Gimbal bearing help.

[Isaacm1986]

I have a 1994 bayliner with a 3.0l mercrusier motor and alpha one gen 2 drive. When I got the boat the putative was making a lot of bad noises. I could hear the u-joints making noise and gimbal bearing howling. I pulled the drive and replaced the u-joints and gimbal bearing. Put everything back together with new gaskets and o rings. I greased up the gimbal bearing with marine grease.

I took the boat out today, and everything was good for the first part of the day. Motor ran great, everything nice and quiet. As we ran it throughout the day, it kept getting louder and louder. I could hear a howling coming when the boat was in a full
turn. We took the boat back to the launch and pulled her out of the water.

I brought her home this evening and hooked up the hose. With it running I could hear almost a "grinding" noise. I added some more grease to the housing and the noise went away.

Ok now for my concern, I'm concerned water is getting into the bellows and has soaked my new u-joints and gimbal bearing. I took a video of it, and there is water coming out where I don't think it is supposed to. Any advice or help would be great. Was planning on taking it out the 4th.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Most of the new style Gimbal bearings are sealed and you can't grease them. Did you get one that has the grease hole?

If you have a leaky something, the drive shaft housing will fill with water and the boat will get noisy and usually hard to shift. Yes, it washes the grease out of the ujoints pretty quick. At least it only takes a few minutes to pull the leg and check things, see if you have water in there. If so, you might maybe get the new ujoints to clean out with a new greasing. If you used the sealed type gimbal, then it is fine, if a greased gimbal is also going to be full of water. Inspect bellows closely!

Rick

 

[Isaacm1986]

Here is a pic of the water coming out the back of the drive. Is this normal?

 

[Isaacm1986]

Thanks Rick. I plan on pulling the drive again tomorrow.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Here is a pic of the water coming out the back of the drive. Is this normal?

Had to think a bit. Only thing can squirt water from up there is the rubber water hose that goes from leg to transom. And only when the engine is running.

Rick

 

[Isaacm1986]

Ill have to take a look at that. Cant pull it apart today. 100 degrees and no shade to work in. the boat will have to sit till next week i guess.