"Grinding" noise from sterndrive

[flabum]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

Got a bigger problem as water came out as soon as I broke the seal. What next?

Sounds like the u-joint bellows is split. You will need to replace the bellows and Gimball Bearing and if that water has been there for a while, you will need to replace the u-joints as well.

 

[Don S]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

All you are finding now is why (at the beginning of this thread) I suggested you pull the drive and find out what all your problems are. Guessing without looking may or may not find everything.
The ujoint shaft is probably froze (rusted) into the gimbal bearing. You now have to pull the drive and the gimbal bearing at the same time. The 2X4 trick has worked for many, but it also may not, just because of rust and corrosion.
Did you ever check the gear lube in the drive? It may be milky. If so, it probably came in thru the input shaft seal. Once the yoke gets rusty it grids the seal down. Along with cooling of the drive after a run will suck water in it.
Better check if you haven't already.

 

[JustJason]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

use the trim rams to push it off... just make sure you have someone to catch it

 

[Captain Obvious]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

After recovering from the plague-like illness going around, I'm getting back to the boat.

I tried using the trim rams to help push the leg back, but it won't move (tilts up and down, but doesn't slide off). Kind of curious since it moved back about an inch originally and then stopped. Now it doesn't want to move back on either.

I'm thinking of putting a rope through the opening, since there's room and pulling it off that way. I hope with that, and using the trim rams maybe I can make some progress.

I noticed someone else is having the same issue, so I'll update my progress (or lack of).


Cheers.

 

[flabum]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

The input shaft of the drive is seized into the gimball bearing. It is very possible that when the drive comes off, the bearing will come with it. It's going to take some real pressure.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

So I've finally made some progress, and have been reading the manual. Looking back, some of my original comments were hopes, guesses, and mostly made out of fear / ignorance. Thanks for wading through it!



I finally got the drive off, and water is in the bellows that cover the drive shaft. The water looked clean, whether that makes any difference or not.

The bellows do look new. An impeller change and "full drive service" was done prior to me buying the boat this year, though I'm not sure of all that was included in that service. No holes found yet although I'm guessing the water either came in through a hole in the bellows, or the rubber gasket that goes on the drive shaft pilot (couldn't find the name for the gasket). I hope to definitively find the cause before repairing and reassembling.

The u-joints are surface rusted and the inside of the bellows are shown in the photos below. I've read back on old posts, and it sounds like the u-joint should be replaced if exposed to water, so that's the plan. I haven't read too much into the process involved there yet. I can only imagine the gimbal bearing is shot as well.?.

I also plan on changing the drive oil to see if water got into the leg itself.

Reading the manual, it talks about installing the bell housing, but not much on removing it. It looks like that's next to get to the gimbal bearing, but I'm not sure. When I reach in, I don't feel anything except grease in the hole shown here. Beyond the opening looks to have not had any water penetrate based on what I can see. It looks to be contained inside the bellows.

Either way, I'm thinking I have to take the bell housing off to replace the bellows.

So here's the question. I clearly don't have any experience, but am willing to try the repairs if the odds aren't completely stacked against me. I've read about the puller needed to get the gimbal bearing out, and the one for installing the bellows. Just a bit afraid of making a mistake and ending up right back here in a few months.

Thanks again, I'll be reading up on changing the u-joint in the mean time.

 

[Don S]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

Go to the link below and download manual #6. Section 4A covers replacing the bellows, and gimbal bearing.

http://www-alt.mercurymarine.com/mnetdata/sisdata/srvcovr.pdf

 

[ziggy]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

so what'd ya end up doing to get it off co?

looks like ya got a little work ahead of ya for sure..... i had rusty ujoints too this fall, so far, on my 1 drive which is simalar to yer alpha1, i'm up to replaceing...

gimble brg
drive bellows
shift cable bellow
shift cable
shift shaft lever
shift shaft
shift shaft seal
water hose
my drive is now apart and awaiting replacement of
ujoints
ft seal
ft brgs
yoke, gear end

while i'm there, i recon i'll be onto a impeller too. it just goes on and on and on......

so far i've done lots a learing......use yer oem service manaul and the forum....

try yer local autoparts store for a puller to remove the gimble brg. orileys had one for me, no charge either, a fully refundable excessive deposit.

ya don't have to pull the gimble housing to R&R the gimble brg.

yer gonna need some special tools. there killing me for $'s to get the deed done. think i'm goin out for a torque wrench today.... other tools yer gonna need are mercruiser tools only....$$$$$ maybe get to be friends with yer local dealer(after many dollars spent there). mines let me use a couple of his merc tools........

anyways, glad yer gettin ontoit.....

any water in the drive lub? metal fragments? metal dust? if so, maybe one of thems sei drives...... there cheap.......i'm up to $700 round abouts for what i've descibed that i'm up to..... a couple a tools in that figure, but still ... pretty pricey.... another 500 and i could have a sei......brand new, chineze parts and all i suppose.....

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

deleted after i saw the pics.....WOW my gimbal bearing looked as bad as that. My U joints were rusty but not near as bad WOW

 

[peejcj8]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

I feel your pain, 2 years ago I had a leaky bellow that jacked my bearings and joints. Mine is a 280 Volvo drive, so I had to have the engine removed to get both bearings. I had a mech do the work for me, they forgot to tighten the bellow clamp when all work was done. A year later they did all the work over again.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

ziggy, I used the board shown in the photo of the u-joint. Put it between the transom, attached the trim rams and slowly tilted up. The drive and it came off, but it was on there pretty good!


So it looks like changing the u-joint assembly is the easiest part. Just need to get (hopefully borrow) the bearing wrench. The cost for replacement parts has been a bit of sticker shock for me though...

I'm starting to think that I need to drain the drive oil before messing with the u-joint to see if there is water or metal shavings in the drive. If so, it looks like buying a new aftermarket drive could be cheaper than fixing mine? Ooof.

 

[flabum]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

There most likely will be some water in the gearcase, but that does not meant the parts inside are trashed. I'd just replace what is necessary including the input shaft seal and refill the gearcase with fresh oil. As long as there are no chunks of metal, you should be ok. Just a lot of stuff to replace in that gimball housing.

 

[Don S]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

If so, it looks like buying a new aftermarket drive could be cheaper than fixing mine? Ooof.

No, replacing a drive because it needs ujoints is crazy. You might need an input shaft seal and possibly a yoke if it got all rusty and pitted, but even if you take the drive to a dealer for the repairs, it would be a LOT less than an aftermarket drive and the freight.
If you took the upper gear case to a dealer to get repairs you would be looking at an hour, maybe an hour and a half labor (plus parts) to replace the ujoints, input shaft seal, and yoke.

Using all OEM Merc parts, including yoke, 2 ujoints, seals, and orings the list price is about $225 for parts, and even at 100 bucks an hour labor for 1.5 hours you are only looking at $375 bucks.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

Thank you guys again for the feedback.

I'm looking forward to getting to work, and making some progress!

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

After having all of pretty much the same work done that your doing + the dreaded transom seal....My boat leaked like an SOB when I water tested it this week.....So disappointed...

My mechanic was like? HMMM WTF....So I get a call this afternoon and he?s already got the motor out and by tomorrow will have another transom seal in. He wanted to do it all over again just to make sure as he said the 1st attempt seemed OK but he had some drama and didn?t think much of it but apparently he should have.

So after he redoes it again we will run to the lake so he can see for him self.....IM SAYING go water test your boat after you do all the work if you had a leak in the 1st place to see if you stay dry before you pull the boat off the trailer. IM glad I listened to my mechanic and looked at the engine bay before I started the motor.

 

[Don S]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

The easiest thing to do when these things leak like that and the engine is out is to put the drive on with new gaskets (6 bucks) cap the exhaust y so water won't come in. Then back the transom down into the water. Have it strapped to the trailer so it doesn't float. Then set where the engine used to be and start looking. If no leaks, pull the drive back off and put the engine in. If it does leak, you can see exactly where it's still leaking at.

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

Don

Thats exactly what I aske my macahnic if he wanted to do that this time around.

Hes got another guy with him this weekend to knock out some backed up work and he says he may have it all back togehter by this afternoon. Then we will take it to the lake to water check. I just hope it dont leak again becuase Id hate them to have to pull the motor again.

He may have a place to tank test the install before hand and they may very well be doing that as well.

I honestly dont think he replaced the Y pipe O ring last time around and after I mentioned that to him after your advise he said hed do it this time. He said mine looked good but with this stuff you never know. I think he should have replaced the o ring regaurdless since this is a PITA / impossible to do once the motor is in.

Like it says......
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time,
But always enough time to do it again?

 

[Captain Obvious]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

I just got most of my parts in and started working again on replacing my gimbal bearing. I need to remove the bell housing next.

I've taken the trim senders off, and am trying to remove the shift slide. The set screw in the end is S T U C K. I've tried PB Blaster, and have succeeded in stripping the inside out using a 1/8 allen wrench.

Any other ideas to work around this? Other than hacksaw through the shift slide, I can't think of how else to get this set screw out.

Thanks!

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

I just got most of my parts in and started working again on replacing my gimbal bearing. I need to remove the bell housing next.

I've taken the trim senders off, and am trying to remove the shift slide. The set screw in the end is S T U C K. I've tried PB Blaster, and have succeeded in stripping the inside out using a 1/8 allen wrench.

Any other ideas to work around this? Other than hacksaw through the shift slide, I can't think of how else to get this set screw out.

Thanks!

Cut the cable & replace it.....
The new cable kit will come with a new one.....

 

[Don S]

Re: "Grinding" noise from sterndrive

besides, removing that set screw won't allow you to remove the inner cable anyway. You have to remove the parts from the inside of the boat on the other end of the cable, then pull the arm and inner cable out as 1 piece.

Unless you replace the cable, then do as haut says and cut it. If you replace the cable, replace the shift cable bellows too.