Laboratory Oil Analysis of Lower Unit Oil

[Rumford Grady]

Do any of you folks ever send your lower unit oil out for a lab analysis as a way to try to 'predict' upcoming problems with your LU? I'm just curious on anyone's experience doing this. Thank you, and I love this forum.

 

[richie rich]

since its a gearbox, you can usually tell if there are issues just by visual inspection...milky color means a water intrusion issue and look for mettallic silt in the oil....a little is normal, a lot means something is wearing bad.....unlike engine oil which changes color due to heat and contamination from soot/gas etc...gear oil stays relatively clean unless it was overheated somehow.....every year I change it, the fluid still looks pretty good....

 

[DaleH]

FWIW my family has run from 8 to 15 OB motors per year for the last dozen years, and no less than 6 or more for the previous 30 years ... and have never had a LU issue nor need to do that.