Water in the u-joint bellow

[MN86_4winns]

After reading a posting today about the need to align your engine with the sterndrive sent me to the shop. I removed the sterndrive and discovered about 2 cups of water in the u-joint bellow. Even though the u-joints feel ok I'm still going to replace them. Where is a good place to get new u-joints and what brand of u-joints should I get?
Also, I noticed the water pickup inserts are corroded and need replacing. Anybody got a good source?

I hope you guys don't get annoyed with me, this is my first inboard boat and I have a lot to learn. I got this boat 6 months ago ('86 FW 190 Horizon w/230 mercruiser and Alpha 1) and just starting to work on it. The boat has a cracked GM 305, soft floor, and needs upholstery and carpet.

I've replaced part of the floor after reading a lot of postings to do this right.

I'll be pulling the cracked 305 tomorrow and ordering a 350 long block from RapidO Marine.

I've also downloaded and printed the Mercruiser Service Manual #6 from boatfix.com.

 

[Don S]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

:% :% :% :% :%

I've also downloaded and printed the Mercruiser Service Manual #6 from boatfix.com.

Good grief man, that's 1132 pages! ! ! ! !

Next time, just download all the different sections to your computer. Then just print the pages you need at the time.
That manual is for all drives, transom shields, trim pumps, etc. from 83 thru 90.
Much will not be needed for every drive out there.

 

[Coors]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

welcome to outdrives; read the old forums first

 

[ziggy]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

seems to me that since ya had water in yer bellows. ya should do the ujoint + the gimble brg + find out why it had water in the bellows. looks like iboats might be a sorce. of corse yer favorit mercuriser dealer would be good to. or maybe napa. ya can't clean them water pickup inserts up? seems to me that all they do is screen large debrit out of the cooling system. i would guess that's a mercruiser item only if ya gots to get new ones......

this is my first inboard boat

if ya have an alpha1 outdrive. you have a inboard outboard. an i/o if ya will. an inboard has a propshaft exiting thru the bottom of the hull with a rudder behind it. all on the bottom of the boat.

I've replaced part of the floor after reading a lot of postings to do this right.

I'll be pulling the cracked 305 tomorrow and ordering a 350 long block from RapidO Marine.

ya didn't mention it. but i assume ya've checked that yer stringers are servicable to mount another engine down too. on my last boat, the strigers were spent. i had nothing to bolt a new engine down to......

 

[MN86_4winns]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

I see several differnet aftermarket transom bellows kits available online from $49-$149. Is any kit better?

Yes, I did check the stringers after I pulled engine last night. The only part of the floor that was bad was near the under floor ski storage. The previous owner had snow sitting in the boat. This could also explain the water in the gimbal bellow.

BTW, I only printed the parts of the manual that I needed.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

You would have to have water up to the input shaft for water to get into the bellows from inside the boat......
You are gonna have to find out why you had water in your bellows....

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

With water in the bellows i would replace bellows,gimble bearing and ujoints.Drain the outdrive and check for water in the gear lube.The drive shaft seal is meant to hold gear lube in not water out.A pressure-vacuum test would be a good idea.
usually the kits for around 150 includes gimble bearing and everything you need..

 

[MN86_4winns]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

Good news. I drained the outdrive and there was no water in the gear lube. I'll work on getting it pressure/vacuum tested. Is there a difference if I pressure test it or vacuum test it? 10-15 lbs

 

[180shabah]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

MN86 - shop around, I got a bellows kit with gimble bearing on ebay last year for $65.

 

[Don S]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

Is there a difference if I pressure test it or vacuum test it?

Yes, many of the seals in the outdrive are either double lipped or double single lipped seals opposing one another. One to keep the oil in, the other to keep the water out.
The input shaft seal behind the ujoints is only a single lip seal to keep oil in the drive. The bellows is what is designed to keep water out. When it fails, after time the yoke the seal rides on rusts and eats the seal causing oil to leave the drive and water to get in.
Even before the rust. When the drive is hot and there is water in the bellows, the cooling of the drive will suck water from the bellows into the drive. Maybe only a little to begin with but it builds up quickly. Especially in salt water.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Water in the u-joint bellow

Good news that the gear oil was water free. Sounds like you caught it in time.

If you want a low cost leak-vacuum tester i bought one of these,works great, Pump it to about 13-15 psi and let set for a few hours..


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