Gear lube in bilge Bravo 3

[daddyox]

Today, under my starboard engine was a puddle of gear lube. My reservoir was empty. The reservoir itself is dry and doesn't appear to be leaking the line going to the back of the engine is dry. The plastic connector at the back of the engine is dry. I refilled the reservoir , ran the engines, but didn't leave the slip....no leakage but I realize I'm not in gear.

Any ideas where this leak came from? I can't seem to find anything! Should I be afraid to take the boat out?

Engines are Mercruiser 5.0 Brave 3s..

 

[wyrman]

I had one crack, took a while to find it but when I googled it, it is common. They're spendy little things.
I'm talking the reservoir bottle.

 

[chrishick]

I wouldn't worry about taking the boat out. The reservoir bottle will set an alarm if it runs dry. The outdrive will still be full of lube.

 

[66pony]

check the plasti fitting on the transom that the hose fits on. they are plastic and can break easily,

 

[Henry Boyd]

Use the paper towel trick to double check that the line, bottle and quick connect on the transom are not leaking. if that happens, then the solution is to pull the drive. If there is gear oil in the drive shaft bellows tube the problem is a bad driveshaft seal on the upper unit. A pressure check may not show anything at this stage if the actual leaking is happening at operating temperature. On the towel test you may want to use the boat a few times. If it is the driveshaft seal gear oil will leak into the outboard side of the gimbal bearing, the bearing will act like a dam until there is enough oil to leak through.

Henry

 

[daddyox]

thanks all. I have checked everything I can see and reach- reservoir, tube, fitting at the back of the engine (not sure if there is another fitting after that one?), and everything is dry.

I did take the boat out today- just a few miles, fully heated up, both on plane and no-wake speed. the engine did "drink" a bit of gear lube - maybe a quarter/ half-inch in the reservoir. Nothing dripped below or behind the engine as far as I can tell- it's clean. I drove with the engine hatch up and didn't see anything or see the level change at all.

Henry, as you note, maybe I'll see something once used a few times.

 

[craigswardmtb]

I hope its not the transom nipple. That thing is a biatch to replace.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I would pull the drive and check the bellows for the gear oil. you said the bottle was empty and theres no way of knowing the exact oil level in the drive.

 

[daddyox]

I would pull the drive and check the bellows for the gear oil. you said the bottle was empty and theres no way of knowing the exact oil level in the drive.

Yes- talked to the marina today and they found some fluid near the drives, will haul and pull the drives. Kaaa- ching.....