Outdrive Drain Plug gasket
 

Thinking about getting a half dozen or so drain plug gaskets to keep on hand. I have used the Merc yellow ones and the blue ones and they have worked well. Which ones do you guys like best ? Any aftermarket sources that work as well and not the Merc price?

Steve, The Merc yellow ones that have a somewhat rubberized feel to them. IMO they have held up the best over time and I have to pressure test outdrives all the time..

Sometimes I find it odd that people will spend 20 bucks per qt for gear oil and then turn around, reuse the drain plug gasket over and over all the time or use a very cheap one..

John,
I took off a yellow one and used a blue one when I changed my drive lube over the winter. Today I noticed is was leaking a little. Haven't taken the boat out yet so no worry about water getting in. Replaced it with a yellow one which was the last one I had. I do like the rubber coating on those. Going to have to get a few more spares. I was just wondering if there was something better out there.
Thanks

I see Merc has a new style blue seal. Looks pretty good and has a rubber seal on it. The one I used that leaked was the older style blue one. Kind of a plastic washer with no rubber seal.

I like the yellow ones. I usually buy them buy the dozen and keep them in a plastic bag with some silicone spray.

I have never had a problem with the yellow ones and that even includes with Merc outboards to. I'm probably talking at least 500 to 800 that I have installed thru out going off the top of my head, so I stick with what works until something better comes out to market..

Soon I will have a buy in on these per hundreds if not more to purchase for resell. Not worth buying small packs of them to turn around and make 5 cents for an outright sale only. Total waste of my time.

You have a part # for the yellow one

Mercruiser 26-830749 merc retail is 3.70 per one. The best I seen was 2.75 without shipping.

I can do 3 bucks per one with shipping but min order will have to be 10 drain plug gaskets. that's 30 bucks with shipping for 10.

they keep 4 ever and really are the best gasket for the drain plugs. Like I said I have never had a problem. Also DO NOT IMPACT ANY DRAIN PLUG GASKET. U WILL TEAR THEM ESPECIALLY THE FIBER ONES. seen it a bunch.

These gaskets only need proper screw driver hand tight (tight) only.

I wish someone would make a better drain plug than the stupid slotted head style.

3/8 x 16 http://www.boatersland.com/mal9-7266...FUJk7AodgFUA6Q

Thanks dpsariss !

That is funnier than hell - sorry to tell you that is for a Johnson outboard app. Good thing I know what is going on to help you guys from wasting your dollars and cents no pun intended.

Bup, will that Allen head drain work for a merc drive ?

You guys need to get out more...lol.

Another forum brought this up and showed the snap on tool for them.

I just received mine and am psyched.

Here you go:
https://store.snapon.com/Marine-Plug...e-P760267.aspx

http://public.snapon.com/R_RRD/Objec...s/SGD155BR.jpg

See that is for the ETEC Johnsons - the gasket it comes with should not be used in a MERC or Mercruiser app. I am not sure of the head size fitting 100 % into the Merc / Mercruiser hole openings especially for the vent plug and for Bravo III apps drain at the bullet.

It is only listed for Johnson outboards and has been for a while. Mallory and that part # is long gone since Sierra bought out Mallory Marine a couple of years ago. It is offered as 18-4249 thru Sierra but again the script only pertains to Johnson outboards as no cross to Merc. Just saying as we go by the app for all warranty purposes.

You can google that part # 18-4249 it is the same cross as Mallory Marine. I still have all of Mallory parts lists and of course the current 2015 Sierra catalog. Try it and see but I do not know 100 % if the head size will fit exactly. OMC sterndirve drain plugs will not work for Mercruiser, I do know that nor Volvo's. Current ETEC's never worked on one nor care to. Not trained for them so I never tried to swapped out drain plugs in comparison.

Also I was busting hump in my last post no offense to anyone.

I've seen some with hex heads. Not sure where to get them..

They work in Merc. outboards.

for 35 years now I have found the best way to get overtighten or stuck gear oil drain plugs out is with a fat flat blade screw driver and a crescent wrench attached to the flat sides of the screw driver or a pair of vice grips attached to the screw driver to help with leverage while taking them out. Really never had a problem doing this as it has worked 99 % of the time. Push in on the screw driver handle hard and turn with the crescent wrench or vise grips.

If the slot is really JACKED up - then take a proper sized tipped pin punch and hammer - place pin punch on top edge of slot facing to loosen counter clockwise and hit it with the hammer, Never fails will loosen the worst of them.

Next if not to bad with the slot on the drain plug a impact driver and hammer works well to loosen them.

Hope this will help whomever for those jacked up gear oil drain plugs.

The appeal of the hex head drain plug screw to me is...
... having it ready and waiting on the end of a T-handle Allen wrench, and able to stick it in the lower hole as soon as the fill tube is yanked. I always end up with a giant mess, trying to get that damn screw started through a flood of soft KY-like fluid damn near up to my elbow. Yeah, I'm probably doing it wrong, I'm not a professional. :D

Put vent plug in when outdrive is full of new gear oil and put cap on drive reservoir tight but still leave fill fitting / adaptor screwed in the gear oil drain hole - trim drive all the way up 100 % - Use a magnetic slot screw starter to hold your slotted gear oil drain plug screw in place - unscrew fitting / filler adaptor with one hand and then stab the drain plug in and screw away with the other hand. Don't forget the gasket being placed on the drain plug beforehand.

really maybe less than a teaspoon gear oil mess to clean up and sometimes not even that much..

Good tips !

Also, remember colder fluid flows slower. Gear oil from inside your AC'd house is much slower than gear oil stored in hot temps.

Big time !

New yellow gasket sealed the leak. Funny as a new blue one leaked, then put in a used yellow one that looked fine it leaked. New yellow no leaks. Glad the boat sat for a while before I put it in the water.

Ah forget it - this plug was brought up earlier in thread.

SB you changed your post I do not miss too much and posted it in # 15.

You can not use this gasket for Merc apps. Also I will order this next week and see how well it works for Mercruiser and if the Mercruiser gasket will work correctly with the Sierra drain plug. I will let you know soon.

That's why I changed the post.

Yeh, that would be cool if you find out. Could be a sweet option.

Ordered the sierra 18- 4249 allen drain plug screw. Nothing special and will not work as external drain plugs for Bravo III or alpha's plus it over hangs a lot using it for the vent hole plug. The head is twice the thickness compared to mercs drain plug so it sticks out and does not deep set ( flush ) into the vent hole in the upper drive section.. Looks like an after thought for using as vent oil plug screw

Also the magnet is weaker than merc's to catch any metal material. Also there is not as many threads as the merc drain plug to screw into the drain hole. IMO I would not use it. Also the allen head is very small and is harder to stab than the merc slot drain plug because the allen wrench is so small and not as long as a screwdriver.

I can careless about using it for any merc apps. Just an update on it as I had a chance to see what it was all about. Nothing special plus again it will not work for Bravo III or Alpha drives as it wont screw in far enough to seal the drain hole..You will leak gear oil using it for those apps. I know I tested it plus for the Bravo III it barely screws in. FYI Good luck.

John, you must have sucky Allen wrenches.
Nutdriver anyone? T-handle? Bueller?

JK!!
Thanks for the investment and report.
:D :drink:

And for the drain plugs - magnet end of it was testing the brand new Sierra 18-4249 against a 2004 magnet (Mercruiser Bravo 1 ) The Mercruiser 11 year old drain plug picked up more washers everytime and then next test was - positioned the 2 drain plugs at 3 and 9 o'clock - metal washer in the middle and pulled both drain plugs apart evenly - everytime the new Sierra drain plug pulled away leaving the 11 year old Mercruiser drain still stuck to the metal washer. I even change positions of the drain plugs from 3 & 9 o'clock to 9 & 3 and still the Sierra pulled away .

Today I had a Alpha gen II and Bravo 1 and Bravo III all next to each other working on them plus all 3 had gear lube changes so I decided to test the Sierra 18 - 4249 in all 3 apps.

If anyone wants it 10 bucks to your door - it is brand new as I just pulled out of the package today.

Thanks for the update BUP. Good info. :flag: