louder outdrive gear 'whine' than we remember last year...

[denhajm]

Last week we took our '90 Sea Ray 200BR with 4.3l 2bl alpha 1 (engine s/n: OC861086, drive s/n: OD305493) out for its first spin of the season on a local lake.
Two things were odd.

First, last winter as part of my winterizing routine I drained then refilled the outdrive gear lube. Filled it up to the top plug port as normal. Boat sat outside (covered, heated and battery tended) all winter. A couple of months ago, I needed to move the boat/trailer and when I parked it again I left the outdrive up. When I de-winterized the boat last week, I noticed some of the fresh (green) gear lube was in the bilge just under the engine. Maybe 1/2 cup? I've never seen gear lube leak or in this location. Can the gear lube leak out if there is, a. too much somehow, and b. the outdrive is left up? this leads to item 2....

Secondly, the boat ran well but my wife and I both noticed that the outdrive 'whine' sound seemed louder than we remember from the last two seasons we have had this boat. I put the boat in neutral and revved the engine--the sound was not there. So it is something related to the outdrive being in gear. The higher the rpm, the higher in pitch the whine sounds. To me, it is the normal gear whine sound I am used to, only louder.

What could the increased noise be attributed too? Something related to the oil leak, or something else? We only ran the boat 5 times last season, and those were with our children, so we were likely not as focused on mechanical sounds as we much as we could be when it was just the two of us last week.

Note, a year ago we had the the following work done on the outdrive--new u-joint and shift cables, new gear lube.

What things should I be looking for in identifying the louder whine sound in our drive? What I can I check/look for? Could this be from inadequate grease at the u joints or anywhere else in the drive? Prop issue?

Thank you,
Jason

 

[Scott Danforth]

gear whine is not good under any circumstance.

exactly how did you fill the drive up after draining it? did you fill it from the drain plug and have it come out the vent? or did you simply pour it into the small reservoir?

regarding the gear oil leak, it is a leak that must be fixed. could be a reservoir line leak, could be leaking thru the bellows.

 

[denhajm]

Thank you Scott for your reply. I filled it by pumping the oil into the lower port until it came out the upper port. I have a hand pump system I bought at a boat shop for this purpose that screws onto the quarter gear lube bottles. This boat has no remote gear lube reservoir. Gear lube only resides in the outdrive itself. So the oil must be leaking into the bellows then the bilge somehow. This likely means that water can get in if oil can get out, right?

What should I check next?

 

[bruceb58]

So what is the gear lube level at now?

I would be pulling the drive and see if you have gear lube in your bellows.

 

[airdvr1227]

What did you use for gear lube?

 

[denhajm]

I used "Mercury Precision Lubricants, High Performance Gear Lube, SAE90". "For use in all outboard lower units, jet pumps, and sport jets and all Mercury Mercruiser sterndrives." Its the standard green stuff.

 

[denhajm]

I just looked in the bilge and there is yet more gear oil that has leaked in from the trimmed up outdrive. I've talked to a local shop and they believe that it is likely a damaged input shaft seal. When I brought up the 'louder than I recall' outdrive whirling sound when under load, they indicated it could be a failing bearing near that seal that both is causing the sound and damaging the seal.