I'm on my first year of ownership of my 1988 Formula 311 (big blocks, Bravo 1s). I decided to change the drive lube oil (as a maintenance/safety precaution). I'm partially through the job on one drive.
I only got ~2 quarts out of the drive (no water or milk so I am happy) and just over 2 quarts went back in before it started coming out of the top drain plug. I read that they should take 2 2/3 quarts to fill...mine seems to be full???
1) Could two quarts be right or should it take more?
2) I probably got some air in there when the hand pump went dry as I emptied each quart bottle...could this air be taking up some space?
2a) Will the air work its way to the top vent hole? 2a) How long does that take? Do I just need to run it a little and "burp" it (top it off)...or will any trapped air slowly rise to the top vent and then I could top it off from there, agree?

Upon refiling the lube oil, when drive was full (oil coming out the top vent hole), I installed the top plug (with new gasket) to minimize the loss of oil BUT as I removed the handpump fitting, the oil (Quicklube HP) gushed out pretty quickly and I thought I lost "too much" before I could get the lower plug in. I think the air that I got in the drive unit "pressurized" the unit and the oil was forced out.
3) I am thinking of running the unit lightly to "liberate" the air and then top it off from the top vent hole (minimizing the losses of the oil running out the bottom). What do you think? Or do I just wait a day or two and try to relieve the air out the top vent hole and refill through that.
THANKS!!!
Ps- the boat is in its lift/boathouse for the long Florida season, so I am trying to do this myself while it is hanging there (without trailering it to a service center). Picture for reference

You did everything correctly. 3 qts is including the lube reservoir. You will always lose a little when pulling the fill tube due to the law of gravity. Theres no way around it. The air works itself out. If it's a little low, top off the lube reservoir bottle and good to go.

it’s an 88, he doesn’t have reservoir. Let it sit a day and put some in through the vent hole.

The drives look newer
Do you have a lube bottle?

Thanks...
It also looks like there were multiple gaskets on each drain plug...I went back with a single "blue" flat composite gasket, what do you think?

I believe the drives are original to the boat (maybe previous owners on this forum will chime in)...but I do not THINK I have a remote reservoir...can you attach a picture of what it would look like and where it might be in a Formula 311?
THANKS!!!

Missed that it was an 88. Assumed that all the bravos had reservoir.

if you have them, plastic square bottle with a screw off lid, setting in a metal housing, could be mounted on the transom or engine, your boat looks real clean for a 88

If that is an original 1988 Bravo it will have a dipstick in the top cover. In 1989 the lube bottle was introduced

I love this forum! I am busting my butt to keep it nice. I have Latham steering, K280s, etc...so I will look for what you pictured...Thanks!
Here is my engine bay...(can you see any reservoirs?)