OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

[OMCEd]

Hello,
I have a 91 OMC Cobra outdrive that has a leak of approx 1 gallon every 4 minutes from the area of the transom plate. I have pulled the lower unit and found water in the U joint bellows. No rust, clean U joints, shaft bearing clean and free, bellows look like new with no cracks or tears. I suspect the large pivot housing gasket may have been bad but not sure. I am replacing the gasket, the 2 yoke shaft o rings, the water passage seal and the shift bellcrank o ring. I have had no water in the engine oil.
Can water in the bellows leak into the bilge at high volume? I do not see how. I have read on this forum of some outdrives have a "weep hole" above the shaft bearing but do not see that feature on this model. Perhaps my transom seal is bad and I am dreaming of an easy fix. If the transom seal was bad I do not understand how water would get into the U joint bellows.
Any help or comments will be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you, Ed

 

[bruceb58]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

If the u-joint bellows are good, the only other source would be a leaky gimbal bearing grease tube. How old are the bellows.

Are you absolutey sure they don't have a cut in them?

 

[OMCEd]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

Are you absolutey sure they don't have a cut in them?[/QUOTE]

Not sure as of age of them. The pooled and held water in the lower part. Did a visual inspection with a mirror and hands on pressure around each groove. Do not even see a crack. Will take a look at the grease tube. Thank you! Ed

 

[proshadetree]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

If you have a rotten transom it could be coming in around the plate. Thats where my cobra leaked. Are the bolts tight? Are they sunk in? Have you tested your transom?

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

Will leak though that stupid grease tube and fitting... Good luck.. I hate leaks.. My bellows looked good, but after a good once over I found the problem... Cut on the top from outdrive being stored up for long period...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

If you have a rotten transom it could be coming in around the plate. Thats where my cobra leaked. Are the bolts tight? Are they sunk in? Have you tested your transom?

That won't cause water getting into the bellows unless the water gets high enough that it is up to the drive shaft leverl.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

Not sure as of age of them. The pooled and held water in the lower part. Did a visual inspection with a mirror and hands on pressure around each groove. Do not even see a crack. Will take a look at the grease tube. Thank you! Ed

Then you need to replace them no matter what anyway. Just take off the old one and then you can look for cracks easier.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

I thought he had em off already.. LOL... Mine looked perfect from the bottom... Cracked at the top... Mine didn't even leak bad... Yank the outdrive and replace em... It's good for ya

 

[proshadetree]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

If it leaked a gallon into the bilge every 4 minutes, you could see the crack. Heck Ray Charles could find it. He also did not state how much water was in bellows. He stated U joints were not rusted, so I assumed not much. All needs to be checked and bellows need replaced anyway.

 

[cobraowner]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

The water hose also connects back at the transom and has the volume to pump that much water in the bilge. It connects from the transom to the power steering heat exchanger and then up to the engine. If it is cracked around either of those connectors it can push some water in the bilge.

 

[donberry]

Re: OMC Cobra- water in U joint bellows???

I am sort of in the same place. My first real boat, needing to turn on bilge pumps every 10 minutes or so. Pulled the outdrive...started to fill the bilge with water, after a few gallons and no leak, I pointed it up at the transom area and water was seeping out around the edges of the transom assembly. In the process of pulling the engine and transom now - figuring a good chance I will have to do the transom since it was leaking so bad. Wood that I can see looks good, but I am expecting the wood at the bottom to be rotten as the gelcoat is cracked down there........more then I bargained for, but for the price I paid......gives me a good chance to learn about boats