Ok I am sitting in my office bored and always wanted to ask this question.

What was the reason moving the drain plug from the side to in front of the prop?? When I change the drive lube I spill more fumbling around trying to put the plug back into the dark hole with my fat fingers. Someone has to have a great explanation for this.

I heard it had to do with better water flow getting the drain plug off of the side of the bullet on the drive. This may not be the exact reason just what I have always heard. I know what you mean, it is a little difficult to get that plug back into that dark hole sometimes..

You are right, they moved it so there was not as much drag there, and so it would help take away air bubbles leading to the prop for better performance,And it worked over time they found less cavataion burns on the props, When the drain plug was on the side way back then we some times would fill in the drain plug hole in with silcone the rest of the way to smooth the area out to help remove the drag and burns after each oil change service, But over time I think that has faded away Or we just got lazy Now on your new drive to make it easy to get in there and work, You could just remove the zink plate that is in that area and it will be 100 times better for you. All you need is a 5/16 scoket to remove the too bolts that hold it on.

Agreed! Removing the Zinc plate makes things MUCH easier it gives you lots of room to screw the threaded part of hand pump in when you change/fill the drive oil. Its MUCH easier to screw the drain plug in if you use a "screw starter", put the screw on the screw starter before you undo the drive oil pump and you are all set to replace the plug, trust me, I dealt with many an "EXXON Valdez" spills before someone on this site gave me this tip!