in information

 

[projo198]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

Ok. Dumb dumb moment... Shoula known I needed a pump. Thanks!

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

" Start off by locating the lower drain screw/plug on the lower gearcase. (It is on the stbd. side of the lower unit on the cone). Remove this plug using the largest blade flathead screwdriver available. Quickly insert your oil pump as snug as possible into the drain hole. "

NEVER EVER FILL FROM THE BOTTOM PLUG! IT IS A DRAIN ONLY!
ALL FILLING IS DONE FROM THE MIDDLE PLUG. There is a sticky on it. Or click on this link.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=334348

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

Start off by locating the lower drain screw/plug on the lower gearcase. (It is on the stbd. side of the lower unit on the cone). Remove this plug using the largest blade flathead screwdriver available. Quickly insert your oil pump as snug as possible into the drain hole.

As Idlespeedonly says, NEVER DO THIS. You fill from the middle hole....only!

Filling the drive this way can allow an airpocket to form which means you haven't filled your drive completely and your drive will eventually fail from lack of lubrication.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

Or is a pump required and you pull out the hose and reinstall the fill plug as fast as possible before it all dribbles out?

To keep the oil from coming out when you remove the pump, you reinstall the dipstick at the top of the drive and then pull the pump.

You should also be replacing all the plastic washers on all 3 plugs every time you change your oil.

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

that is an explanation of how to do it from TC Electronics... they are a major service provider and parts manufacturer for OMC gears and drives - this is the way they do it.. I was always advised to never fill from the top or middle because this cause air pockets... hmmm?

But if it is wrong.. I have retracted it

http://www.sterndrive.info/id270.html

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

The link that you posted has WRONG instructions and should not be followed.
I thought you had the factory OMC manual!

Item D is the oil fill plug in the following OMC instructions.

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

I do have the OMC manual.. but I have always been told, that you NEVER fill from the top because of how many air pockets is creates.. that is a given.. then when I asked TC Electronics why they fill from the bottom, they explained that the major place that an air pocket forms was right below the fill screw in the middle, and that filling from the bottom did not allow ANY air to be encapsulated anywhere in the drive.. this seems logical to me..

Now, I know that everyone says not to fill from the top.. but nowhere does it say to not fill from the bottom.. it just says you can fill from the middle.. so, are you saying that filling from the bottom is wrong because you have info to support that it doesn't work.. or do you know for a fact that filling from the bottom will cause a problem? Now I can understand that filling from the bottom is a lot more time consuming and messy... but no where have I seen any one say you shouldn't fill from there except in this thread - and since a major rebuilder of OMC drives and a partner to GLM is saying to fill from the bottom.. I just wonder if we are trying to be right, when we have no proof that it is wrong.

I filled mine based on those instructions, it took the exact amount specified, and was right on the stick, from the get go... and it never dropped because of air.. so, I assumed it worked they way they instructed, but I don't want to do it if you have proof it is wrong.. or at least not a better way

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

The cavity that gets everybody in trouble is where the shift rod goes into the lower. It does have a small hole to vent the air out. The hole is drilled at an angle from the shift shaft cavity to the bore for the lowers input shaft. It is a poor design that doesnt work real well. When people fill from the bottom plug only this cavity does not get filled. The cavity will slowly burp itself. when this occurs it leaves the upper dry.
Isnt TC Electronics just an aftermarket supplier?
Back in the day OMC had a factory in Burnsville NC that produced the complete gearcases.

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

TC does sell parts they make or copy from OMC for themselves and GLM.. But they also service and rebuild drives in house.

Matter of fact, the little schnooks tried to buy a set of my tools off eBay.. and they make those tools for GLM! Bad Faith I assume.. so they got refunded

If you guys say not to fill from the bottom, then I say not to fill from the bottom..

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

GLM may have modified their castings to eliminate any potential problems.

 

[sam60]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

And when it's a late King Cobra, you fill from the bottom. Per the OMC "AMH" Service Manual.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

I do have the OMC manual..

It says fill from the middle.

Now, I know that everyone says not to fill from the top.. but nowhere does it say to not fill from the bottom..

It says fill from the middle.

I filled mine based on those instructions, it took the exact amount specified, and was right on the stick, from the get go... and it never dropped because of air.. so, I assumed it worked they way they instructed, but I don't want to do it if you have proof it is wrong.. or at least not a better way

There are a bunch of threads on here about what happens when you fill it from the bottom. In a few cases, the dealer had to pay for a new outdrive build.

One of these posters is HT32BSX115. It happened to him. Pm him for the details.

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

There are a bunch of threads on here about what happens when you fill it from the bottom. In a few cases, the dealer had to pay for a new outdrive build.

Yeah, but I will bet there was one thing that was not constant.. and that was whoever filled these drives just stopped where they thought it was full, and didn't put 64 ozs in the drive... 64 oz is 64 oz.. and 64 oz's is full.. but don't fill from the bottom or top! I put 64 oz in mine... and just for the heck of it, I just went out and pulled the dipstick, and it was right on the line, maybe even a hair high.. I can respect your guy's knowledge.. and once again.. I retracted the info from TC Electronics...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

Well, all I can say is...you got lucky!

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

Maybe so... but like I said, I guess it depends on how fast the oil is put in, and making sure the right amount of oil is put in.. so, if you filled it up fast ( which I heard is the worst thing you can do) and then stopped when the air filled drive was full, then I guess if you buttoned it up, and the air then went to the top of the drive... the gears are toast.. but you would think that someone that knows 64 ozs go in the drive, they would make sure that much was in there.. and if it didn't fit.. then they have air somewhere - and they need to wait until the rest of the oil fits... mine took 64 ozs, and it took me 20 minutes to pump it in there - because of the "air pocket" fear

 

[projo198]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

Well I got the outdrive back on tonight and it's currently in the driveway draining (into a pan of course). The oil was pitch black... To be safe I am goin to fill from the middle hole in the morning, at a snail's pace, and make sure it takes the capacity it's supposed to.

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

Well I got the outdrive back on tonight and it's currently in the driveway draining (into a pan of course). The oil was pitch black... To be safe I am goin to fill from the middle hole in the morning, at a snail's pace, and make sure it takes the capacity it's supposed to.

Good Man!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How to fill the vertical drive with oil?

I can pretty much guarantee that 20 minutes probably is the all time record for the most amount of time needed to fill a Cobra!