need help changing lower unit oil

[Saskatoon2005]

I have a 1961 Johnson Sea Horse and I need to change the lower unit grease (oil). I read my cheap clymers manual and it says to remove the oil level plug followed by the drain/fill plug. Now here is my problem.<br /><br /> I don't have the lower drain/fill plug. I have a Phillips screw in the lower unit and my cheap manual says Not to remove it because I have the manual shift style and it is where the shift rod connects to it. <br /><br /> I am at a loss for what to do. How do I drain the oil I have. Just to keep you up to snuff...I have the RDS-23 and it is a 40 H.P. outboard. Do I need a suction pump to remove it? Then how do I fill it up again? Please help...

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

The fill plug is located near nose of the bullet, between the parting line and skeg. It's centred right on the skeg. Normally it's large and slotted but perhaps it's been replaced. Whatever you do, do not remove the the small phillips screw on the side of the skeg, or any that hold the cap onto the lower unit.<br /><br />The vent is on the side of the lower unit, near the front and up near the water pump. That is well above the anti-ventilation (cav) plate.<br /><br />Do yourself a favor. Princess Auto has a nice lower unit lube pump for something like $6 with both metric and imperial fittings. Canadian Tire has them too for $12 (imperial only, but it'll fit yours), they're in with the gas cans. Pick up a 3/8"-16 acorn nut so you can cap off the pump when you're done with it. It works much better than the squeeze tube.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Thanks, Paul. I will look right now, and thanks for the quick reply. Thanks, but I already purchased the squeeze tube. How do I rectify this?

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Paul you are correct. I found the fill plug and yes it is exactly where you said it would be. Thanks.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Get it next time. At least you'll appreciate it more. <br /><br />If you've got any doubts at all, I can shoot a couple pics for you. It ought to take on about 400ml.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Paul, how much gear oil goes back in? I drained the oil I had in it and it was spotless. Looks like the day it was last installed...like seven years ago. No trace of water getting in or anything like that. Nice gold color, no grit or anything. <br /><br /> I need to know how much to put back in though. My cheap manual says fill it un til it runs out the top and then remove one fluid ounce. How does one do this?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Sounds like it's well sealed. <br />I don't know why your manual says that. The OEM manual says nothing about it. The Seloc manual actually has you top up whatever drained off when you pulled the tube out. But that's silly, the bit that slurps out while you go putting the plug in is insignificant and accounted for in the design anyway. Also, the design leaves plenty of trapped air for expansion, so I can't imagine why they would say to drain some. Just make sure you're filling the lower unit with the outboard in the upright position. <br /><br />The lower unit takes 13.9 oz dry, figure just a bit less. That is to say, about 375-400ml.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Originally posted by Saskatoon2005:<br /> Thanks, Paul. I will look right now, and thanks for the quick reply. Thanks, but I already purchased the squeeze tube. How do I rectify this?

You can find a tube that screws onto the squeeze tube. The other end has a screw fitting for the outboard fill port. The tube usually has a little clamp on the tube as well. I've found this very handy for squeeze tube l/u lube - actually a little handier to use than the pump (for me anyway). I found mine in the boating area at Wallmart, but you can probably find them elsewhere.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Thanks D. I'll look for one of those at Wall-mart tonight.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

I ended up purchasing a lower outboard handpump from Princess Auto and it is amazing. I mean the question of how much to put in there is removed once you get the oil to the top plug. Thanks so much for everyone's help and I am glad that this forum is here to help out. Yeah, for $6.00 CND. The pump is well worth the money.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: need help changing lower unit oil

Don't remove any. Just pump 'till it comes out the vent, replace the vent plug, pull the pump and install the oil drain plug. I really don't know what Clymer's is thinking there, it's way out in left field. I guess by analogy Seloc is way out in right feild. The truth is in centrefield.