I need some quick help here. While getting the boat ready for an extended weekend at the lake, I noticed that the gear lube resevoir for the drive was empty. I am sure it was full less than 2 hours of operation ago, so there is obviously a problem.

There was some lube sprayed in the engine compartment and some in the bilge. Also, there is some leaking from the joint where the outdrive connects to the bellhousing.

So, I know I need to pull the outdrive and replace the o-ring seal, but why the gear lube in the engine compartment? What else should I be checking besides the hose attachement at the base of the bottle and the cap seal?

There were no leaks before, so both symptoms are new. We have only had the boat out for one day this summer (yeah, I know that is lame), and the outdrive was off and drained over the winter.

I have NO clue where the hose from the reservoir goes TO, but it probably goes to a fitting on the drive near the transom--and if so, the problem may lie there, especially since you have oil inside. I wouldn't go pulling the drive apart just yet!

FR, thanks for the pointer -- its worth a look.

The oil sprayed in the engine compartment is above and to the side of the resevoir. No big drops, more like short fine lines...

And I definately need to pull the drive as there is a leak from between the bell housing and the top of the drive.

Well, the bottom of my resevoir has a crack in it, so I need to find one in a hurry. That was the source of the inside leak. I guess the good news is that my bilge is cleaner than it has been in a long time and I finally found the missing impeller piece from when I backflushed the cooling system

And I still need to pull the outdrive to replace the o-ring.

Oh yeah - the up trim button stopped working while I was lowering the drive to begin working on the leak.

Don't you just love old boats?

Not having much luck finding one in a hurry. Mercury Marine does not have any nearby dealers and nobody else seems to carry them. Might have to improvise...

I know you found your leak, and this isn't going to help you in the least, but for anyone else that reads this-

I had a friend with the same problem. Turns out the tube from the reservoir to the drive was laying against the coupler and it wore a hole in the tube and slung oil everywhere.

keep the tubing away from moving parts!

Trim up button failure, if the trailer button still works, is usually the trim limit switch (port side pivot point) or the trim limit switch wiring (black wires with bullet connectors in the engine compartment that are very easy to dislodge while fiddlinmg around looking for drive lube leaks...)

WAY,

try wholesalemarine.com
I have delt with them,good people.

woosterken

Thanks for the tips!

I did find a replacement resevoir, but did not buy it because I find it offensive being charged $82 for a plastic bottle. My new game plan is to find a similar plastic bottle and modify it to work. The resevoir that I have is no longer available, so if I go with Mercruiser part, I have to change the mount anyway.

The problem with the trim switch was my own error. I had the trailer tongue so high that the skeg was keeping the drive too high for the up switch to work. It didn't look like the drive was so high, but it was... Sheeesh!

Waywego:

I have the same problem with my boat. It has been like that for years. I initially found the source to be the bottle, like you noted, but then the leak continued after fixing the bottle.

I am thinking that the hose leading from the bottle has cracked somewhere near the transom plate. I also think that the bottle has cracked some more after fixing it with permatex. The plastic probably has dried out over the years and now cracks easily with the shock and vibration of boat use.

Anyway, I line the bilge with those oil absorbing pads and carry outdrive fluid.

The reservoir can probably be replaced with a similar sized water bottle, with the wide mouth. You know the ones kids use for sports, etc? Drill a similar hole in the bottom as to the original, and you have got a $5 fix to the bottle.

Once that is fixed, then you could see if the hose leading to the transom plate has been contributing to the problem (maybe not).

tpenfield, I am lucky because only my bottle is leaking. The bottom is splitting off the sides, and since the bottle is so brittle, it is not repairable. I think I made the problem worse when I cleaned the bottle a few years ago -- I am guessing that the solvent damaged the plastic.

Going to a new style bottle should be pretty easy, but I like the old style much better. The bottle is larger, clear plastic, and the hold-down strap is a metal spring. The new bottles are opaque (you can tell the level, but not see sludge) and the hold down strap is rubber. The guys at the parts counter told me they replace the straps all the time.

My plan to replace the bottle was to use a nalgene bottle from a camping supply store. Unfortunately, when I stopped by one, they are no longer simple cylindrical bottles and are now expensive. I think I have a spare quart bottle somewhere around here, so if I can find it, it should be easy to modify. It looks like the Mercruiser bottle is designed to hold pressure but not vacuum, due to the rubber valve in the cap. I may try to move that to my bottle top if I can.

Thanks for the pointers and good luck finding your leak!

I have fabricated a bottle and will try to take pictures later. The biggest problem I faced was that the thickness of the bottom of the bottle was not uniform, so I ended up using hi-temp silicone gasket sealer for the seal. After looking at the cap of my old bottle, there is a pressure relief, but not a one way valve. I think I am going to go with a solid lid with a very small pinhole vent. It may leak a little, but at least it won't explode

The problem with the leak between the bell housing and the drive was that the o-ring was not in its channel. We had to wiggle the drive to get it in, so I bet we shook it loose when installing the drive. That was an easy fix because I only had to loosen the nuts far enough to reseat the o-ring.

It has been a while since I had this issue, but lots of family issues have delayed my following up. Here is the finished product that worked perfectly. I did not make a pinhole vent and so far, that has not been a problem.

Nice job.

I'll be doing the same thing this winter, as the oil reservoir has cracked again and continues to leak into the bilge.

What is the fitting in the bottom of the bottle?

The fitting should be the low drive oil sensor. I know this first hand. I got a case of tinkeritis this winter and decided to clean the bottle out. I broke the wires off of the sensor in the process. I too was offended when they told me 80 bucks for a plastic bottle and sensor. What a rip off. Anyway, while we are on this subject, my drive oil in the resivoir usually drops about an 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch in a weekend. Anyone want to take a stab at why? The drive oil was changed this winter and they didnt get the o ring seated right. That drained the bottle but once that was fixed the level held steady all winter. I used a little oil the first trip out but wrote that one off to air bubbles. But each time out after that I have used some. Albeit very little but some. The drive was pressure tested in a tank and no bubbles were present and the pressure guage didnt move. I think they had it under pressure for an hour or so. I notice no oil sheen on the water and no oil in the bilge. The outdrive has no oil running down the sides or out of the propshaft seal. Im puzzled. It has to be going somewhere. One thought though. I have been pulling the oil drain plug to check for water about every other trip. There hasnt been any in there. Could I be letting air in the drive and that is why the level in the bottle drops a bit?

I would put the pinhole in unless the top does not fit tight. It needs to be able to move air out and in as it expands and contracts.

I believe the Bravo seals are designed to leak just a little to lubricate themselves.

I have a Bravo I that is always low too. I thought it was the reservoir so I cleaned and resealed it last year. It continued to leak so I replaced the hose and clamps. Everything looked good until the last few months and I am low again.

I had the unit pressure tested, never have had water in the oil, and had decided to just live with it. I was also told that Bravo seals allow oil to leak out one way but not let water in.