Water Leak 4.3L OMC Cobra

[Toggle Jockey]

I have a 1988 Dynasty boat with a V6 GM 4.3L OMC Cobra engine. A few years ago I noticed that a little bit of water was collecting in the engine compartment, but it wasn't enough to worry about. Last year the water started to accumulate to the point where I had to engage my bilge pump about once every hour.

This past weekend I took the boat out on the river and the engine compartment filled up with water to the bottom of the oil pan in about an hour without the engine running. After I bilge the water out, I noticed that I had a pretty good trickle of water coming out of the transom via a cutout just below lower exhaust pipe. I've been reading some of the other threads and they mentioned everything from a rotted transom to tightening up the 6 bolts that hold the transom assembly to the back.

I will admit that I've pulled the boat out of the water while the foot was still down (Yes, I felt like an idiot when I heard the foot scrape against the concrete), but this was about 4 years ago. Do you think this might have caused some damage that is just now showing up?

I've had the boat for almost 8 years and I've never removed the transom assembly, is there a gasket/seal that goes between the foot and transom that might need to be replaced?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Water Leak 4.3L OMC Cobra

Have you ever pulled the drive? Have you ever replaced the u-joint bellows?

 

[Toggle Jockey]

Re: Water Leak 4.3L OMC Cobra

I have replaced the U-Joint bellows. Several years back, I had the milky green oil in my foot so I pulled it off and replaced all the seals in the foot and both bellows (U-joint and exhaust), but I left the transom assembly in place.