water and the OMC clunk

[marunr]

Well, when I got my boat (2.3l OMC cobra) ready for the season, I started it up on the muffs, then changed the engine and lower unit oil. When I took the dipstick out of the lower unit, it appeared to be foamy, so I drained it. This was the first time I had started it since re-installing the drive during winterization, so water could have only come in through the inlet hose area. Anyway, I read on this forum that same day that the cobra should have a much higher viscosity oil (someone said 80w 140) so I thought maybe the lower vis oil I put in it had just foamed up , and it appeared to be ok when I drained it. So... I refilled it with the Johnson/Evinrude Hi Vis lube from the dealer.

Today is the first time I put it in the water and it ran good for about thirty minutes, then when I was pulling up a skier I heard and felt the awful OMC CLUNK. I knew what this was having had a gear set replaced several years ago. However, I've been doing my maintenance and adjusting using the info on the hastings site (thanks to this forum!) and my unit shifts very easily. So I immediately took it out of the water and drained the oil (water in it) and pulled the drive. Water gushed out. Bellows and everything is fine, so I think it didn't seal properly around the water inlet tube. Now that you're still with me, here are my questions:

1) My Seloc manual says to use gasket sealer on the drive/pivot housing gasket. Someone said the Omc manual says not to use it...is this true?
2) Do you think my clutch dog will be ok? I'm hoping it just slipped because of the water in the oil and it will be ok when I get it back together.
3) What viscosity should the oil be? As heavy as 80W 140?

 

[Don S]

Re: water and the OMC clunk

1) My Seloc manual says to use gasket sealer on the drive/pivot housing gasket. Someone said the Omc manual says not to use it...is this true?
2) Do you think my clutch dog will be ok? I'm hoping it just slipped because of the water in the oil and it will be ok when I get it back together.
3) What viscosity should the oil be? As heavy as 80W 140?

Of the 3 questions, non of them question the only thing that will cause water into the bellow. And that is the bellows itself. The front of the drive seals against the bellows. If the bellows is old, it's probably mashed down, worn out, wierd grooves in it and all. That or the transom shield end may not be in the groove. Or the tube for lubing the gimal bearing may be allowing water in. But if you have water in the drive and bellows, it's not because of the water hose ring or the gasket.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: water and the OMC clunk

85W90 has always worked fine in my cobra..
I get my drive oil at Napa...CRC Hi Vis..

Better find the water leak first!!

 

[marunr]

Re: water and the OMC clunk

Thanks guys. Don S, I'll replace the bellows. garyh...do you use gasket sealer? what about the clutch dog; of course know one on here can actually see it, but there were absolutely no metal shavings on the drain plug magnet.

 

[marunr]

Re: water and the OMC clunk

bump