If it is the Alpha one in it needs 2qts of Mercury ?High Performance? lower unit fluid ? not the ?Premium?.
I would say yes do it once a year.
It is super easy. Pick up a lower unit pump and a marina for about $10-$15. I would also recommend buying two lower unit washers. They are under $1 a piece and good to prevent leaks.
To change the fluid - Put the lower unit in the down position. There are two dime size flat head screws / bolts on it. One at the very bottom back of the lower unit and the other at the very top. To drain simply remove both the screws. The fluid should be slightly blue looking. Check for water in the fluid and make sure the washers came out with the screws.
To refill - The pump you bought will screw into the bottom hole. Pump the lower unit oil until fluid starts to come out the top hole. Next put in the top screw and don?t forget the new washer with it. The top one will create enough vacuum to remove the pump and not cause a complete mess. Just remove the pump and put the remaining bolt back in with the washer.
That?s about it. I just did it last weekend and it was super easy.
I know for my small evinrude I use tubes of lower unit fluid to fill it. I am not sure if you can get lower unit fluid for your boat in tube form.
I have only used a pump on my 4.3 merc alpha 1 lower unit.
I would just get the pump though. The pump is basically the same as a soap dispenser. It just screws on the top of a quart of oil and the hose screws into the lower unit. Then you just pump it about 50 times until it is full. Takes almost 2 quarts.
Is it a Alpha 1 Gen 1 or Gen 2 drive? Do you have a remote drive lube monitor in the engine compartment? If so, you need to make sure that gets filled as well. Dowload the manual for your drive and it has step by step instructions. Yes, buy the pump. Often times, you can get it along with a qt of the lube.
The links are in the Adult's Only Stickey in the Merc Forum or here:
Ayuh, they don't. Seems the site has been moved. You may still have them in cache Bond-o. If you go to the home address it redirects you to mercurymarine.com.
Ayuh, they don't. Seems the site has been moved. You may still have them in cache Bond-o. If you go to the home address it redirects you to mercurymarine.com.
Ayuh,... There's Nothing wrong with the manual links if accessed from the Adults Only section in the Motors, I/O forum....
Same links bhammer reposted....
The links in bhammer's 1st post must be corrupted....
