Gear oil consumption question

[phughes200]

I have a 2000 210BR (5.0l, EFI engine, alpha drive) that I purchased this summer. I am finding that I need to add gear oil between refueling. The level drops from the full line to the add line before I burn a full tank of fuel (about 9 hours of operation). Is this normal?

Also, I have no serial number listed on the air intake. Where else can I find this number?

Thanks.

 

[Dick Whetstone]

Mercruiser stern drives do not "use" oil. You have a leak somewhere. Where the leak may be is beyond what anybody here can suggest without more info.

 

[mwph]

Great site for learning (at least for me)...
http://www.outdriveshop.com/mercruiserhelp.html

From the above site...

Every Mercruiser engines serial number is stamped into a small metal plate and pinned to the side of the engine block. This plate is about 1" wide X 2" tall and it is usually pinned to the stb side of the block towards the rear

 

[phughes200]

thanks mwph.

Dick, what info would help?

 

[mwph]

p,

Do you keep the boat on a trailer, or in a slip?
When was the drive last serviced?
How many times have you had to top it off?
Did you change the gear lube yourself? Did you fill the drive from the bottom up?
Have you run the engine/drive out of the water (on muffs of course)?

 

[phughes200]

p,

Do you keep the boat on a trailer, or in a slip?

The previous owner kept it on a trailer for the past 4 years. I have had it in a wet slip for about 8 weeks.

When was the drive last serviced?

The boat had the 200 hour service in 2007 when the previous owner brought it. Since then, I suspect the only maintenance was oil change, gear oil change, winterization and a tuneup in 2008. It has 270 hours now.

How many times have you had to top it off?

About once a fill up. I check it each time I go out. I am on my fourth tank of gas.

Did you change the gear lube yourself? Did you fill the drive from the bottom up?

Not yet. I just got the boat 6 weeeks ago. The previous owners says the maintainence was done by a dealer mechanic off the books. No Docs. It had better be from the bottom up.

Have you run the engine/drive out of the water (on muffs of course)?

No but I assume the mechanic had to do this during the winterization process

Thanks

 

[mwph]

P,

Compared to some on this board, I'm a newbie. (I'm suprised the veterans havent chimed in yet). So my statements may seem very general. So...

The issue needs to be addressed. Preferably by a knowlegeable mechanic. Since you didn't mention oil in your slip or bildge, you probably have a seal leak that manifests itself while the boat is running under a load/presure. You can put the boat on a trailer & run it in an attempt to find the leak, but unless you are going to tear into it yourself, this exersise probably won't tell you much.

If you plan to haul the boat for winter you can have the drive fully serviced (its about due) & repaired. This would be the time to start keeping the boats service records.

I shouldn't comment much deeper than this but I will suggest that you explore the website I posted earlier. Check back to this thread over the next couple days & see what others post.

 

[phughes200]

Thanks for the reply. I keep very detail records. Unfortunately, the previous owner did not. I almost did not buy the boat for that reason.

I will probably have a pro look things over this winter. After that, I hope to do most things myself. I just wanted to verify that this was an issue. Last time I asked a mechanic to look for a leak (on my car), it end up costing more than the car was worth. I also want the bellows to be checked.

 

[highslice]

The drive needs a pressure test. If there isn't gear lube in the bilge, chances are you have a prop shaft seal that is bad or not proberly seated. Or, what I had, which was scratches in the prop shaft under a seal.

Either way, you should not be going through that much lube. I had my prop shaft repaired in June of 2008 and have never had to top off, except after changing the lube.

 

[Daddubo]

Sitting in the water after running it watch the water and see if you can see any oil coming to the surface, When the out drive is hot it will pressurize it self some what and cause the oil to come out if the seal is bad but on the other hand when it cools it will cause a slight vacuumed and suck water in. But as everyone has said you should not be using any oil at all.