1999 21v Maintenance Questions

[Yankees39]

I have had my 21v for a yr now. Its a 1999 21v limited with a Mercruiser MPI MAG. I changed the oil last August and impeller. I just changed the impeller again and feel like i should change the oil and V Drive fluids. Just not sure which fluids to change and how to do it other than the Engine Oil. It has roughly 200 hrs on it and it has been running great ( just spent 4 days at Lake Amistad and had a blast).

The steering being out of alignment (I think i need either a new steering cable or steering helm, Steering has slipped twice when i have been pulling a tube and turning to the left)

The throttle lever slowly moving back to neutral unless all the way pushed down or held (thank goodness for perfect pass but if the throttle isn't pushed all the way down you have to constantly give it gas because the lever gradually goes to neutral) I think i might be able to tighten something behind the throttle lever.

I believe I need to change the engine oil and the V drive and transmission oil?? couple questions.

Anyone know how much oil i should buy? 5 quarts? 6 quarts? I can't remember how much i bought last yr and i have a quart left over.

For the Velvet drive (i think this is the reverse unit bolted to the Engine) has a red handle to check the fluid level. Do i need to replace this oil?
Is this where i use Dexron III Transmission fluid?
How do i drain the existing oil?
Could i use my oil pump extractor by just putting the tube down the dipstick and suck the fluid out the same way i do with the engine oil? Then refill?
Any Idea on amount of fluid needed?



Also any idea what this poppit on the velvet drive is? it moves up and down seems to have a spring under it? Just curious.



This is my Walter Gear box i believe i need to change the oil in it and i think it takes 2 pints of SAE #30 oil. is that any SAE #30 oil?
I don't know if it has ever been changed.
Can i extract the Oil the same way again as the engine oil with my manual oil pump extractor? Im looking for the easiest quickest way to change the fluids?



I believe this is the Oil gauge dipstick



And this is the oil fill port?



I had to add a picture of my 6 yr old from the Lake Amistad trip. He is gonna be better than me soon, he now is crossing both wakes and jumping heel side. He has already passed his mother in skills but she is determined to try to get her skills back(which means more boat time for the family! not a bad thing!



Thanks Guys in advance for any help.

Not sure why i can't delete the last picture i think that is a water drain plug.

[Yankees39]

I know everyone loves pictures so i had to add a couple of my daughter who is dying to be able to surf or wakeboard. Wish I had a picture (only have video) of my 4 yr old son wake boarding for the first time on this trip, next time.

[Yankees39]

Any help on the questions above would be much appreciated. Thanks

[Ruger761]

Only 200hrs on it wouldn't hurt to change the velvet drive fluid, but probably not needed IMO. Here's a few notes on them. Def check the fluid level every now and then. Red handle is dipstick/fill port. Dextron III Use a pump to suck the oil out to change it. The poppit is a breather.

http://www.glen-l.com/inboard-hdw/velvetdrive.html

http://www.glen-l.com/inboard-hdw/ve...e-drawing.html

See if you have a rotary or rack-pinion style steering under help. Take a pic if you can. Both are easy to adjust.

Pretty typical that the spring on the throttle body will pull the throttle handle back to neutral also means cable is pretty free. For Perfect pass its actually better that you have that free of a cable.

Engine typ takes 5qt for mine using the drain hose. I don't have a V drive but I think they are 2-3 qt if I remember right from working on friends. I dont remember what oil change interval is. The drain plug is the square head plug on the bottom of the v-drive. Your correct on the v-drive dip stick. The other is a breather on the v-drive


Looks like your family is going to love it

[Yankees39]

Ruger761 thanks for the reply! I think I will change them just to be safe. Shouldn't be that hard.

I had pictures of the steering helm it's a Morse control but I must have deleted the pictures.

Can you adjust he spring on the throttle body to make it pull slightly less?

[Ruger761]

If its the Morse rotary you can pull the back plate off (about 4-5 bolts) and pull the cable out and adjust it.

If you adjust the spring tension your perfect pass wont work correctly. There might be a nut on the back side of the throttle handle you could tighten up to add a little more friction.

[Yankees39]

Perfect thanks! I'll take a look at the throttle handle.

[lee]

1999 should be a rotary steering unless changed out.

[Yankees39]

Thanks for the help guys! Changed the engine oil, Transmission Fluid ( well as I pulled the fluid out it was still red and clear so I only took out a quart and added a new quart) and then changed the VDrive oil.

Wasn't that bad at all so Hopefully all my fluid levels are correct! We will find out this weekend we are going to Ray Roberts lake for the first time.

Once again thanks for the help!

[pjku79]

Wow...great information. I just thought I would say thanks and try not to side track everything. I just purchased a 2002 with a 350 in it. Still trying to figure out most of the same details. I think I am going to take it to a shop and help so I can learn.

[jamesbond]

1999 21v Maintenance Questions

You probably don't need it but you should check your flame arrestor. I just pulled mine and it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in the 500+ hours on my boat. While you're at it you should snap me a pick of your throttle body throttle cable side I have same boat as you and PP says I need add a throttle return spring, I'm curious if yours has one. That would make sense to why your throttle lever creeping back to neutral.

[Yankees39]

Here are pictures of the throttle body cable side. There definitely is a spring there. Not sure if it's adjustable to eliminate the throttle lever return the nuetral position. Wish I could figure it out. It gets fairly annoying when it keeps creeping back.

[Yankees39]

Sorry I'm not sure why they posted sideways and upside down.