BillK2632
Well-Known Member
This is a good example of how to turn a simple 30min job into 3hrs - one of those why the f&*ck did I do that!
Part of changing the gear lube on a Mercruiser engine is to clean out the reservoir, the thick gear lube tends to make a messy goo in the bottom. So I am doing this yesterday just like I have dozens of times. Start draining the lube, remove the reservoir and clean it out, refill the lube - easy right. Until I thought, hey why not just remove that big nut on the bottom of the reservoir, bet I can take the whole sensor out and clean it out really good. Don't ever do that! Instead of what looks like a big nut on the outside, it is actually a threaded piece that is held in by a washer and nut on the inside of the bottle - once it is loose it is practically impossible to reinstall it. I had to leave my drive empty of gear lube and take the dang bottle home after futzing with it for two hours at the lake. Finally got it all back together - all it took was a magnet, a long socket, some tape and lots of cursing. I have no idea how they assemble these things - it's like rigging a ship in a bottle - after it's in the bottle! Good news is I have the cleanest gear lube reservoir anywhere right now!
Part of changing the gear lube on a Mercruiser engine is to clean out the reservoir, the thick gear lube tends to make a messy goo in the bottom. So I am doing this yesterday just like I have dozens of times. Start draining the lube, remove the reservoir and clean it out, refill the lube - easy right. Until I thought, hey why not just remove that big nut on the bottom of the reservoir, bet I can take the whole sensor out and clean it out really good. Don't ever do that! Instead of what looks like a big nut on the outside, it is actually a threaded piece that is held in by a washer and nut on the inside of the bottle - once it is loose it is practically impossible to reinstall it. I had to leave my drive empty of gear lube and take the dang bottle home after futzing with it for two hours at the lake. Finally got it all back together - all it took was a magnet, a long socket, some tape and lots of cursing. I have no idea how they assemble these things - it's like rigging a ship in a bottle - after it's in the bottle! Good news is I have the cleanest gear lube reservoir anywhere right now!
Last edited:
