Outboard Lower Unit Care : Maintenance Matters
Your outboard’s lower unit is vital to its overall performance. Simple maintenance procedures, regularly performed, will mean hours of trouble-free enjoyment and increased value.
Maintain lower unit
Regularly inspect the lower unit following these steps:
Remove the prop and apply marine grease to the prop shaft.
Remove the lower drain plug and check the color of the lubricant, if you notice any entanglement around the propeller shaft. If your lubricant is white or milky in appearance, water has entered your gearcase. Your lower unit should be disassembled and inspected, and its seals should be replaced before using your outboard again.
Change the gear lube. The extreme pressures exerted inside an outboard’s lower unit eventually break down a lubricant’s effectiveness. Use Yamalube® Gearcase Lube (Gearcase Lube HD for V8 models) according to the schedule in your owner’s or service manual to protect your investment. Your dealer can do this, or it’s easy to do it yourself. For DIY-ers, be sure to replace the vent and drain screw seals each time.
Check out the full list of maintenance tips from Yamaha Outboards
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