BAD-HABIT

One of my "to do" things every spring is to lube the engine coupler....I have a "stupid'" question...How do you know how much grease to put in the coupler....When I replaced the engine and coupler a couple of years ago I installed a new one from BAM. It has the zerk fitting on the coupler....Also what is the best kind of grease to use. If I change to a different grease how do I know if it is compatible...

BH

Mudball

That is a great question!!

I gave my old 7.4mpi about 20 shots of grease the first year. When the excess grease would sling around the bilge, I decreased that to 10 shots. When that slung around, I reduced that to 6 shots.

When I recently repowered to an HP500, the coupler was shot on the 7.4mpi. It had dried up looking grease in the splines. Clearly I had not greased it enough over that last few greasings. How much is enough is the question!!

Some folks will tell you to remove the drive every year, and check alignment and then grease the splines.
For me, that's a hard thing with the Bravo. That's a heavy suno***un. And I'm an old fart. I don't want to bring the boat in every year, when I can do the motor and drive oil changes so easily....

As far as grease is concerned, I would recommend only using Merc spline grease. You can get it in a tube. I was told it is overkill for everything else, but I use it for all drive greasing needs. Mistake?

Kent

paradigm shift

Well my spring checks include alignment. Which means pulling the drive.I usually lube it at that time. Other than that I usually pump a couple of shots in during the year. Same with the Gimbel. Depending on the coupler how the grease is routed is quite different.

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Not that mine is right, but I pump until it just starts to squeeze out the coupler, which normally just takes a couple of pumps to get there, otherwise you are just guessing if you have enough. Usually have a few slingers at 1st, but figure it is easier to wipe them up vs replace a worn coupler. The 1st of the season prevent. maint. carries me threw the season. Your hrs of use may require more.

50boat

i pull the drive and rotate the bearing as i pump the grise as you rotate the bearing the goop will flow around with it also most gris is lithim base ,its like soap i hse shafers sinthintic. very nasty stuf ,but does not brake down in water

BillR

I was told 3 -4 pumps, by Scott Buetyn; Merc's main tech.

East Coast B

"It had dried up looking grease in the splines. Clearly I had not greased it enough over that last few greasings. How much is enough is the question"

I just bought a used 94 boat and had it out for the second time and while waiting to put the boat on the trailer, the coupler went. When I pulled the drive, I also noticed what you did, dried up looking grease. When I brought the boat home originally , I had hit the couplers with a few shots of grease.

I'm trying to determine what actually caused mine to fail as it seemed to fail while idling around the dock, we had just run it on flat water all day without a problem.... Is it that built up dried grease looking stuff that causes a binding motion along with the jolting of putting it in and out of gear? I would have thought that these things would go while getting on plane or running hard on big stuff and catching air that would wipe them out?? Just want to be sure I don't run into this issue in the future.

I'd appreciate any insights and tips... first thing I'm going to do is pump the hell out of my port coupler before it goes bad!!!!

Rippem

do 'em both...now or you may be replacing the other one in 2 weeks!

most boats have lived by that rule so they are most likely close in thier wear life.