coolmedown

Im not getting many responses in the drives forum so I posted this here to see if there is any feedback on my problem. I have a Speedmaster 3 sterndrive that is requiring me to add oil to the stern mounted reservoir, about 1/4 - 1/2 qt., each time I go out on the water. It is not leaking the oil while sitting there on the trailer as there is no oil on the ground after sitting for a week. But it does appear that the oil is leaking in the bilge. I have searched on here but no one has discussed SSM III oil leaks. Here is the link that has the parts..

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...Y%28III+SSM%29

Im hoping someone can tell me which part # it is that is causing the leak. I just ordered a service manual. Thanks in advance for any replies that can aid me in servicing this drive.

fireboatpilot

I don't think there's anyone that can look at a diagram and tell you what is leaking. Your going to have to clean out all the oil from the bilge and run it on the hose while watching for the leak. Please remove the props before spinning the drives on the hose, or pay to have someone diagnose the problem. I'm guessing that your not going to be able to fix it yourself anyway. More than likely its a seal requiring the drive to be removed and taken apart to some extent almost always requiring special tools.

fireboatpilot

PS, your link is no good

waybomb

Did you read my response to your first post????

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/d...-oil-leak.html

IT IS NOT A RESERVOIR BOTTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a puke tank.

I also provided instructions on how to check the level. Read that manual when you get it.

coolmedown

Thanks WAYBOMB..My manual should be tomorrow according to UPS tracking info. This is my first high performance boat, a 38' Cig Flatdeck, and want to take great care of it. Its just weird that the port drive never requires oil and the starboard always does. Seems like a problem to me but after reading your info, maybe its not.

waybomb

I did exactly what you did when I got my boat. I brought it home, went through everything, and saw the bottles almost empty. So I bought a couple of quarts of Merc Racing Oil (christ on a bike expensive oil), and filled the bottles (3) to the full line.

Ran the boat real hard that first weekend. Came back in, bottles empty, and a bunch of oil oil in the bilge. So, I filled 'em back up, and did it all over again.

I thought I had a problem, and someone suggested I buy a new reservoir. This made no sense.

I continued to add oil and clean the bilge, and asked alot of people a lot of questions. The drives never really felt hot to the touch.

So I finally got a manual, and I read what I wrote for you. I drained a bunch of expensive oil out to the fill point as indicated in the manual. No problems after that.

So, the oil at the proper level expands when warm/hot and the bottles allow that expansion so pressure does not build up in the case nor puke oil out of a breather. The breather is hooked to the bottle, which has a breather on top. So, if you fill the oil to the full line, and the oil expands, it all comes out. By the time you idle back to the slip or the ramp, everything cools down, and the oil is only found in the bilge.

coolmedown

Awesome answer WAYBOMB. Just put a smile on my face for sure. So how often do you check the oil in the outdrive? And thank you very much for your feedback.

14 apache

iTrader: (1)

This guy is rite dont fill up the tank its a expansion tank run the boat hard and look in the engine compartment it will be in the sight glass. Had #3 drives do it and #6 drives do it.

Qamar34

thank you for your sharing, it is so useful to me.
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