Should I pull the outdrive??

[jwilkey84]

So I bought my first real boat this fall,1998 fourwinns with the vp5.0 and cobra/vp sx outdrive. I was changing the lu oil and discovered that the drain hole threads were shot/stripped as I tried to install the plug it never got tight. Which irritates me cuz this boat was maintained religiously every year at a vp dealer. Someone has been overtightening the plug for a while now. So I had the engine block winterized and pumped full of antifreeze. Question is...should I remove the outdrive to fix the lu and inspect the gimble and bellows this winter ? I ordered a longer screw that fits the drain plug and I honestly think just the longer bolt is gonna fit tight in the lu and seal it up. But was wondering if I should remove the lu just for inspection...no I don't have the manual for it yet but looks like 6 bolts and unhook the shift linkage and it's off? Then for reinstall I need a tool to like things up upon reinstalling? Looks like I can buy the tool for $30? Is there anything else I would need or any reason I should not remove outdrive for the winter? I'm hoping everything in there is good but figured this is the off season, perfect time to inspect things on a "new to me" boat. Is there anything special I need to know about adjusting the shift linkage ? Leave the drive in neutral upon removal, or forward, or reverse?

 

[Scott Danforth]

The gimble bearing inspection is an annual event. Pull the drive. Use a helicoil to repair the drain

 

[jwilkey84]

Apparantly gimble inspection isn't annual in the Midwest! Two certified boat shops have told me unless it's making noise it's prly fine...
Helicoil requires drilling which creates aluminum filings...so do I need to remove gears to install helicoil or just flush filings out with some oil running out the drain hole ? I've also heard there are better choices than helicoil brand; such as timecert...us this true ?

And is pulling the drive pretty simple ? If this involves pulling the gears I'll prly just hire it done. But if I can do it myself I'd like to.

 

[Scott Danforth]

These are the same marinas that over-tightened the drain vs using a new o-ring?
Read the manual...follow the manual.

As far as the helicoil, put grease on the tap to catch shavings. A bit of air pressure in the case also helps keep shavings out.

Timeserts have their place, so do helicoils. In this case, helicoil

 

[Bondo]

I ordered a longer screw that fits the drain plug and I honestly think just the longer bolt is gonna fit tight in the lu and seal it up.

Ayuh,.... That's very doubtful to work,....
The case is quite thin, 'n the gears aren't very far in,...
As Scott says, heli-coil it,....

 

[skydiveD30571]

Apparantly gimble inspection isn't annual in the Midwest! Two certified boat shops have told me unless it's making noise it's prly fine...
Helicoil requires drilling which creates aluminum filings...so do I need to remove gears to install helicoil or just flush filings out with some oil running out the drain hole ? I've also heard there are better choices than helicoil brand; such as timecert...us this true ?

And is pulling the drive pretty simple ? If this involves pulling the gears I'll prly just hire it done. But if I can do it myself I'd like to.

You must live close to me. Every mechanic around here is basically clueless when it comes to general maintenance. I've learned 10x more from the experts on this forum than the shops around me even know.

Pulling the drive is easy. Disconnect the shift linkage and trim rams, remove 6 bolts and it'll come off. One of the many reasons to make this an annual thing is to grease the shaft splines so that removal the next year is easier. If it hasn't been removed in awhile, it might take some force this time. It's also a good time to make sure the u-joint bellows are dry. If water gets in and sits there, it'll rust the u-joints and gimbal bearing. That's when you get "noise" as your boat shops call it, but by that time you're already in for an expensive repair. Being preventative can save you a ton of money here.

The $30 tool you mention is an alignment bar, and is used by inserting through the gimbal bearing into the coupler to confirm that everything is aligned properly.

After checking alignment, free and smooth movement of u-joints and gimbal bearing, and greasing the shaft splines, reinstallation of the drive is the reverse of pulling it. After a time or two, you'll be able to do all of this in less than an hour.

 

[jwilkey84]

Thanks for the info guys...I'll pull the outdrive and figure out how to do this. I plan on doing this and winterizing myself in the future. Where's the best/cheapest place to get a service manual? I got a little nervous when I read somewhere that if the alignment tool doesn't go in correctly, that I may need to raise the engine up on the mounts as a result of soft mounts or sagging stringers in the hull? Plz tell me that usually no adjustment is necessary and the alignment bar just slides right in.
So maybe put some grease on the drill bit when drilling for the helicoil to catch some shavings as well? And grease on the tap? Then do I use threadlocker when installing the helicoil?
I only had time to take the boat out one time this fall; it seemed to shift smooth and no funny noises so hopefully I'll take it apart and install helicoil, grease the drive shaft and reinstall; maybe some new orings where necessary?

Thanks again!

 

[Scott Danforth]

you can download the service manual straight from volvo

http://www.volvopenta.com/marineleisure/en-en/for-owners/your-engine/manuals---handbooks.html

 

[bruceb58]

you can download the service manual straight from volvo

http://www.volvopenta.com/marineleisure/en-en/for-owners/your-engine/manuals---handbooks.html

Looks like that is just for opertor manuals.

 

[BRICH1260]

Pulling the drive is generally an easy process. Although if it has not been removed in a while you may have to get aggressive, if so , we can help you with that too. Build you a cart to hold the drive, easy to do. Even if you have to have the drain screw hole professionally done, its easier to just take someone the drive rather than the whole boat.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Looks like that is just for opertor manuals.

they must have changed it. downloaded a few service manuals over the years.

 

[Lou C]

What happens sometimes with the Volvo SX drive if it has not been removed regularly is that the drive will corrode onto the pivot housing (right were the 3 studs are on each side) and this can make it hard to remove. On the SX there is no need for a gasket in this spot as the OMC Cobra and the Merc Alpha both use. I also advise pulling the drive, taking it to a mechanic to helicoil the drain plug (and the fill plugs also strip out, have that one checked at the same time). While he's at it, do a pressure and vaccum test of all the seals. That way you're in good shape for next year. When you reinstall the drive, get an alignment tool and check engine alignment. Then coat the mating surfaces of the drive and the pivot housing with Evinrude triple guard grease and also coat the driveshaft splines with the same grease. Grease the gimble bearing and turn it with your fingers to make sure it turns smooth, any roughness you should replace it. If the u joints have grease fittings you should grease them with marine trailer wheel bearing grease. When you put it back together, coat the threads on the 6 studs with OMC gasket sealer. Doing this at the end of each season will save you money and alert you to problems developing that if not dealt with will cost you (ie, water the driveshaft bellows = new gimble, maybe new u joints, engine alignment off = burnt up coupler, engine pull and new coupler $$$).

 

[jwilkey84]

SO this is long overdue but this is what I found...I removed the drive and it went pretty good for a first timer. Both bellows "look" good to me. The gimble bearing looks greased and moves freely; doesn't alarm me at all. The thing that does kind of alarm me is that there was a liquid substance sitting in thebdrive shaft bellows when I got the drive removed. I'm not for sure what it was; not 100% water, maybe not 100% oil, maybe a mixture of both? Maybe it was just gimble bearing grease that had got hot and turned to a liquid state; as there was PLENTY of grease in and around the gimble bearing area. It did not appear to be LU oil as it was blackish and the LU oil was almost yellow/clear, and not milky looking.

1. Do I need to remove the gimble bearing to grease it and reinstall, or just call it good since it moves freely and looks well greased? I'm not 100 sure how to remove the bearing but I could figure it out if I need to.

2. With the questionable substance in the drive shaft bellows, what should I do? Where could it be coming from?

 

[kenny nunez]

One way to see if oil or grease is contaminated with water is to heat a piece of sheet metal then drop some of the grease or oil on the hot metal, if it just smokes then there is no water present, if it pops and sizzles , water is present.
Since the Heli coil tap is the same thread pitch as the stripped threads I grind a taper on the tap so that it is easier to get the tap started without having to drill the hole larger. Some times the tap is tapered enough. And as said before put grease on the tap to catch the shavings.