800 stringer outdrive

85 bluefin

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I am still trying to keep one of these alive in a 1985 Bluefin Royaline. Love the boat and am an antique kind of guy. My question is : replaced all 3 sets of seals about 6 years ago plus water pump etc. Last year water started getting into the intermediate again so replaced oil periodically. What is the likelyhood of significant damage if I just continue to change gear oil?? not hard to do and certainly cheaper than redoing to leg seals every 5 years. I know they will leak again no matter how nice you are to it. Does anybody have any history on this?
 

wrench 3

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First off, welcome to iboats.
From what your saying I'm assuming that your talking about the upper gear housing. I wouldn't want to operate any gear case that was getting a significant amount of water in it. It won't lubricate that well. More importantly the drain plug on that housing is above the lower seal and any water will stay in there unless the housing is laid on it's side. If it freezes where you are the frozen water will push the lower seal out.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Welcome aboard.

Your waterpump housing may be cracked. It wont get better, it will only get worse.

I wouldnt risk it as i have the OMC stringer upper housing blew up tee shirt

Pull it apart, re-seal the drive.

If you havent replaced the vertical driveshaft yet, inspect it now. If your re-sealing the drive, now is the time to replace it.
 

85 bluefin

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Mar 11, 2017
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Thanks for the advice. Yes Wrench, meant upper housing - the one that always leaks!! Scott, don't think the water pump housing is cracked because last time i redid the beast it was (and replaced) and gear oil seeped out over the winter. I changed all fluids before winter and the upper is the only one taking in water though very little so far. I put approx 75 hour on it last year and changed it three times and never did get the real milky look that lots of water gives it but - better quit trying to talk myself into one more season and do it. Scott. what do you mean by " blew up" sounds bad!! Thanks again
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Gear oil should never seep out. Usual problem is waterpump housing and seals.

If you leave it, the upper gear housing bearings eventually seize up, and the gearbox grenades and you need to flag down two teens in a john boat with a 9.9 to tow you in
 

wrench 3

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Gear oil should never seep out. Usual problem is waterpump housing and seals.

If you leave it, the upper gear housing bearings eventually seize up, and the gearbox grenades and you need to flag down two teens in a john boat with a 9.9 to tow you in

With me it was a father and son in a rented aluminum fishing boat. They wouldn't even take money for gas. They said it was the most fun that they'd had all day.:joyous:
(We could probably do a whole thread on this)
 
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