Frozen swivel tube DT140

[reel compromise]

When I disconnected the center Teleflex cylinder(for repair) from the two 2003 140DFs on my Glacier Bay 2640 i found that the engines needed lots of muscle to move them. This was the first time disconnecting them. I pumped more grease in the single zerk fitting and found that grease only ozzing out the bottom of the swivel tube. Its obvious now that grease was not moving up the upper half of the tube for many years??-there is some rust at the top area of the tube.What a crummy design for the sake of another 25 cent fitting.

The fix?? its been suggested heating up the tube to melt the frozen grease?? Drill and add one/two zerk fittings in upper section and try to force pump out the old grease?? Buy a zerk fitting impact pump filled with WD 40 and blow it out?
My mechanic had to take an engine and bracket apart and press the tube apart.
Any suggestions to tackle this problem is appreciated.

Reel Compromise

[boats.net]

I agree, first try drilling and tapping a new Zerk fitting. Be very carefull, there are plastic bushings and rubber seals in there. Rubber should be at bottom. If you do decide to heat, be extremely careful not to over heat.

[reel compromise]

Fixed it

As suggested I drilled a hole on each side of tube about 1 1/2 inch down from top through Al tube and plastic bushing-easy job. Then lots of penetrating oil and rotation-10 min later working great-tapped and put in grease fittings and its done..... Suzuki design needs grease fitting top and bottom.

Thanks

[noelm007]

very common problem with all brands, the grease only coming out the bottom!!! you will need to be 100% sure you use ONLY marine grease, not water proof or bearing grease, or it will seize up again very soon, true marine grease (I use OMC Triple Gaurd) will not go hard and seize up like the stuff you have now, be prepared to do it again very soon if you used plain old water proof grease. The proper fix, is to dismantle, clean all the crap out and start again, same goes for any steering parts, you might be lucky and be able to pump enough grease into it to clean old the old crud (maybe)

[zx7king]

reel compromise...

Glad you got the issue fixed. I have to do the same thing. You mentioned drilling 1.5 inches down from the top. Do you have any pictures or can you further explain measuring from exactly where. I am nervous about drilling into the bushing. Also, where did you get the new zerk fittings?

Thanks in advance,
Charles

[Solarman]

Both of my 140's have done the same thing, though my starboard was much stiffer.

I just use a hand held turbo torch (propane gas), produces enough heat to free the old grease inside the tube. The smaller propane torches don't heat it enough. Once you get grease at top seam bubbling, it's hot enough. I work the torch all around the center from the existing zerk fitting upwards to about 2” from top seam.
I haven't drilled any new fittings. I do agree, Suzuki should consider an additional fitting for the top.
I will say, that the grease isn't the problem (this happens on all outboards), grease normally will dry out if not freshened up, and think location of zerk is to close to bottom to force fresh grease upwards.

Good luck.

[zx7king]

thanks Solarman!

After you had the grease bubbling, did you just shoot new grease in there and the old was displaced out of the top or bottom?

[Solarman]

Once heated, I did put new grease in, but it loosened with old grease. Zerk is too close to bottom and still comes out bottom. But haven't had problems since heated up, 3 months ago.

Good luck.