water in gear oil???

[davidni]

Need a little bit of help here. Cant find any definitive info online.

What colour should used outboard gear oil be?

Is a light tan/caramel an indication of water?

[Fenlander]

Unless I've suffered water ingress the oil will be similar to new... bit darker perhaps, tan/creamy will be water.

Not the end of the world if the gearcase is filled with proper outboard gear oil which is designed to lubricate OK if there is a bit of water ingress.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by davidni

Need a little bit of help here. Cant find any definitive info online.

What colour should used outboard gear oil be?

Is a light tan/caramel an indication of water?

G/box oil should look as you'd imagine oil to look, like thickish engine oil.

Caramel is emulsified. Drop the lot out, refill with the recommended spec, run it a check it again by dropping a little out. If it's caramel coloured again, you have a g/box seal failure.

[Fenlander]

>>>Not the end of the world if the gearcase is filled with proper outboard gear oil which is designed to lubricate OK if there is a bit of water ingress.

Perhaps I should clarify that... like Mollers I'd change it but I was meaning don't think it will have already trashed the gears.

I use a small syringe with tube on the end that can be pushed into the filler hole and draw a bit up now and again to see the condition.

[Mollers]

[QUOTE=Fenlander;684702
I use a small syringe with tube on the end that can be pushed into the filler hole and draw a bit up now and again to see the condition.[/QUOTE]

I use an old skool grandad's oil can, keep refilling until upto level.

A tip, my Honda will fool you into thinking that it's upto level when it's not. Give it 5 mins and it'll take another 50cc. It tends to take a while to seep down to the business end.

[Fenlander]

My tube on syringe is just for sampling to look for water. I fill from the bottom to avoid air locks.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

. I fill from the bottom to avoid air locks.

Tricky when there's a boat attached.

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Tricky when there's a boat attached.

Standard practice to fill from the drain plug, pumping oil in until flowing out of the level plug, safest way to avoid air locks

[camelgas]

Originally Posted by Fender

Standard practice to fill from the drain plug, pumping oil in until flowing out of the level plug, safest way to avoid air locks

+1

[spartacus]

The fibre washers on the drain and fill plugs are often overlooked. Tohatsu have a specific part and it's well worth renewing. Part number: 332-60006-0. Use a decent flat head screw driver to torque them. If the gear oil has the appearance of mayo at the next service, then the problem lies elsewhere.

[davidni]

Originally Posted by spartacus

The fibre washers on the drain and fill plugs are often overlooked. Tohatsu have a specific part and it's well worth renewing. Part number: 332-60006-0. Use a decent flat head screw driver to torque them. If the gear oil has the appearance of mayo at the next service, then the problem lies elsewhere.

Thanks chaps. This is a good point and I have new washers here and ready.

Outboard mechanic came out to service...it was pathetic so ordered some parts in myself to do properly.

Did water pump refurb rather than just impeller as dont know when it was all last done. Replaced trim tab anode. New spark plugs. Greased all moving parts. Cleaned and protected all electrical terminals.

Since the guy changed gear oil, engine has only ran in barrel for 10 mins and sat in it half the day when full of water. So am surprised by the water ingress for such short immersion.

I'm hoping it is just the plug washers since he didnt renew them. Driveshaft seal appeared in very good nick but if its milky again after next outing will change that along with any propeller seals. Unfortunately suppose that will mean replacing water pump gaskets again after only changing!

One oddity I encountered...ordered the correct genuine Tohatsu impeller yet the impeller that was installed seemed much beefier and better made...metal core, thicker rubber etc??? Replaced it with the Tohatsu genuine part which seems flimsy in comparison.

To be fair engine has obvious new parts and gaskets here and there etc and has excellent and even compression so itmsems to have been well looked after and little used.

[Nightfisher]

Be sure to change the screw seals.

[9D280]

Originally Posted by Fender

Standard practice to fill from the drain plug, pumping oil in until flowing out of the level plug, safest way to avoid air locks

+2

Don't most of the OB gear oil bottles come with an "injection nozzle" to ram into the hole to allow you to do that?

I've certainly had that on the oil bottle the last few times I've changed my oil. I fill form the drain, then (the tricky bit) get the top screw in, quickly remove the bottle & insert "drain" screw, then trim up / down, open up the top again and to pup to line to replace what you lost in the "being an octopus would have been handy" game.

That way all the air pockets are / should be purged.

[uncle al]

water in gear oil. oil usually comes out as white as milk.

[A1an]

Port and starboard engines, 40hrs running iirc, guess which one needed new seals?

[davidni]

Yes, well looks like it was from the outboard mechanic not renewing drain and fill washers when changing oil. Did it myself and renewed them. Perfect now. Cant believe that.