Washing out drive bellows and gimble bearing question...

[Crispin]

1999 Crownline 202BR with 305 Mercruiser, 450 hours. New to me. Long time mechanic, boats and cars but this is my first time inside an I/O.
The gimble bearing feels good and the bellows looks good and I believe they were done not too long ago. I'm replacing the outdrive after finding completely destroyed pinion gears in the upper drive. Two questions...
I would like to get a better look at the bellows. Can I wash out the u-joint bellows cavity and the whole area back there with Gunk or other engine cleaner, rinse with hot water and not hurt the gimble bearing? Is it a sealed bearing or open?
Second... Please look at this pic and offer opinions on why something like this happened.

 

[Bt Doctur]

It was running with low/no gear oil. shift into fwd, remove the drive and I suspect you will find the oil that was lost .You should have also seen gear oil in the bilge area.This is why deive removal is suggested at end of season to inspect for gear oil or water in the bellow. I remove mine every year for the past 9 that I have owned it and have not had any failures from lack of oil.
Your cost is a gasket and 2 qts of oil or a full drive replacement eventually

 

[Bondo]

I would like to get a better look at the bellows. Can I wash out the u-joint bellows cavity and the whole area back there with Gunk or other engine cleaner, rinse with hot water and not hurt the gimble bearing? Is it a sealed bearing or open.

Ayuh,..... I agree with BD on the cause,.....

I'd just use rags to do the clean up, 'n the gimble bearing, Could be greaseable, or sealed,.... donno which, both have been around for awhile,.....

 

[Scott06]

1999 Crownline 202BR with 305 Mercruiser, 450 hours. New to me. Long time mechanic, boats and cars but this is my first time inside an I/O.
The gimble bearing feels good and the bellows looks good and I believe they were done not too long ago. I'm replacing the outdrive after finding completely destroyed pinion gears in the upper drive. Two questions...
I would like to get a better look at the bellows. Can I wash out the u-joint bellows cavity and the whole area back there with Gunk or other engine cleaner, rinse with hot water and not hurt the gimble bearing? Is it a sealed bearing or open?
Second... Please look at this pic and offer opinions on why something like this happened.View attachment 416969

you boat would have originally come with a greaseable bearing. Somewhere around 2008 ish they started using the permalube bearing, and if installed the installer is supposed to take out the zerk fitting and replace with the plug that comes with the bearing so no one tries to grease it. So if you still have a zerk it is likely greaseable

I would not clean it with water just use a rag and brake cleaner etc to clean it up will not get at the grease in the brg.

BT DR has you steered straight on the cause.

Was there rust on the driveshaft and u joints ? water intrusion will start corrosion in there including the input shaft seal that wiped out your drive.

Does you boat have a lube bottle inside? should have alarmed when level got low

 

[Crispin]

Thanks. You can see the bearing cage is rusty; certainly not a good sign. I didn't know about boats with lube reservoirs in the boat. How does that work? Does the drive stay topped up all the way to that cover I removed in the pic? Have Mercruiser I/O's always been like that.

 

[Scott06]

Thanks. You can see the bearing cage is rusty; certainly not a good sign. I didn't know about boats with lube reservoirs in the boat. How does that work? Does the drive stay topped up all the way to that cover I removed in the pic? Have Mercruiser I/O's always been like that.

Yes, most Alpha gen 2 drives have a lube bottle in the engine compartment . im assuming due to the year you have a gen 2? via a hose it feeds the drive with lube through a poppet valve on the bellhousing. On the earlier gen one drives a leaking input shaft seal will fill the bellows with oil unbeknownst to the the owner, so easy to let it run drive and smoke it.

certainly not 100% fail proof but saved me when I caught a fishing line on prop shafty two summers ago. Noticed the level had dropped so started looking for issues.

 

[Lou C]

I/Os are high maintenance machines in that if you want them to last, they need regular maintenance and if you do it, you will avoid many failures that are seen on used boats that aren't maintained.
I've been pulling the drive on mine for 15+ years (first few years I had the shop to it, but then took that over) and check the bellows, gimble and ujoints, also input shaft seal. Doing this I have had to do very few repairs to the Cobra outdrive over 24 years of ownership:
Bellows 2x
gimble bearing 1x
a few seals on the outdrive most recently the water pump shaft seal
2 years ago I had to rebuild the trim cylinders (but they were 34 years old then)
5 years ago I replace the leaky steering actuator
That's it for outdrive and transom mount repairs.
Once you go through it and correct all the problems, if you maintain it like that, with a yearly drive pull and inspection, and do needed maintenance and repairs, it will last. Mine is moored in salt water so it gets about the toughest use that an I/O can have.

 

[Crispin]

Thank you. This 1999 Crownline is in excellent condition except for the outdrive. I have never paid attention to this brand but have found them to be an interesting high performer. The engine runs great, the boat handled great and the interior is spotless. We think the outdrive was simply neglected. We got it for $5k with a really nice 2-axle trailer and good cover so we think it's worth investing in a new outdrive. We could maybe do just the upper but decided against that. I briefly considered SEI and also looked at a few rebuilt units but now have ordered a new Alpha Gen 2 for $4k. I have always changed the lube in our outboards at the end of every season and I will now add pulling the outdrive to the list. I never wanted an I/O but am now warming up to them. Just needed to get over the fear. Thanks again, C.

 

[Scott06]

Thank you. This 1999 Crownline is in excellent condition except for the outdrive. I have never paid attention to this brand but have found them to be an interesting high performer. The engine runs great, the boat handled great and the interior is spotless. We think the outdrive was simply neglected. We got it for $5k with a really nice 2-axle trailer and good cover so we think it's worth investing in a new outdrive. We could maybe do just the upper but decided against that. I briefly considered SEI and also looked at a few rebuilt units but now have ordered a new Alpha Gen 2 for $4k. I have always changed the lube in our outboards at the end of every season and I will now add pulling the outdrive to the list. I never wanted an I/O but am now warming up to them. Just needed to get over the fear. Thanks again, C.

If you want to keep the boat and the transom and stingers are good (late 90s early 2000s was when folks started using composite stringers vs wood) you cant go wrong with a new drive. Change the lube and pressure test to stay ahead of the seals and generally will last 15 + years . Even with the extra investment of outdrive you dont get much boat for $9 anymore.

IMHO too much is made of the outboard /sterndrive debate, I find the older carbed sterndrives easier to maintain if you have a good automotive maint background. if you have looked under the hood on some of the newer OBs some jobs are no pleasure cruise either.

the way the upper shredded with out tearing it down no way to get the metal completely out so upper only would be a crap shoot.

Are you in salt of fresh water?

I cant imagine your crownline (20-21 ft??) is much different than my sea ray in terms of access. Mine is easy to get to drain plugs on block, just wish I had spent the money on a remote filter. Dont forget to look at your trailer wheel bearings likely if they didnt do chit to the drive they probably never repacked them.