Low drive lube warning....

[skunkman]

I received an alarm indicating low drive lube from my port engine. Is this normal - I have about 40 hours on the engine. Where do I add more lube??

Thanks
Keith

 

[Little Bit]

In the Gear Lube Reservoir...
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct...t289BgcjvQK_eKiv01Nkzr6Q&ust=1421159879553147

Center picture at the bottom of the page linked...

 

[BillK2632]

It's normal to have to top off the lube after it has been changed, due to air bubbles working their way out after the lube change. There is a lube monitor bottle on the top / front of the engine, that's where you add lube. When the bottle get's low the alarm will sound, doesn't mean there is no lube in the drive, just that the bottle is low and you should top off. If it is using lube past the initial top off when you change the lube something is not right. Temperature and humidity are going to cause the level in the bottle to change some, but if it empties the bottle again within another 40hrs I would start looking for the problem, ie leaking seal.

 

[skunkman]

Thanks for the replies. I'll top it off and see what happens.

 

[wish2fish]

This happens to me every time I changed the gear lube. Would there be an issue with overfilling the gear lube so that the warning doesn't happen first time out?

 

[Henry Boyd]

This happens to me every time I changed the gear lube. Would there be an issue with overfilling the gear lube so that the warning doesn't happen first time out?

I don't think you could overfill. The lube is pumped in from the bottom and you stop when it starts to dribble out of the top vent. If you closed the vent and kept pumping you would pressurize the the drive case and not really have an idea of how much the "right" amount should be. The amount that settles down from the reservoir is a result of trapped air within the guts of the drive. It is going to be different for every drive. The possible downside of an overfill is blown out seals, and having paid to replace the upper seal and bearing pack on a BIII, topping off in the spring while a PITA is much cheaper.

Henry

 

[BillK2632]

You can fill the bottles a little above the "full" line, but you have to leave some room for expansion, there is a small amount of pressure in the system when the engine is running. I never have my Alpha "burp" out more than have of the bottle or so. BIII's seem to have more issues with gear lube usage - mine always used a little gear lube. My Alpha, sometimes I add a little after the "burp" sometimes not, but after that they don't use any lube - @50-75hrs.

 

[wish2fish]

I don't think you could overfill. The lube is pumped in from the bottom and you stop when it starts to dribble out of the top vent. If you closed the vent and kept pumping you would pressurize the the drive case and not really have an idea of how much the "right" amount should be. The amount that settles down from the reservoir is a result of trapped air within the guts of the drive. It is going to be different for every drive. The possible downside of an overfill is blown out seals, and having paid to replace the upper seal and bearing pack on a BIII, topping off in the spring while a PITA is much cheaper.

Henry

I meant the gear lube bottle in the engine compartment.

 

[Westie]

I have never had a problem with having to add oil to the reservoir after changing the oil.
The procedure I follow is
drain the oil in the drive and the bottle.
With the drain plug open pump oil into the drive from the bottom.
Once the oil starts to come out of the vent hole put the plug into it.
Make sure the cap is off of the drive lube reservoir for the next step.
Now continue to pump oil into the bottom of the drive until it just starts to appear in the bottom of the reservoir.
Remove the pump and install the plug.
Add oil to the reservoir to the full mark.

The other important thing is to have the drive all the way down when you do this and to avoid pumping air into the drive as the bottle you are pumping from gets empty.

 

[Woody]

This happens to me every time I changed the gear lube. Would there be an issue with overfilling the gear lube so that the warning doesn't happen first time out?

Sure you could put a little extra in the reservoir as long as you know that it will burp and the level will end up in proper operating range.

I don't think you could overfill. The lube is pumped in from the bottom and you stop when it starts to dribble out of the top vent. If you closed the vent and kept pumping you would pressurize the the drive case and not really have an idea of how much the "right" amount should be. The amount that settles down from the reservoir is a result of trapped air within the guts of the drive. It is going to be different for every drive. The possible downside of an overfill is blown out seals, and having paid to replace the upper seal and bearing pack on a BIII, topping off in the spring while a PITA is much cheaper.

Henry

I don't see how filling from the bottom could pressurize the drive housing. After putting the vent plug back in the reservoir level would still tell you where you were at. The caps are vented and that level changes with temperature of the drive oil. Any pressure inside the drive I would think would be miniscule. I've heard some say it's pressure inside the drive that keeps the water out. I sorta think it's seal design that gets the credit for that.

 

[Bucit]

I have never had a problem with having to add oil to the reservoir after changing the oil.
The procedure I follow is
drain the oil in the drive and the bottle.
With the drain plug open pump oil into the drive from the bottom.
Once the oil starts to come out of the vent hole put the plug into it.
Make sure the cap is off of the drive lube reservoir for the next step.
Now continue to pump oil into the bottom of the drive until it just starts to appear in the bottom of the reservoir.
Remove the pump and install the plug.
Add oil to the reservoir to the full mark.

The other important thing is to have the drive all the way down when you do this and to avoid pumping air into the drive as the bottle you are pumping from gets empty.

+1. I just did both of my Alpha's and did the exact same thing. This way the air is forced out through the reservoir.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Sure you could put a little extra in the reservoir as long as you know that it will burp and the level will end up in proper operating range.

I don't see how filling from the bottom could pressurize the drive housing. After putting the vent plug back in the reservoir level would still tell you where you were at. The caps are vented and that level changes with temperature of the drive oil. Any pressure inside the drive I would think would be miniscule. I've heard some say it's pressure inside the drive that keeps the water out. I sorta think it's seal design that gets the credit for that.

The BIII caps are a one way vent. There is a rubber diaphragm over the vent hole on the inside of the cap. This allows air to flow from the outside in, and hold pressure when it is greater inside the drive. After all how could you run a pressure test on the drive to check for leaks? (I also looked at the spare cap I keep as part of my emergency parts inventory).