General Service Recommendations; Shims; Seals; Draining And Inspecting Gear Housing Lubricant - Mercury 15 EFI FourStroke Service Manual

Gear Housing (2.15:1)

General Service Recommendations

There may be more than one way to disassemble or reassemble a particular part. It is recommended that the entire procedure
be read prior to repair.
IMPORTANT: Read the following before attempting any repairs.
In many cases, disassembly of a sub‑assembly may not be necessary, until cleaning and inspection reveals that disassembly is
required for replacement of one or more components.
Service procedure order in this section is a normal disassembly/reassembly sequence. It is suggested that the sequence be
followed without deviation to assure proper repairs. When performing partial repairs, follow the instructions to the point where
the desired component can be replaced, then proceed to reassembly and installation of that component in the reassembly part
of this section. Use the Table of Contents to find the correct page number.
Threaded parts are right hand (RH), unless otherwise indicated.
When holding, pressing, or driving is required, use soft metal vise jaw protectors or wood for protection of parts. Use a suitable
mandrel (one that will contact only the bearing race) when pressing or driving bearings.
Whenever compressed air is used to dry a part, verify that no water is present in air line.
Bearings
Upon disassembly of the gear housing, all bearings must be cleaned and inspected. Clean the bearings with solvent and dry
with compressed air. Air should be directed at the bearing so that it passes through the bearing. Do not spin the bearing with
compressed air, as this may cause the bearing to score from lack of lubrication. After cleaning, lubricate the bearings with
Premium Gear Lubricant. Do not lubricate tapered bearing cups until after inspection.
Inspect all bearings for roughness, catches, and bearing race side wear. Work the inner bearing race in and out, while holding
the outer race, to check for side wear.
When inspecting tapered bearings, determine the condition of the rollers and the inner bearing race by inspecting the bearing
cup for pitting, scoring, grooves, uneven wear, imbedded particles, and/or discoloration from overheating. Always replace the
tapered bearing and race as a set.
Inspect the gear housing for bearing races that have spun in their respective bores. If the race has spun, the gear housing must
be replaced.
Roller bearing condition is determined by inspecting the bearing surface of the shaft that the roller bearing supports. Check the
shaft surface for pitting, scoring, grooves, imbedded particles, uneven wear, and/or discoloration from overheating. The shaft
and bearing must be replaced, if the conditions described are found.

Shims

Keep a record of all shim amounts and their location during disassembly to aid in reassembly. Be sure to follow the shimming
instructions during reassembly, as the gears must be installed to the correct depth and have the correct amount of backlash to
avoid noisy operation and premature gear failure.

Seals

As a normal procedure, all O‑rings and oil seals should be replaced without regard to appearance. To prevent leakage around
the oil seals, apply Loctite 271 to the outer diameter of all the metal case oil seals. When using Loctite on seals or threads,
surfaces must be clean and dry. To ease installation, apply 2‑4‑C with PTFE on all O‑rings. To prevent wear, apply 2‑4‑C with
PTFE on l.D. of oil seals.

Draining and Inspecting Gear Housing Lubricant

Rotating propellers can cause serious injury or death. Never operate the boat out of the water with a propeller installed.
Before installing or removing a propeller, place the drive unit in neutral and engage the lanyard stop switch to prevent the
engine from starting. Place a block of wood between the propeller blade and the anti‑ventilation plate.
Page 6A-10
WARNING
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© 2018 Mercury Marine 90-8M0125265 eng NOVEMBER 2017