Systems and methods for suspending a lubricant in a marine propulsion device

A system for suspending a lubricant in a marine propulsion device having a gearcase, the gearcase defining a gearset cavity for containing a propeller shaft gearset rotated by a driveshaft, the system comprising:

• an oil scraper positioned in the gearset cavity such that the lubricant disposed on the propeller shaft gearset is diverted therefrom;
• a reservoir located away from the gearset cavity and configured to contain the lubricant diverted from the propeller shaft gearcase therein;
• an input passage that conveys the lubricant diverted by the oil scraper to the reservoir;
• and
• an output passage that conveys the lubricant from the reservoir to the gearset cavity;
• wherein rotation of the propeller shaft gearset generates a pressure that forces the lubricant into the reservoir via the input passage.

A method for suspending a lubricant in a marine propulsion device having a gearcase, the gearcase defining a gearset cavity for containing a propeller shaft gearset rotated by a driveshaft, the method comprising:

• pumping the lubricant away from the gearset cavity with a pumping device;
• positioning a reservoir at least as high as the propeller shaft gearset, wherein the reservoir is configured to contain the lubricant pumped by the pumping device;
• fluidly connecting an input passage for conveying the lubricant from the pumping device to the reservoir;
• and
• fluidly connecting an output passage for the lubricant to drain from the reservoir into the gearset cavity;
• wherein the reservoir is configured to retain a portion of the lubricant circulating between the gearset cavity and the reservoir to reduce a remaining portion of the lubricant in the gearset cavity to thereby reduce drag for the propeller shaft gearset rotating therein.