Need help with a leak

[Alumarine]

I've got a leak between my stern drive and engine that I can't figure out.

I'm assuming it's a bellows but I pulled the drive and can't see or feel anything wrong.

It's a slow leak that increases when the drive is up and decreases to almost nil when the drive is down.

It seems be just below the u-joint bellows.

I'm sure all the gaskets are good.

I know I need to look for it but I just can't see it.
I've tried a mirror as well as my camera no luck.

If the exhaust bellows is torn could that cause a leak?

I guess what I need to know is could it be anything but a bellows?

Thanks and sorry for being vague.

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: Need help with a leak

Is it leaking into the boat? or into the cavity where the U Joints are? there is a seal where the shaft goes through the bearing in the gimbal housing so a leak in the large bellows shouldn't leak into the boat. however a leak in the shift bellows will

 

[Jaysad]

Re: Need help with a leak

Maybe a wire grommit?
Trim sender wire to tight?

 

[Alumarine]

Re: Need help with a leak

Is it leaking into the boat? or into the cavity where the U Joints are? there is a seal where the shaft goes through the bearing in the gimbal housing so a leak in the large bellows shouldn't leak into the boat. however a leak in the shift bellows will

It's leaking into the boat.
Quite a bit when the drive is up and almost none when drive is down.

Are you saying that it's not possible for a torn u-joint bellows to leak into the boat? How about a torn exhaust bellows.

I'll have to triple check the shift cable bellows although the leak seems higher than that.

Maybe a wire grommit?
Trim sender wire to tight?

I think the sender wire has long since been removed, I'll check.

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: Need help with a leak

If the seal is good behind the gimbal bearing, it shouldn't leak into the boat, however if its not, it will. The fact that it changes with drive position would lead me to belive it is a bellow issue. There is also a seal where the shifter shaft goes through the gimbal housing, that keeps water from entering that chamber.

The bellows are not easy take on and off but if it was me i would pull them and inspect them. If water is getting in to the u joint area, it is washing the grease from the bearings in the u joint and the gimbal bearing. Also the seals in the top of the upper unit are made to oil in, not water out. make sure your drive oil does not have water in it!

Hope this helps

 

[Alumarine]

Re: Need help with a leak

That does help, thanks.
I do have water in the oil and milkshake in the u-joint bellows.

I just had the drive resealed and believe they did a good job.
I pressure tested it 2 weeks ago and it was fine then.

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: Need help with a leak

even if passes a pressure test, water will get past the seal from the top! It realy sounds like a torn main bellows to me! Good luck!

 

[Alumarine]

Re: Need help with a leak

even if passes a pressure test, water will get past the seal from the top! It realy sounds like a torn main bellows to me! Good luck!

Thanks for your help.

I'll remove all bellows and inspect them.

I'll take it to a shop to have the new bellows installed but is it easy to remove them for inspection?

 

[dubs283]

Re: Need help with a leak

shouldn't need to remove them to inspect them

if there is that much water leaking into the boat it will be fairly obvious to see the problem with a few minutes of inspection

some transom plates have a weep hole above the gimbal bearing so if the u-joint bellows is damaged, water will leak into the boat

 

[Alumarine]

Re: Need help with a leak

shouldn't need to remove them to inspect them

if there is that much water leaking into the boat it will be fairly obvious to see the problem with a few minutes of inspection

You would think so, but we sure haven't been able to find the source.

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: Need help with a leak

when mine busted i didnt find it till i removed it, it was top and botom about 1" tears. but mine didnt leak into the boat, no weep holes in mine, I think that is in the newer alphas mid 80's