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Gear oil OEM vs non OEM

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Old 04-13-2020 | 05:19 PM
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Default Gear oil OEM vs non OEM

First of all... I have always used Merc OEM gear oil and will continue to. Is there really any difference between them? Merc has the SAE-90 spec and others usually are 80-90 or 85-90 and state for marine use. Does Merc have some "magic" additive that the others don't

thanks
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Old 04-13-2020 | 05:22 PM
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been using 75-90 automotive synthetic GL5 gear lube for years and had no issues,
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Old 04-13-2020 | 05:38 PM
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[QUOTE=PA.WOODCHUCK;4733613]First of all... I have always used Merc OEM gear oil and will continue to. Is there really any difference between them? Merc has the SAE-90 spec and others usually are 80-90 or 85-90 and state for marine use. Does Merc have some "magic" additive that the others don't

thanks[/QUOTE
Magic additive is "green sludge & $$$$$".
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Old 04-13-2020 | 05:47 PM
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What drive are you putting it in? In one boat I put a high end gear oil in started having cone clutch slipping issues, that went away when I put merc oil back in. I believe the merc oil has a friction modifier in it. Also I believe there is no difference between the Sierra brand gear oil and the mercury.
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Old 04-13-2020 | 06:43 PM
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Bravo 1 X in current boat
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Old 04-13-2020 | 06:48 PM
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Walmart usually has it for 9 bucks a quart or so....
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Old 04-13-2020 | 07:05 PM
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Its mineral base the Merc High performance gear oil and is a GL 4 spec. All the 75 w - 90 syns are GL 5 spec.

You can not use Merc HP gear oil in Volvo SX / DP and current drives with Nedox cone clutch. Some added info for the Volvo owners.
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Old 04-13-2020 | 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by PA.WOODCHUCK
First of all... I have always used Merc OEM gear oil and will continue to. Is there really any difference between them? Merc has the SAE-90 spec and others usually are 80-90 or 85-90 and state for marine use. Does Merc have some "magic" additive that the others don't

thanks
You can also use the "Quicksilver High Performance gear Lube". It’s the same blue/green stinky stuff as the "Mercury High Performance Gear Lube Plus", just a different bottle.
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Old 04-14-2020 | 01:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Unlimited jd
What drive are you putting it in? In one boat I put a high end gear oil in started having cone clutch slipping issues, that went away when I put merc oil back in. I believe the merc oil has a friction modifier in it. Also I believe there is no difference between the Sierra brand gear oil and the mercury.
Sierra and Merc are not the same.
Quicksilver products are the exact same product as Merc with a different label and QS can be sold at non Merc dealer retail places.
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Old 04-14-2020 | 06:54 AM
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Also available at Menards, if you have one by you. My local Walmart had 2 bottles last time, Menards had 20.
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