Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

[Glasgow]

Hello all,

I have 1987 Bayliner Capri Cuddy with an Volvo Penta 4 cyl. 2.3l AQ131 (I think) and a 275 drive.

I took the boat out this weekend and upon returning to shore I discovered a split in the U joint drive bellows. Milky gunk oozing from the split....

The shift cable has a little notch of plastic catching the bellows hose and has made a split in it.

I checked the gear oil..clear and no signs of water. It seems to be just a case of water getting into the bellows via the hose only. There is no signs of water invading anywhere else it shouldn't. I'm going to remove the upper gear housing and take the hose off to expose the u joint and see the damage.

My question is this...If after removing the gear housing and u joint, I find the drive shaft nice and tight with no give or grinding, is the intermediate bearing salvageable? Can I just remove as much of the old grease as poss and clean up and soak with more grease?

Or could I just remove the aft intermediate bearing without having to remove the motor and bell housing? ( I believe this model has two sets of bearings on the drive shaft. One in the flywheel side, and the other on the bell housing side)

Has anyone done this, just cleaned up I mean and repacked with grease and been okay?

oh...what would be the best and most thorough way to remove moisture from the bearing? (other than removing and changing it..lol)

Glasgow

 

[captmello]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Welcome to Iboats.

Many of us have encountered the issue you describe. There should be a grease zerk on top of your flywheel cover inside the boat that you can grease the intermediate bearings from the inside out. That is about the only way to lube the bearings.

I'd pull the upper, like you said, and see what you find. If the bearings are tight, great, grease them and go boating. If there is play, you'll need to replace both bearings.

but don't get ahead of yourself. Pull the upper and see what you find.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

Here is a thread about pulling the upper.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=309095

 

[sqbtr]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

It's pretty tough to check the bearing (should only be one on the four cyl penta's) with the primary drive shaft still splined to the eng coupler.

If the drive shaft has a threaded hole in the end you can pull the aft seal and snap rings and remove the shaft with a slide hammer.

Pulling the eng only takes about an hour and makes the job much easier.

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Thanks fellas,

I think you are correct. I was wondering whether this model has only a single bearing. If this is true, should I be able to pull the shaft and bearing from the aft with the engine and bell housing still mounted? Hopefully...

Today I am taking the upper gear housing off..I'll let you know what I find

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

There is only one PDS bearing on the 4 cyl engines so you can pull the shaft and bearing together from the rear. There is also a bearing on the forward end but that's more for centering the shaft on the flywheel.

I personally wouldn't feel comfortable about not replacing that bearing if the u-joints have any rust at all on them. I've seen a flywheel housing after the bearing went out. It's not a pretty sight and it destroyed the flywheel damper as well. At a minimum, I'd sacrafice the rear seal and at least look for signs of water in the snout of the flywheel cover.

The other issue is the forward seal on the gearbox if you've actually got oil in the bellows and not just grease. It's a good idea to do both pressure and vacuum checks on the outdrive if you have any doubts. It's not hard to do and sure gives you some piece of mind.

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Hi,

I have the upper gear housing off, u joint bellows off, and what I saw was a chamber full up with thick milky goop. After cleaning everything up and wiping down I see no rust or pitting inside. I think I caught it pretty quick.

I've tried to wiggle the drive shaft and there's no play. I can hear slight movement as I try to turn or pull on the drive as if the bearing is washed out - but no freedom in it at all.

There appears to be a rubber seal on the id and od of the bearing, and possibly a rubber seal on the flat side too. The seals appear in tact and in very good condition. With a torch I can see the remnants of grease around the shaft.

When I try to wiggle the drive, with the very small amount of movement there is (which is negligible) it just sounds washed out. I think with a good greasing there would be nothing to worry about, but I need advise on getting any moisture out of there.

So here's my questions:

1. Should I spray it all down in the chamber with WD40?

2. Should I grease the zurk from the inside of the bilge on the bell housing to try to push out anything I can?

3. I have High pressure red grease, High pressure grease, and marine grease...which one should I use on the bell housing zurk and bearing?

4. Which one of these greases should I use on the rest of the zurks (all of the rest of the joints for the drive exposed under water) ?

5. I do not have the replacement bellows yet, what do you advise to protect the exposed drive shaft and bell housing from the elements (i.e. should I use grease in there and spread it all around and cover with plastic sheeting and duct tape it tight to seal it)

6. Is this bearing a sealed unit?

Thanks fellas. I've been reading your posts and replies for a while. With your help I had that gear housing off within ten minutes.

I'm so pleased that the bearing seems good....phew..!

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Here's the photo's!

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Here's the u joint photo's....

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Hello...this is the color of the grease on the zurk on the bell housing on engine side.

Doesn't look like red grease to me...should I stick with normal high pressure grease, or go ahead with the red?

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

All that gray oil came from the outdrive. When the bellows gets water in it, so does the drive. The seal is not designed to keep water out. That is the bellows job.
The metal seal washer in the upper probably got rust on it and damaged the seal. Not uncommon. The front of the upper gear box needs to be resealed.
You sill also need to pull the engine to replace the seal in the front of the flywheel cover, there are no threads in the end of the shaft, and the chances of you pulling it out by hand is zero. The bearing is pressed into the housing with a snap ring on the engine side.

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Thanks Don,

I fear that water will affect the front seal on the gear housing. I hadn't lost a drop of fluid from the drive fluid, and the fluid was good. I think the milky goop could have been the combination of the grease on the u joint and the water. There's no zurks on the u joint crosses so it was greased up alot!

Currently there's not a spot of rust on anything. I've sprayed 2 cans of WD40 into the bell housing and onto the bearing seal to displace any water there was. I've looked behind the seal and it's nice and shiny..no rust at all. I'm thinking of trying to pack out the bell housing zurk with grease and see if I can push out any grease through the bearing.I'm not sure if it's a sealed unit. If milky...then I know I have to pull the engine.

To ensure I'm on the same page, is there a chance that the water that got in the hose could get past the bearing seals into the other side of the bearing and milked up the grease in the housing /engine side of the bell housing?

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Have you actually drained the drive? If not, I would suggest you do.

Then, remove the seal shown in the picture below. Look at the grease. If it looks milky, then there is water in it. If not and you find your red grease and non milky. Water never got past the seal. Install a new seal, not the one you removed.

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Hi,

Yes, I've drained the fluid in the 275 unit...totally clear and no signs of water or shavings as well.

That rubber seal in the picture on the drive shaft in the bell housing, is the bearing directly behind that? I'll remove it in the morning and report what I find. I don't expect to find much now as when I was spraying the WD40 in there, there was nothing but black grease coming out from behind the rubber seal. Now there is a void of about a 1/2 inch behind it to the bearing (if that's the bearing) What I can glimpse behind the rubber seal is very clean now!!

I know I sound like I'm trying to cut corners here, but there's no play in the bearing at all..there's no wiggle room on the drive shaft. The P/O replaced the bearing and u joint not too long ago and it seems such a shame to replace it if it's salvagable.

When pumping grease into the bell housing zurk, does it push grease out through the bearing, so possibly I could see the condition of the grease coming out when looking into the bellows chamber??

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Ok, here's a photo with the rubber seal removed. Black marine grade gimbal grease behind it and in the bearing still. The bearings look a bit bear as I had sprayed WD40 at the seal yesterday, so the oily looking grease is that...but no milky goop thankfully.

I believe the rubber seal formed a barrier when the u joint coupler was on the drive shaft, this may have prevented any water and goop getting back there.

What do you think?

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Here's a photo of the back side of the pulled seal showing black gimbal grease behind...thus it was not washed out.......

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

Pumped marine grade gimbal grease in the bell housing zurk today...nothing but clean thick grease oozed out from behind the bearing immediately...no sign that water got back there either. I put a whole 14oz tube in.

This leak happened in fresh water. could I be correct to assume that rust will only occur if air is combined with the moisture to affect the metal? I know if it was salt water it would still eat at the metal regardless, but fresh water?

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

If you're satisfied then go for it. Do the pressure and vacuum tests on the drive and button it back up.

 

[Glasgow]

Re: Volvo 275 Split U joint Bellows..

I've decided I'm going to leave the upper gear housing and u joint hose off for the winter. I've packed the drive shaft, bearing and bell housing full of grease and will cover it up. Next March I'll remove the grease and inspect the bearing for corrosion. If it's going to rust, it will have by then.

Thanks