Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

[coveredup]

Sorry for this post -- I know it must have been asked before -- but several searches have not found it -- must be searching wrong <br /><br />--<br /><br />I Have Bright Green lower unit fluid in the Blige after filling the Gear reservoir on the front of the Mercruiser 350 engine on my 1999 Wellcraft with an Alpha one outdrive. It takes about three days to empty but I have filled it three times now and a week later the fluid is in the blige.<br /><br />The obvious source of the leak is at the reservoir or in the hose --- <br /><br />I have removed the Reservoir and run my fingers along the hose -- and do not feel or see where it is coming from --<br /><br />But once the hose gets to the rear of the engine it gets VERY hard to find where it is going.... <br />but that appears to the next step --- AFter talking to a boat friend he indicated the hose goes to a fitting on the Tramsom and probably is clamped on. <br /><br />Since the ( Boat )hose is now 7 years old -- I would think it has a leak in the "hard to get at " area -- luckly for me <br /><br />Any tips or hints for swaping this hose out -- <br /><br />or ideas of what I am looking for ????<br /><br />my friend said to lay down in the engine area and feel along the hose to where it ends -- and then try to get a mirror on the bottom to see the connection .....

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Could be the yoke seal in the upper allowing oil to leak out and drain into the bilge.

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Thanks Doctur -- <br /><br />As I understand ( maybe mis-understand --very likely ) the Bellows will fill when one has a yoke seal leak ? <br /><br />Is there a way to figure out if the leak is from the Yoke seal or the Hose from the reservoir ? <br /><br />Can I tell if the bellows have fuild in them ??<br /><br />Thanks in advance

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

HUMMM --One more interesting item -- the leak does happen with the Lower Leg UP --- <br /><br />Have not tried filling the Reservoir and then storing with it down -- would that help ??

 

[Don S]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Remove the drive and look for oil in the bellows.<br />That drive should be pulled yearly and alignment checked anyway. Plus lubing the ujoints, checking them, and also lubing the gimbal bearing. Which if it has the gear lube going through it is long out of grease and isn't long for the world.

 

[I/O WALDO]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Those reservoirs have a screw-in fitting where the hose attaches to the res.which gets loose and leaks down the hose.

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Thanks Waldo <br /><br />I checked the Reservoir and the tubing and no joy --- looks very clean -- no oil <br /><br /><br />I was reading another post here about oil and water in the blige -- and it occured to me that I was taking on lots of water last weekend when out -- when I pulled up the ramp I removed the plug and several gallons flowed out -- didn't think too much about it at the time -- but now I am getting suspicious about the yoke in the upper unit-- <br /><br />Should I take this out again and check out where the water is coming from before I go crazy here ? or will that do more damage if the Yoke is in trouble.....<br /><br /><br />Also, I guess my blidge pump isn't automatic -- thought it was -- should I get that changed ?<br /><br /><br />Thanks for the ideas

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

O forgot -- this boat just had the drive pulled -- BUT it has not been used for about three years --- <br /><br />So -- I guess they would have checked the bellows for oil -- but ?? would there have been any under these conditions ??<br /><br />Maybe I should have them take a second look ??

 

[Don S]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

What you probably have is a bad ujoint bellows. Water gets into the drive and pushes the oil out.<br />You are destroying the gimbal bearing, ujoints, and drive with all that water.<br />Plus you probably have water in the drive. Water is not a lubricant.<br />So unless you want to be spending big bucks, you better be finding out real soon where the water is coming from. Get that drive off the boat and the gear lube checked for water.

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Guess -- as a check I could open the lower unit bottom drain and see if water is in the Gear Lube??

 

[Don S]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

PULL THE %*&#%#@$ DRIVE.<br /><br />There is probably some VERY EXPENSIVE water in the bellows.<br />All it would take is that big ring cut when the drive was installed last time. And things do go bad just sitting for years

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Will call today --- THANKS

 

[QC]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

I'm with Don S. Same symptoms and same cause as he suggests occurred on my old boat with an Alpha a few years back. You mentioned "bright green", right? Not the same color as when you put it into the reservoir, right?

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

It seems to be the same color -- as what I put into the reservoir<br /><br />and since the reservoir is empty after several days of storage -- I am very sure it is that fluid...

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

So, if the water is in the drive ( ujoint Bellows )should I have them change out the -- gimbal bearing, ujoints, Yoke seal ?? ujoint bellows while in there ??

 

[QC]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Oh. Mine was colored more like the looogee I just hocked up . . .

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

If there is water in drive, and when pulling the drive you see oil or water inside the drive shaft bellows, then YES.. Do everything.. Get the drive resealed, new bellows kit, new U-joint, new Gimbal bearing, and mind as well do the shft cable while your at it... Then at least you know where you stand for the next few years... I had this done minus the U-joint for around $600 if I remember correctly...

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Then again, all could be well except for a drip off of the hose fitting on the gimbal assembly inside the boat behind the engine... Yes its hard to get to. My present boat has this exact problem... I think I may have to pull a riser to squeeze in there...

 

[coveredup]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

Hope so -- but I do have the water coming in from somewhere -- that may be signal that the Bellows is bad ???

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Green Gear Fluid in Blidge - lower Gear Mercruiser Alpha One

If the boat is moored, look at the inside of the transom shield.... There is a small hole above where the input shaft comes comes in the boat...If you have water seeping through this spot, you most likely have bad bellows.....JK