Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
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Jun 30, 2011
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36
So im not sure what lower unit i have EI pre-alpha or alpha one ect ect. i have a 71 mercruiser 140, old engine but runs strong.

But my other question is, when i remove the drive unit, do i have t drain the drive oil or is that all concealed inside the drive unit. Cause i have a leak from were the drive unit connects to the bell housing, its leaking around that seal between the 2. I ask this a cause the bolts that connect the 2 were a little loose, so if drive oil is supposed to be in that area were if i were to disconnect the bolts and pull the drive unit off oil would pour out.

Is there something more wrong here. 4th of july weekend and was hoping its just a quick run to the marina and get a gasket and remove the drive unit and slap a new gasket in there.

and leak is on both sides of the drive unit.
 

woody66912

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Jul 12, 2008
Messages
690
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

No need to drain to gear oil. but from you post it sounds like you have a upper seal out, there should not be any oil leaking anywhere go ahead and pull your drive if the bellows has oil in it then you have a seal kit put in. But the first thing I would do is pull the bottom drain plug and see if there is water in the lube (white milky) lube means you have a seal out.If not milky,It's probable that's it's pushing gear lube out of the top seal.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
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May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

...Is there something more wrong here. 4th of july weekend and was hoping its just a quick run to the marina and get a gasket and remove the drive unit and slap a new gasket in there.

and leak is on both sides of the drive unit.

Cancel your 4th July plans... It's going to take more than a new gasket to fix your problem.

You're going to need a few special tools and a handful of parts...

Special tools.
Retainer ring spanner
Torque wrench

Parts.
new yoke seal
Yoke seal O-ring
Speedie-sleeve for the yoke (or a new yoke)
Drive oil
Gasket set.

Remove the drive and drain the oil. Use a pressure test set-up and verify the top seal is leaking. If it is, remove the retainer ring, pull the bearing pack and drive gear out.

Set it all on the bench and carefully strip down the bearing pack. Replace the leaking seal, put the speedi-sleeve on the yoke and re-assemble the bearing pack and drive gear. Torque the nut up to 80ft. lb. Re-assemble the bearing pack into the drive-shaft housing and torque the retainer up to 200ft.lb. Pressure test the drive again and make sure you have a good seal. Refill the drive with oil and fit it back on the transom housing....

Should take an experienced tech about 2 hours to do all that... Allow yourself a whole day, after you get the parts and tools you need.

Chris.........
 

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
36
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

Allllrighty than, i mean i could prolly do this all in a few hours too as long as the marinas has the parts i need. but not sure what a retainer ring snapper is? lol even google searched it and got nothing. Sorry, im mechanically inclined but inexperienced with all this.
 

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
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Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

and in that manual what part specifically am i looking at to replace cause i have an old shop manual too, and there is dozens of seals and gaskets and im baffled.. lol and do i really need a spanner to get it off or is there a another way? expensive tool for this old project lol

and the speedy sleeve you mentioned above is that something that marina's should carry or is that something special i need to order online?
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

The first thing you need to do it get the drive off. Then drain the oil and pressure test it... This will find the seal/seals that are leaking. THEN go about fixing them.. Yes, you do need the spanner, and no it's not that expensive... especially when compared to replacing the entire drive because all the oil leaked out and the gears and bearings overheated and destroyed themselves!

Speedie-sleeve is available from SKF bearing company (they bought Chicago-Rawhide, the original makers of speedi-sleeves)...
http://vsm.skf.com/en-US/HeavyDuty/KitsAndTools/SpeediSleeve.aspx

You need to measure the yoke diameter once you get it apart (unless someone else here can give you the number)....
 

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
36
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

Why cant you reuse the yoke? sorry if its a stupid question.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

It's likely to have a groove in it... That is the usual reason why the seals fail... But first you have to get the drive off, drain it and pressure test it....
 

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
36
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

alright well, i guess wish me luck. i just used teh boat for like 2 hours last week after getting a new starter in it, and it wasnt leaking before that, man it seems like one problem after another.

and yokes are not cheap, i believe i have a pre-alpha lowerend unit, the manual labels it as a Mercruiser I

Alright pressure testing? easiest way to do it? i have the metal connection and some tubing to fill it up im sure i can use that in conjunction with? my father in law has all the tools so i have no idea what he has, but if i have some idea what im looking for or if there is something cheap i can buy..
 

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
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Jun 30, 2011
Messages
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Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

thanks for the help was much appreciated. ill hopefully get on the water in a day or so.
 

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
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Jun 30, 2011
Messages
36
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

So i pressure tested and and i can hear air blowin out somewhere were between the lower end unit and the upper drive unit, inside were the driveshaft goes down into the lower end unit.

also, is were the gear oil sits in the outdrive, is it 2 seperate cavitys from the lower unit to the upper unit, like would i have too fill it in 2 seperate spots? just the place i was getting seals from said that it was but when i filled it before winter i just filled it from the bottom till it came out the top of the drive unit. So it confused me a little.
 

Bondo

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70,465
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

So i pressure tested and and i can hear air blowin out somewhere were between the lower end unit and the upper drive unit, inside were the driveshaft goes down into the lower end unit.

Ayuh,.... So split the drive, 'n retest....
 

Winsok

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
36
Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

alright took it apart, looks like the o ring for the hole that allows oil to go upper unit was leaking air, cause when i plug it nothing leaks, dipped it in water and a tiny tiny leak is at the top of the water pump were the drive shaft goes in, like a little bubble comes out every 2-3 seconds.

Should i replace the water pump to get a good seal ? or is it nothing i should be worried about and just check the drive oil often.

Also, when i put the lower end unit back onto the bell housing, is there anything i need to look out for? cause now im worried that i get it all back together and it wont shift or anything lol, i had it all the way lowered and in forward gear when i removed it.
 

Bondo

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Re: Drive oil leak and outdrive question?

cause now im worried that i get it all back together and it wont shift or anything lol, i had it all the way lowered and in forward gear when i removed it.

Ayuh,.... So long as ya hold everything in forward, while puttin' it together,... It'll be just Fine...
 
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