Oil in XR Drive.

[LUVNLIFE]

Is changing the gear oil in an XR drive the same or different than a Bravo I? Thanks in advance, Cale.

[Beer-30]

Is changing the gear oil in an XR drive the same or different than a Bravo I? Thanks in advance, Cale.
Same.
This is what I use:
http://www.torcousa.com/products/product_detail.asp?intProductsGroupIDPK=113
It is recommended for marine outdrive units. Super slick stuff. Smooths out the shift a little.

[Havasu Hangin']

Swepco.

[LUVNLIFE]

Is it the same procedure though,plug in the bottom and one in the side. Thanks

[Beer-30]

Yep.

[LUVNLIFE]

Right on Thanks guys :cool:

[mike37]

you would think they could find a better way to change the drive oil dang messy project pumping that shit in through the bottom and then trying to get the plug in

[Havasu47]

Yep I agree with Beer 30 that was told to me today from the big guy him self at Pfaff. They have been at it for a many years. Thats what I will be using from now on. I now use Torco products in everything as of to day.
Just to clarify something.... Paul has been building great engines for many years, not sterndrives. The Merc. HP gear lube is specially formulated to be compatible with the cone clutch shifting in a Bravo drive. I have never seen an outdrive failure due to the Merc. gear lube.
Smoother shifting could be a result of the cone clutch slipping more as it engages in the cone ring on the gear, which would not be a good thing.
Just a little .02. :D

[Beer-30]

On the flip side:
How do we know that the Merc Lube is still the old formulation that is sufficient for every gearcase they have made, starting with the first one? Do we know that the shifting we are used to (cone engagement) is really the way is should have been? Maybe all these years, the in/out clunk is at the very bottom of the tolerable scale and a good syn takes it to the top of the tolerance? How do we really know if one lube is better than the other?
Oh, and BTW, look at the "typical uses" in the lower section.
http://www.torcousa.com/products/product_detail.asp?intProductsGroupIDPK=114

[Havasu47]

On the flip side:
How do we know that the Merc Lube is still the old formulation that is sufficient for every gearcase they have made, starting with the first one? Do we know that the shifting we are used to (cone engagement) is really the way is should have been? Maybe all these years, the in/out clunk is at the very bottom of the tolerable scale and a good syn takes it to the top of the tolerance? How do we really know if one lube is better than the other?
Oh, and BTW, look at the "typical uses" in the lower section.
http://www.torcousa.com/products/product_detail.asp?intProductsGroupIDPK=114
We know because we are a Merc. HP Premier Dealer. Mercury High Perf Gear lube has superceded all previous Merc. gear lubes and was designed specifically for the Bravo cone clutch and the higher loads seen from the Big Blocks. It is not a synthetic oil. Technically there is no "tolerance" in the cone clutch shifting. There is a certain amount of allowable slip durring engagement. Any excessive slipping and the cone clutch will weld itself to the gear. The number one cone clutch failure is shifting while the engine is at too high an rpm.
I can't tell you if one is better than the other or by how much if it is. I can tell you that I have never had a failure due to oil. I am a Torco Distributor and use a lot of their product. The "typical uses" you refer to talks only about the #6 drive. There is no cone clutch in a #6 drive, and the Torco (100% synthetic) is the oil Merc. HP recommends for the #6.
I was only saying that the "softer" feel in shifting could be the result of slipping due to the synthetic. It might not be a problem at all. :D

[Beer-30]

That's what I was getting at. It might not be a problem at all. Also, if the shifting took LONGER, I would be worried. Such as in an automatic trans, the longer the shift takes, the more wear is occurring. I am sure you know this.
What I feel in the B-1 is a very slightly "softer" engagement. As in standard transmissions when an outstanding lube doesnt "crush" during engagement. It just seems to cushion the clutch. I have not noticed any slipping.
Yes, I know the #6 doesn't have any clutch, I was simply pointing out that Merc DOESN'T recommend their own oil for their own drive - in that application.
Really, it's to each their own. Some like Torco, some like Redline, some like Royal Purple, some like Swepco. They are all top oils. I am sure there is nothing wrong with Quicksilver, either. It just seems to be a mainstream, average fluid. I have a personal experience in a fast spinning, highly loaded overdrive unit that Torco was the only oil that could live in it. That is why I use it. Good points either way.

[gmocnik]

just had preventitve maintainence done on my max machine drive...they returned it with redline in it....
warranty???? no such thing....

[Beer-30]

Well, on one hand, I would probably not run anything but MFG oil during the first year of a brand new Mercury product - just to play by the rules. After the year warranty is up, there is no question one can run whatever they feel is best. Not that anyone could really actually tell what was run in something after it blew up.
Sure, with an aftermarket product - Worx, Imco, Teague, etc, run what they suggest - or if different than what you want to run, ask them.
You don't go down the GM dealership and get Goodwrench oil for your car/truck everytime you change the oil, right? Run what you want. It's a free country.
Redline is great stuff. No problem with that.

[acatitude]

Cale I have an imco extreme s/c and use redline heavy weight in mine. no issues due to oil.only thing ive seen is a few people had there resevoir over flow when using heavy weight so they mixed heavy and lightweight together. i havent had that problem. or they didnt fill to full line to allow for expansion or whatever happens in there.