How long will drive oil last???

[HMF'er]

496HO with 10 hours on, the drive lube reservoir is empty. No leaks detected. Comparing it to my last engine/drive (6.2MX with 60+ hours and never needing a refill), I'm a bit shocked that the oil disappeared. Any suggestions.

[Beer-30]

When I refill mine, even though it is from the bottom to push all the air out, some air must still remain.
I had mine full by the book - up to the top of the vent plug, then fill the reservoir. It dropped about half of the bottle.
Now, I just refill from the bottom until the bottle is to the line also. Helps push more air out of the system.
Probably just 'cause it's new.
Keep an eye on it.

[HMF'er]

When you say fill from the bottom until the bottle is full, are you referring to the side plug on the upper half of the drive? If so, how do you fill and keep the oil from pouring out?

[BLOWN HOWARD]

Buy the little hand pump that goes on a quart of the drive oil and pump away!!!!!!!!!

[Super D]

Fill from the bottom plug on the lower drive. Open the plug at the top, too. The oil's so thick and the vacuum will keep it from leaking much until you start filling at the bottom. Buy one of those hand pumps (about $5-10). Easy, easy, easy. :rollside:

[Beer-30]

When you say fill from the bottom until the bottle is full, are you referring to the side plug on the upper half of the drive? If so, how do you fill and keep the oil from pouring out?
If you pull off Mr. Prop, you will see a slot-head drain plug at the top of the bearing carrier housing. This is the drain/fill opening.
When CHANGING oil, one would drain all the lube from that opening. Then, one would pump the new oil in from that same opening, until it reached the side plug on the top of the drive. The book says to plug the top and bottom and fill the reservoir. I say, put the plug in the top and keep filling until the reservoir is full.
So, yeah, in your case, since you are not changing lube but want to make sure it's all full. Just fill with the pump from the top/side plug until the jug is to the full line.

[HMF'er]

Thanks for the responses. You all are trying to make a mechanic out of me.
"I think I can.......I think I can...........I think I can............................"

[Not So Fast]

Sometimes they will "burp" so to speak, releases an air pocket and the level goes down accordingly. Odd that the whole resevoir went empty though but possible I guess. Did your warning buzzers go off, they should have been chirping like crazy I would think, Good luck. NSF PS What kind of boat?

[Not So Fast]

LOVE YOUR SIG LINE BTW :D NSF

[BadKachina]

496HO with 10 hours on, the drive lube reservoir is empty. No leaks detected. Comparing it to my last engine/drive (6.2MX with 60+ hours and never needing a refill), I'm a bit shocked that the oil disappeared. Any suggestions.
You can just top off your bottle again, 10 hours is pretty early to change your fluid on a new drive. I'd wait until about 20/25 hours, do your first service, check your engine alignment and change all the fluids and impeller. Then I would do your drive service once a year along with the impeller or every 50 hours. Change your oil every 25 hours if you use conventional oil or 50 with the drive if you use Mobil 1 or comparable synthetic. (I don't care if Merc doesn't recommend synthetic, I've seen how ell Mobil 1 protects bearings).
If you are going to change your own drive oil you have to get a pump as stated above. If not you will f up your drive and be buying a new one very soon.
Remove prop, drain plug is under thrust washer. Remove your lower drain plug, open your bottle so it will drain, once the bottle is empty open the side vent (near the top of the drive on the side). Make sure you get the gaskets out and keep them on the plugs so you don't forget them later. Remove the bottle and clean it out with brake cleaner once it is empty. Once is quits draining you are ready to refill. Screw the pump in the bottom drain hole, pump until oil comes out of vent hole. Close your vent, pump until fluid comes into your bottle. Unscrew your pump and stick the plug back in(this can be done with minimal mess if your fast). Fill your bottle back up to the full line and your done. Usually the first time out your level will go down some so take a bottle with you and top it off at the lake if it does.