Gear Housing Lubrication; Salt Water Corrosion - Gear Housing Bearing Carrier And Cover Nut - Mercury 45 Jet 50-55 Service Manual

GEAR HOUSING LUBRICATION

NOTE: Refer to "Specifications," for gear housing lubricant
capacity.
WARNING
!
If gear housing is installed on outboard, to avoid acci-
dental starting, disconnect (and isolate) spark plug
leads from spark plugs before working near the pro-
peller.
CAUTION
!
Do not use automotive grease in the gear housing. Use
only Quicksilver Gear Lube or Quicksilver Super-Duty
Lower Unit Lubricant.
1. Tilt outboard so that lubricant in gear housing will drain
toward front of housing, out fill hole and into clean con-
tainer.
IMPORTANT: Inspect FILL and VENT plug washers for
damage. Use new washer as needed.
2. Remove lubricant fill plug and washer. Note amount of
metal particles on magnetic fill plug.
3. Remove VENT plugs and washers (a and c) and allow
all lubricant to drain.
a - Lubricant VENT Plug/Washer
b - Lubricant Fill Plug/Washer
c - Lubricant VENT Plug/Washer
4. Inspect gear lubricant for metal particles (lubricant will
have a "metal flake" appearance). Presence of fine
metal particles (resembling powder) on the FILL plug
bar magnet indicates normal wear. The presence of
metal chips on the drain plug bar magnet indicates the
need for gear housing disassembly and components
inspection.
1-16 - GENERAL INFORMATION and SPECIFICATIONS
c
a
b
50558
5. Note color of gear lubricant. White or cream color indi-
cates presence of water in lubricant. Gear lubricant
which has been drained from a gear housing recently
in operation will have a yellowish color due to lubricant
agitation/aeration. This is normal and should not be
confused with the presence of water.
6. Presence of water in gear lubricant indicates the need
for disassembly and inspection of oil seals, seal sur-
faces, O-rings, water pump gaskets as well as gear
housing components for damage.
IMPORTANT: Never add lubricant to gear housing
without first removing VENT plugs, as trapped air will
prevent housing from being filled. Fill gear housing
only when outboard is in operating position.
7. With outboard in operating position, insert lubricant
tube into fill hole.
8. Fill gear housing until excess lubricant flows from for-
ward VENT hole.
9. Install VENT plug and washer (a).
10. Continue to fill gear housing until lubricant flows from
VENT hole.
11. Install VENT plug and washer (c).
12. Clean magnet on FILL plug and install FILL plug and
washer (b).
SALT WATER CORROSION - GEAR HOUSING
BEARING CARRIER and COVER NUT
Salt water corrosion buildup can be sufficient to split a gear
housing and destroy an entire lower unit. To protect against
such damage, therefore, it is recommended that the gear
housing bearing carrier be lubricated on a regular basis, as
follows:
Service first at the 20-hour inspection, then on an annual
basis. Remove the entire bearing carrier to adequately
clean corrosive deposits and dried-up lubricant from both
ends of the bearing carrier, as well as the gear housing.
Apply a liberal amount of 2-4-C w/Teflon Marine Lubricant
to the 2 ends of the bearing carrier, then reassemble and
torque to specifications. Refer to gear housing disassem-
bly and reassembly (Section 6A).
90-817643R1 DECEMBER 1996