Gear Lube Reservoir

Cableguy Greg

What do you guys use to clean out the gear lube reservoir? Mine has sludge in the bottom of it and I would like to get it cleaned before my lower unit comes back from repair.

Handymans342

Brake cleaner.

Handymans342

Did you have a lot of sludge?

Cableguy Greg

It is about 1/4" thick. I have never cleaned it.

Michael T

Be careful when cleaning the reservoir.  If you have a rag or anything inside the reservoir anywhere near the float pin assembly it is easy to dislodge and if you do it can not be repaired. You'll have to buy a new one. There is an E clip holding the float onto the ss slide pin that can come off rather easily. Don't catch anything on it or it will come off. Ask me how I know. :-( To clean them I just drained them with a turkey baster - CAREFULLY (the second time lol) with a soft lint free rag that had some new gear lube soaked into the tip - worked great and didn't introduce contaminants from another product, then refilled the reservoirs.

Handymans342

Brake cleaner. Evaporates quickly

rasbury

Why would there be that much sludge?

Black_Diamond

The oil breaks down from sitting. 

Brake cleaner works well or mineral spirits too.  

zaverin1

Last yet My tanks were nasty on the bottom. I took them to work and used mineral spirits to clean them out. This season they drained normal
and no sludge.
its from age and not cleaning I assume 
we are dealing with gear lube oil and not something super thin

Cableguy Greg

I went the easy route... I bought a new bottle from Wholesale Marine. It cost me $41.

Cableguy Greg

I cleaned the old bottle, but I should have listened to @Michael T . I tried using Acetone, which made a real mess. Got some Mineral Spirits and it cleaned right up. Now I have an extra bottle for the next time.

zaverin1

Yep I cleaned my bottles in our parts washer which runs minerals and came out great