Outdrive oil in bellows....

[inside0ut]

This seems like the topic of the week, and here is my problem.

Alittle backstory....

I have a 87 Wellcraft 210 with a 350 and Alpha one outdrive.

I started to notice some oil in the bilge about the middle of the summer. I thought at the time it was due to a leaky oil pan seal (which i have) and the fact that I suspect the motor consumes some oil. Its an older 350, but it runs like a top. I have only had the boat a year, bought it used off of a guy for next to nothing. This is the first boat I have owned, and I have been learning the intricacies of boat maint through friends and this site. Last week, I had to get it out of the marina and drove the boat 48 miles to a launch near my "winter home" for the boat. There was not a hiccup, as always, and the boat ran well. I shut the motor off to wait for the trailer to be brought down, and all of a sudden I heard a kind of clicking noise every once in awhile, not constant, coming from the outdrive while in neutral. When I put the boat in gear to get it to the trailer it stopped. It was new noise and had never done that before.

This weekend I decided to winterize the boat. When I started the boat up, I could hear the clicking/knocking sound in neutral, but give it some gas and it goes away. I searched through this site and found some posts on what to look for and things to check. The first was to open the top of the outdrive....and this is what I saw.





The "gear oil" is now gray sludge. I took the outdrive off and when I did I located the source of the oil in the bilge. My guess is the outdrive has been puking oil in there for a bit.



It looks like the seal in behind the u-joint is the culprit, I can see where it has been oozing out.

Now for the big question...am I screwed? Since it made the noise, I dont know if/how much damage was done basically running with no gear lube. Is it possible to flush the outdrive, reseal it, and it will be ok?

If anyone has a plan of attack for this, I am all ears.

I appreciate it!

 

[tfret]

Probably just need to do the same job I'm in the middle of. Put a new seal kit in the upper drive bearing assembly. Lube the U joints and drive shaft spline while in there. That drive oil looks like it came from the factory in 1987. That needs to be changed every year. It should be a blue/green color. Not sure what your clicking sound was. Maybe the bilge pump float switch kicking on once in a while? I don't know. Put a seal kit in and see where that takes you.

 

[alldodge]

The "gear oil" is now gray sludge. I took the outdrive off and when I did I located the source of the oil in the bilge. My guess is the outdrive has been puking oil in there for a bit.

If this isn't an optical illusion it appears the gear teeth are chipped in the bottom corner. The entire upper needs to come apart to clean and replace seals. What could be a better option is to go buy a new SEI drive

 

[inside0ut]

If this isn't an optical illusion it appears the gear teeth are chipped in the bottom corner. The entire upper needs to come apart to clean and replace seals. What could be a better option is to go buy a new SEI drive

Any idea of what to flush the inside of the outdrive with? That way I could get better pics of the gears and see if there is any damage.

 

[alldodge]

Any idea of what to flush the inside of the outdrive with? That way I could get better pics of the gears and see if there is any damage.

I use diesel most the time, what ever is left behind will not cause an issue. Either way you need to remove the drive shaft if your going to do any repair of the seal. Need Merc tool 91-17256

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercruiser-Alpha-Bravo-Retainer-spanner-wrench-91-17256-/120516771337

 

[inside0ut]

So I bought the merc tool to open the drive. When I got the spindle nut off, the first thing I noticed was that it seems someone tried taking it off before...without the proper tool. One of the teeth on the spindle was busted off. After I pulled the gears this is what I found:





Some JB Weld will fix that up, right?!? Atleast I know the cause of the intermittent "clicking" sound. It was the shorn teeth rattling around. Only problem is it did this to the interior of the outdrive:



The ridge is still there, but Im not sure if it will hold a seal ever again. I guess one of the broken teeth landed right under in that area and steel on aluminium is never a good combo. Funny enough, I have the upper rebuild kit with all the seals, gears, and bearings on the way to rebuild the upper. I dont want to use that case...pretty sure its blown. Are there places that sell just upper and lower cases? I cant seem to find one...or is a boat boneyard my best bet? I know it seems silly to most to rebuild it, but I love rebuilding stuff like this and the only tool I had to buy was the spanner wrench, everything else I own.

 

[achris]

That's not where the seal runs. I've seen many boxes with damage worse than that and there are still easily rebuildable. Even though you have the parts, do you have the shimming tools? Something else I noticed in one of the first post photos, what appears to be salt build up under the shift shaft lever. If you still have the original upper shift shaft seal, time to replace it with the upgrade...23-805041A2...

Chris.......

 

[Bt Doctur]

Check that gimbal bearing too, it looks a little funky, like the inner shield is missing.given the cost of new gears, bearings, seals ,etc. it might be cheaper with a SEI 106 upper

 

[JustJason]

I agree with boat doc.... it's a bit of an investment to buy the tools to rebuild 1 upper. You need the shimming tools, you need long reach feeler gauges, you need a dial indicating inch pound torque wrench. And most importantly you need the knowledge to put it all together the correct way. In the long run its probably going to be cheaper for you to get a new sei upper and call it a day.

 

[inside0ut]

Check that gimbal bearing too, it looks a little funky, like the inner shield is missing.given the cost of new gears, bearings, seals ,etc. it might be cheaper with a SEI 106 upper

Gimbal bearing is coming out. With water and oil intrusion I don't know the condition or even when it was last changed. Its cheap and with the outdrive out, might as well. Learned a long time ago, it easier when you're staring at it then sitting and thinking about it with it closed up. Swapped a block on a Probe GT and then I had the block swinging, I looked at the timing belt and tensioners and thought "No prob, they look great!" only to do the whole job 6 months later with the block in the car. PITA

 

[inside0ut]

That's not where the seal runs. I've seen many boxes with damage worse than that and there are still easily rebuildable. Even though you have the parts, do you have the shimming tools? Something else I noticed in one of the first post photos, what appears to be salt build up under the shift shaft lever. If you still have the original upper shift shaft seal, time to replace it with the upgrade...23-805041A2...

Chris.......

In the pic, the outdrive is really dirty, I had just pulled it from the river. Its been in fresh water all the time ive had it.

I have the tools, shouldn't be much different then regearing a rear end I hope. First time into something new like this is always "interesting", I've rebuilt cars for awhile...engines to trans (never a auto though...never had a reason) and interior work. I'm sure its like when people ask me how hard it is to swap X block or rebuild a back seat. You need certain tools... or no, your wife's sewing machine cant handle that much vinyl or fabric, get an industrial. I'm sure Ill have more questions since its my first, and I really appreciate all of your help!!

 

[Bt Doctur]

the very first one I ever did I assembled using my knowledge of race car rear diffs. same principle with the "heel and toe" . Can be done trial and error, just takes longer and you use lots of machinist`s dye

 

[achris]

In the pic, the outdrive is really dirty, I had just pulled it from the river. Its been in fresh water all the time ive had it.

I have the tools, shouldn't be much different then regearing a rear end I hope. First time into something new like this is always "interesting", I've rebuilt cars for awhile...engines to trans (never a auto though...never had a reason) and interior work. I'm sure its like when people ask me how hard it is to swap X block or rebuild a back seat. You need certain tools... or no, your wife's sewing machine cant handle that much vinyl or fabric, get an industrial. I'm sure Ill have more questions since its my first, and I really appreciate all of your help!!

Love your attitude! Reminds me of me. As long as you have the right manual (for an Alpha One you should have Merc service manual #6... BTW, seloc and clymer are NOT service manuals).... Any questions you have, just ask... Plenty of help here.

Chris......

 

[inside0ut]

Thanks! I'm sure ill have some. It'll be a fun winter project atleast.