Mercruiser outdrive mechanical question

[Joe_R.]

I just rebuilt my outdrive on my 1978 merc 140 4 cyl. I did the water pump and all the seals, cleaned and lubed it. When re-attaching it, should the cavity where the drive shaft connects be filled with grease or do you just spread grease on the shaft itself? I filled all the zirc fittings with grease and noticed the one on top of the outdrive was the only one that did not seem to fill until grease came out. What does this supply? Another area that has me confused is the hydrolics for the trim. Where do you add fluid? The pressure on mine seems slower now than it has been in years past.<br />Thanks

 

[vipzach]

Re: Mercruiser outdrive mechanical question

Welcome to iboats Joe<br />I don't know about your grease question. Sorry, but most trim pumps have a resevoir, usually mounted right under the trim motor. Do you know where you're trim motor is?

 

[lenny2113]

Re: Mercruiser outdrive mechanical question

Joe, <br />Welcome to Iboats <br />Grease splines of the shaft before installing drive. As vipzach says, there is a resevoir for your tilt/trim. Tilt trim fluid or ATF(transmission fluid) will both be good.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Mercruiser outdrive mechanical question

I belive the 78 trim used 10w-30 oil. the motor has a label or did at one time. if the pump assy has been replaced the later style can use ATF. do not fill the cavity where the lower drive shaft meets the upper. it can preload the upper verticle shaft bearing and the lower unit drive shaft bearing or interfere with its preload, depending on if the lower drive shft uses a preload pin or if its been updated to the alpha style shaft. the top center grease fitting may or may not ooze grease until you look at it from the engine side. may be that the grease is falling in the hull. make sure you remembered the quad ring by the water pump on the lower. it seals the oil passage from upper to lower. the upper center fitting greases the upper swivel pin.