Re: steering arm puller OMC
I think you need to get a factory service manual.
The only reason you'd pull the arm, gimbal ring or pivot housing is to service the joints they pivot/rotate on or replace them if they're damaged. The steering arm is sealed from water by the gimbal housing to transom seal. If that's bad, it's very likely your transom is rotten, causing the seal to fail.
Tilt your boat's bow in the air - way up. Make an X with a couple 2x8's and stick the trailer tongue in the top of the X and lift it way up in the front. Fill the bilge with water from a hose. See where the water comes out.
Or, pull the engine, tilt the drive all the way up. leave the boat on the trailer (strapped, too) and stick it in the water until the water covers the drive. Sit in the engine compartment and see where the water comes in.
I had this same problem, by the way. It turned out to be a rotten transom.
Your typical leak areas are:
- Transom shift cable sheath/guide/bellows (must remove engine to repair)
- Driveshaft bellows. (remove drive to repair)
- Exhaust to gimbal housing seal. (remove engine)
- Trim line manifold seal. (remove pivot housing to repair)
- Cooling water hose, water hose seal. (remove engine)
- Gimbal housing to transom seal. (remove everything)
That's about it.
