Is my reservoir leaking?

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Jun 16, 2020
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Hi, first time boat owner, and first post here. I bought a 2005 Ebbtide 200. Has a v6 with an Alpha One gen 2 drive. I got it home and discovered a hole in the exhaust bellow. Figured the other bellows are probably getting old, so I bought a bellows kit and started to tackle the job. Found the u joints were shot as there was a bit of oil and maybe water in the bellow. Then I found the reservoir tube broke off the gimbal housing connector... Which means the lower unit was exposed to water.

Frustrated new owner, I took it back to the boat store and they checked out the lower unit, replaced a few things, and put it all back together.

I get it home and hook up my suction boots and go to start it up and the loud siren is warning me my gear lube reservoir is empty. I figure they didn't put any oil in it, so I fill it up. Some time later,I notice the level had gone down and I see green oil running up the bottom of the boat, the nose is downhill.

I checked the hose from the reservoir all the way back to the connector on the back of the boat and no oil anywhere. Bottom of the reservoir is dry. The shop replaced that hose.

My only thought is the oil in the boat is maybe from the old hose when they replaced it, and the draining oil is filling up the last pockets of air in the lower unit? Where else could the oil in the reservoir be going? I don't see any coming out of the lower unit.
 

alldodge

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May have leaked out when they had it prior to hose being replaced

The issue is you filled the bottle and it drained back out. Remove the top vent plug on the drive and see if its full of lube.

Any lube dripping by the drive?
 
Joined
Jun 16, 2020
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Removed the vent plug,lube started running out.

I clean the bottom of the boat with some Dawn and engine degreaser, filled it back up with lube, and again saw oil in the bottom and the reservoir drained.

What does the other end of the hose connect to from the reservoir? Seems like the oil is coming from somewhere past the hose.

I at least feel confident there are no leaksin the lower unit at this point.
 

alldodge

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The hose goes to the transom fitting. The fitting goes thru the transom where another hose is connected which goes to the drive. Is the lube pouring out on the ground?
 
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No, it's leaking into the hull. Can I replace the fitting inside the boat without taking the transom off? I'm guessing that fitting is broke.
 

alldodge

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No, it's leaking into the hull. Can I replace the fitting inside the boat without taking the transom off? I'm guessing that fitting is broke.

Yes, but may need to remove drive bell housing to finish it. In any case it will be tight and a PIA to get at
 
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