DP-A gear oil check?

[quint]

I want to check the gear oil in my 91 DP-A to make sure there is no water in the oil. I want to remove the lower unit drain plug and let a small amount of oil drain into a bowl/pan. My question is...will I be able to get a a new oring in while gear oil is dripping out. I want the oring to seat correctly when i put the threaded plug back in. A V/P mech. changed out the gear oil in the beginning of the season last year and pressure tested it. I did not put enough hours on the drive last season to warrant a gear oil change. I heard if you have any water in the drive it will settle to the bottom..is this true.

 

[racerone]

Water will be at the bottom if motor has not run for a while.-------------Hold thumb over oil drain hole and have an assistant change o-ring on the plug.

 

[quint]

See Pic. Orings I recieved from VP(iboats) dont match..the red one on the right is what I took out of my dp-a drive. There was no water present in the drive but the oring I ordered from VP part#955974 is not only a different color(black) but is a hare larger diameter and a not as beefy as the red one that came out...I put the new oring in anyway not leaking but it seams the oring on the upper housing(dipstick) is the same issue. I thought that the oring on the drain plug and the dipstick are the same part# oring? The oring on the dipstick is green? Any advice please. 1991 DP-A
View attachment 4020

 

[RicardoMarine]

Quint, that is correct, both drain plug and dip stick O-ring for the 290 drive are the same p/n.
It will be an O-ring, not a gasket on this drive.
Here's a generic O-ring that will work as long as the material is suitable for use in oil.
#2-110, OD = .575", ID = .360", thickness = .110"


Gear oil will be GL-5, not engine oil like the s/p drives.
Water will settle to the bottom if it has not become hydrogenated. Otherwise, it can take months to separate. You're actually better off if it did hydrogenate, as water that has separated will cause more damage than if not separated.

 

[quint]

Ricardo why is marine patrs europe showing part# 955989 for the dip stick upper housing? is my drive the same as 290 when i have a dp-a? i assume their the same generation

 

[RicardoMarine]

The dip stick for a 290 and 290A will be the same, therefor the O-ring should be the same.

If you have an "A" transmission, there will be a bump on either side of what would otherwise be the Bearing Box Clamping collar.
(see red arrow)

The BB and Clamping collar for the "A" transmission is an integral unit.... meaning one pc, instead of a separate steel BB and separate Aluminum collar.
The untrained person would not know this until they removed the BB.

This is a SP C style drive, but the BB is similar to the 290A transmission BB.
Note how the cylinders connect directly to the suspension fork on this drive, whereas yours connect to the anchorage bracket.
This is of no importance to you, just pointing it out.