Lower Unit making noise on turns...help...

[tcgravy]

This problem started at the end of last summer and seems to be getting a little worse. Took it out over the weekend....

Mercruiser Alpha I Gen I on a 1987 Baja Sunsport, 350 I/O. Shifts into gear fine, runs fine, turns fine...without the noise you wouldnt notice anything being wrong.

Problem is at lower speeds when the wheel is turned all the way (left or right) there is a definite clicking/clunking sound coming from the lower unit. Only when wheel is all the way cranked in one direction. I can only notice it at lower speeds, but I think thats just because I cant hear it at higher speeds because of engine noise. Even at high speeds it turns just fine.

I was thinking maybe gimbal bearing or U-joint.....looking for input here.....

 

[Don S]

Re: Lower Unit making noise on turns...help...

Probably ujoints. That's why you should pull the outdrive at least once a year (usually during winterization) then you can check engine alignment, grease the input shaft into the coupler and check for water in the bellows.
If there is water in the bellows, you will need ujoints and gimbal bearing and probably an input shaft yoke going into the drive. They get rusty and take out the seal.
You probably also have water in the drive, have you checked the gear lube lately?

 

[tcgravy]

Re: Lower Unit making noise on turns...help...

Took everything apart, it all feels fine.

No water in the bellows or lower unit oil. Gimbal feels fine as do u-joints. Not sure where to look from here....thinking that u-joints might be going and just havent completely went yet. Going to try and run it a little bit and then see if they're getting any worse.