merc 60 gearcase oil or grease

[mike n]

helping friend with a merc 60. he put oil in the lower unit and it is leaking out.  is it better to use the grease?

mn

[crosbyman]

no grease   find/fix  the leak !!

 

where is the leak…..  around the prop shaft, shift, or drive shafts or  fill plugs ….

 

pressure test when all done.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=7e5550bca8cfce17JmltdHM9MTY5NDA0NDgwMCZpZ3VpZD0xNWNlY2Y1MS1lMTllLTZlOGUtMjEyOS1kYzYyZTBhNTZmOTImaW5zaWQ9NTE4MA&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=15cecf51-e19e-6e8e-2129-dc62e0a56f92&u=a1L3ZpZGVvcy9zZWFyY2g_cT1kYW5iYXIrcHJlc3N1cmUrdGVzdCsmcmVmaWc9NmZjNzMxZjgwNTdiNGQ0OThlN2EwNzZmNzY2Mjg1MDcmcGM9VTUzMSZydT0lMmZzZWFyY2glM2ZxJTNkZGFuYmFyJTJicHJlc3N1cmUlMmJ0ZXN0JTJiJTI2Zm9ybSUzZEFOU1BIMSUyNnJlZmlnJTNkNmZjNzMxZjgwNTdiNGQ0OThlN2EwNzZmNzY2Mjg1MDclMjZwYyUzZFU1MzEmdmlldz1kZXRhaWwmbW1zY249dndyYyZtaWQ9MTQ0QUQ5MDM2MEYxOTUzMTVEODQxNDRBRDkwMzYwRjE5NTMxNUQ4NCZGT1JNPVdSVk9SQw&ntb=1

 

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[outbdnut2]

Because the Merc 60 has a gearshift, it should have gear oil.

Take the prop off and make sure there isn’t fish line behind it that has gotten into the prop shaft seal. Sometimes you get lucky and can just remove the line and the leak will quit.

Prop shaft seals are available.
Dave

[mike n]

ok thank you for the help.we’ll find and fix the leak.what is the best reasonably priced oil

 

mn

[jeff-register]

I agree.  Everything needs to be maintaned. If it was mine I would replace all the gearccase seals. Can’t hold oil when it leaks. With grease the small parts starve for lubercation.

[crosbyman]

if… and I say if… you  can’t or do not want to fix the leak …..John Deere  corn head grease has been used in gearcases .

It apparently turns more or less liquid under load   and  resolidifies after  cooling down.

Water then  separates  out  and  is not emulsified allowing  it to be drained out.

up to you !

(224) John Deere Corn Head Grease – YouTube

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[Mumbles]

The driveshafts in these motors like to rust right below the water pump where the seal is and we all know what that leads to, yup, a leaking seal and a drive shaft replacement.

 

[elgin2]

My Dad had one with a rusted driveshaft. He had it built up by welding it and turned down to correct diameter. Didn’t have the motor long afterwards to find out if it worked or not.

[Tubs]

While Corn Head Grease (top picture) may
liquefy in the video, that’s not the case when
its in a gear case that is being water cooled.
These pictures are straight out of the lake.
The benefit of using Corn Head Grease,
Cotton Picker Spindle Grease, or Lubriplate
105 (bottom picture), is that even though water
has entered the gear case it doesn’t mix with
or reduce the grease. Even though there was
only 5% or less grease remaining in the gear case
(bottom picture) what did remain was clinging
to the gears. I believe that would be the same
for the shafts and bushings.
If I could put seals in my early motors and
keep out the water, I would use gear oil in them.
I only have 5 direct drive motors with seals, but
if for any reason I couldn’t keep the water out, I
would use one of the greases above as I feel
they would provide better lubrication than
watered down gear oil.
Just another guy on the internet –
use your best judgment.
Tubs

A "Boat House Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

[joecb]

The JD Cornhead grease and I presume also the 105 have a special property called Thixotropic, defined as….

“the property of becoming less viscous when subjected to an applied stress, shown for example by some gels which become temporarily fluid when shaken or stirred”

So, if I understand this, when the grease is “working” it becomes less viscus, then at rest it thickens up. This all sounds great for our old gear cases lacking modern seals.

And as Tubs suggested, I’m sure that temperature has an influence also.

Joe B

[Author]

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