An outboard motor for a marine vessel application, transmission devices for such an outboard motor, and related methods of making, operating, and modifying attributes of same, are disclosed herein. In at least one embodiment, the motor includes a horizontal-crankshaft engine in an upper portion of the motor, positioned substantially above a trimming axis of the motor. In at least another embodiment, first, second and third transmission devices are employed to transmit rotational power from the engine to propeller(s). In at least a further embodiment, the motor is made to include a rigid interior assembly formed by the engine, multiple transmission devices, and a further structural component. In further embodiments, the motor includes numerous cooling, exhaust, and/or oil system components, and/or other transmission features. In at least some additional embodiments, a transmission device of the motor is configured to facilitate gear ratio variation and/or includes an integrated oil pump.

A propeller drive assembly for transferring a torque between an engine and at least one propeller of a water surface vessel includes a plurality of lubrication clients. The propeller drive assembly includes a first lubrication system arranged to house a first lubricant, dedicated for lubrication of at least one first of the lubrication clients, and a second lubrication system arranged to house a second lubricant, dedicated for lubrication of at least one second of the lubrication clients, the at least one second lubrication client includes a seal arranged to seal the second lubrication system from a body of water surrounding at least a portion of the propeller drive assembly, the second lubrication system being arranged to transport the second lubricant to the seal.

A marine outboard engine comprises an internal combustion engine, a gearcase defining a gearcase chamber, a plurality of gears disposed in the gearcase chamber, a driveshaft operatively connecting the crankshaft to the plurality of gears, an output shaft disposed at least in part in the gearcase chamber and being operatively connected to the plurality of gears, a rotor connected to the output shaft for propelling the marine outboard engine, a lubricant reservoir for holding lubricant, a first lubricant conduit fluidly connecting the lubricant reservoir to the crankcase chamber for supplying lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the crankcase chamber, and a second lubricant conduit fluidly connecting the lubricant reservoir to the gearcase chamber for supplying lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the gearcase chamber.

Embodiments of outboard motors and related systems and components thereof, as well as arrangements of marine vessels implementing same, as well as related methods of operation, use, assembly, and manufacture, and related improvements, are disclosed herein. In at least some embodiments, the outboard motor includes a cowling system in which at least one divider portion separates an interior region into first and second portion, with the transmission and engine respectively being situated in the first and second portions, respectively. Additionally, in at least some embodiments, the outboard motor includes a water pump system in which a water pump is integrated with the transmission. Further, in at least some embodiments, the outboard motor includes a fuel vaporization suppression feature, or an oil tank feature that allows for desirable oil drainage from the engine of the outboard motor particularly when the outboard motor is in particular (e.g., storage) positions.

An outboard motor has a top cowl and a service lid on the top cowl is movable into and between a closed position enclosing the powerhead compartment and an open position providing manual access to the powerhead compartment from above the outboard motor. An engine is in the powerhead compartment, wherein a peripheral gap is defined between the top cowl and the engine. A serviceable engine oil device is in the peripheral gap and is manually accessible from above the outboard motor when the service lid is in the open position. A serviceable transmission fluid device is in the peripheral gap and is manually accessible from above the outboard motor when the service lid is in the open position. A serviceable gearcase fluid device is in the peripheral gap and is manually accessible from above the outboard motor when the service lid is in the open position.

An outboard propulsion system comprising an engine configured to receive oil; an oil pan configured to receive oil from the engine; and an oil reservoir configured to receive oil from the oil pan and provide oil to the engine, in use.

An outboard motor having an internal combustion engine that rotates a driveshaft disposed in a driveshaft housing, a transmission that is operatively connected to the driveshaft and is disposed in a transmission housing located below the driveshaft housing, a set of angle gears that operatively connect the transmission to a propulsor for imparting a propulsive force in a body of water, wherein the set of angle gears are located in a lower gearcase located below the transmission housing, and a lubrication system that circulates lubricant to and from the transmission.

A system for determining an oil amount in a marine drive includes an oil level sensor that senses an oil level in the sump and temperature sensor sensing an engine temperature. A control module for the system is configured to determine that the engine temperature is greater than a temperature threshold, and that an engine speed exceeds a speed threshold for at least a predetermined time period or that a throttle position exceeds a throttle position threshold. If both such conditions are met, and a threshold drop in engine speed to an idle threshold is detected or a threshold change in throttle position to an idle position is detected, then an oil level in the sump is sampled with an oil level sensor. An oil amount is then determined based on the sampled oil level in the sump.

This propulsion apparatus for a ship includes an upper case supported by a hull, a lower case pivotably supported by the upper case, a screw disposed in an area submerged in external water in the lower case and configured to generate propulsion power, a feeding flow channel configured to feed a fluid to the lower case from the upper case via relatively pivoting sliding parts of the upper case and the lower case, and a returning flow channel configured to return the fluid to the upper case from the lower case via the sliding parts, an annular space is provided between the sliding part on the side of the upper case and the sliding part on the side of the lower case and the annular space is partitioned into a first arc-shaped passage and a second arc-shaped passage by a plurality of partition walls, any one of the first arc-shaped passage and the second arc-shaped passage is in communication with the feeding flow channel, and the other of the first arc-shaped passage and the second arc-shaped passage is in communication with the returning flow channel.

An outboard motor includes an upper case, a lower case including an oil reservoir chamber, an oil flow passage, and an oil flow passage shutoff valve. When the lower case is detached from the upper case, the oil flow passage is separated into an upper oil flow passage in the upper case and a lower oil flow passage in the lower case and connected to the oil reservoir chamber. The oil flow passage shutoff valve opens the lower oil flow passage in a state in which the lower case has been attached to the upper case. The oil flow passage shutoff valve closes the lower oil flow passage in a state in which the lower case has been detached from the upper case.