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lswa
09-05-2008, 12:02 PM
How often do you guys need to top off the reservoir for the outdrive oil? Outdrive is a Bravo 3 with a 6.2 MPI Mercruiser with about 400 hours on it. Unit normally uses no oil, but after a rebuild and running about 50 hours, all of a sudden the reservoir is empty. Dealer says this is normal.

glashole
09-05-2008, 02:22 PM
fill it up and watch it

it it keeps going down it might be leaking

after a drive oil change i will be low in the reservoir too

boxy
09-06-2008, 07:00 AM
My Dad has a bravo3 on a new Chapparal, it has been losing drive oil slowly all summer. No oil in the bilge, no oil in the water. We haven't been able to trace the problem yet. If anybody has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

MOP
09-06-2008, 09:47 AM
Have you been monitoring it or is it something you just happened quickly? The reservoir will drop suddenly during the first ride after a drive oil change. My Bravo will drop about 3/4" which is about 4-5oz. then it will move until the next change. I run a 1qt. reservoir which I fill about half way, I run Spectro gear oil for a bit of extra protection. I can see where the shot glass sized Merc reservoir would look very empty!

smidgen too
09-06-2008, 11:55 AM
Rummer has it that when Merc switched to overseas suppliers the quality went down. This drive oil problem has been going on for at least a few years now. A friend of mine sells new high $$$ boats and has had them leaking on the showroom floor. In my opinion dont settle for your drive to be rebuilt under warranty, get a new one !!! :shocking:

mrfixxall
09-06-2008, 01:44 PM
How often do you guys need to top off the reservoir for the outdrive oil? Outdrive is a Bravo 3 with a 6.2 MPI Mercruiser with about 400 hours on it. Unit normally uses no oil, but after a rebuild and running about 50 hours, all of a sudden the reservoir is empty. Dealer says this is normal.


TRy this! next time you change it fill it until it comes out the top hole,leave it sit for 15 min,pump til it comes out the hole again then install the upper plug. now remove the resivour cap and continue pumping oil into the drive until the resivour is full..remove pump and install the lower plug and top off the resivour..done! and install cap...if it still leaks ck the hose going to the resivour,if you find no leaks their then it may be leaking into the belllow area between the drive and gimble bearing.

lswa
09-12-2008, 01:28 PM
Thanks for the replies. When I change the outdrive oil myself (as described above) I don't seem to have this problem. When changed by the MerCruiser dealer it seems to go down alot, over the whole summer. I suspect they are not following the proper procedure and filling the drive to the top port and then dumping oil into the reservoir.