1996 Mariner 175 Magnum EFI - Serial OG360900
Got the boat and motor about a month ago. Changed the lower unit gear oil and replaced the drain screw, vent screw and both gaskets around screws.
Afterwards, got to thinking that I had 2 old screws but only 1 old gasket. I guess I assumed it fell out and I didn't notice it.
3 weeks later (after running the boat about 5 times...never any runs longer than about 10 minutes at a time...maybe 2 hours total on the motor) I check the lower unit oil and notice it is extremely dark with a little discoloration.
I immediately drain the oil and begin investigating.
That's when I find the old gasket in the drain plug under the new gasket. So obviously this is where some water got in.
I removed the old gasket and all pieces of it and cleaned off the new gasket good. Cleaned the hole, and made sure there were no pieces there - then re-filled the lower unit with oil.
I have not ran it yet.
Had planned to run it, then drain the oil again and re-fill it with new gear oil, and then depending on what kind of shape the drained oil was in - go from there.
Is this the proper procedure?
Hopefully I caught it before it caused any damage.
Any advice is welcome, thanks.
Got the boat and motor about a month ago. Changed the lower unit gear oil and replaced the drain screw, vent screw and both gaskets around screws.
Afterwards, got to thinking that I had 2 old screws but only 1 old gasket. I guess I assumed it fell out and I didn't notice it.
3 weeks later (after running the boat about 5 times...never any runs longer than about 10 minutes at a time...maybe 2 hours total on the motor) I check the lower unit oil and notice it is extremely dark with a little discoloration.
I immediately drain the oil and begin investigating.
That's when I find the old gasket in the drain plug under the new gasket. So obviously this is where some water got in.
I removed the old gasket and all pieces of it and cleaned off the new gasket good. Cleaned the hole, and made sure there were no pieces there - then re-filled the lower unit with oil.
I have not ran it yet.
Had planned to run it, then drain the oil again and re-fill it with new gear oil, and then depending on what kind of shape the drained oil was in - go from there.
Is this the proper procedure?
Hopefully I caught it before it caused any damage.
Any advice is welcome, thanks.