question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

condor74

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I just recently picked up an 85 Bayliner with 225 horse 5.0 chevy power and what appears to be a Volvo 270 outdrive. I had it at the lake this weekend and it ran good. When I pulled the boat out of the water, there was a small amount of oil leaking from under the cover on the outdrive. I removed the cover and while poking around in there found the bolt/plug at in the middle of linkage to be loose. This is a small hex head bolt approx 1/2 to 9/16 inch in size. How tight is this supposed to be? What kind of oil do you recommend?

Another thing I noticed is the boat had decals for having a 2.1liter as apposed to the 5.0 v8 that is in it.

Also I am not a big fan of the Rochester Quadrajet carburetor on a motor this small. Anyone put different carbs on these engines? I have a 600 cfm edelbrock in my garage. Also for just smooth running I would think a 2 bbl carb would be better.
 

Bondo

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

I just recently picked up an 85 Bayliner with 225 horse 5.0 chevy power and what appears to be a Volvo 270 outdrive. I had it at the lake this weekend and it ran good. When I pulled the boat out of the water, there was a small amount of oil leaking from under the cover on the outdrive. I removed the cover and while poking around in there found the bolt/plug at in the middle of linkage to be loose. This is a small hex head bolt approx 1/2 to 9/16 inch in size. How tight is this supposed to be? What kind of oil do you recommend?

Another thing I noticed is the boat had decals for having a 2.1liter as apposed to the 5.0 v8 that is in it.

Also I am not a big fan of the Rochester Quadrajet carburetor on a motor this small. Anyone put different carbs on these engines? I have a 600 cfm edelbrock in my garage. Also for just smooth running I would think a 2 bbl carb would be better.

Ayuh,... Is yer Edlebrock the 1409, Marine carb,..??

If so, That's My favorite for SBCs, 'n 4.3ls,....

Yer motor will drop to 'bout 200 hp with a 2bbl. carb,...
It's 'bout 220 hp or so, as it is,...
 

frantically relaxing

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

The Q-jet is a great carb, actually- The small front barrels allow for quick response, great fuel atomization and very reasonable fuel consumption. The huge back barrels are there for when the engine needs more air. And contrary to what many people believe, regardless of the size of the secondary barrels, as long as they're vacuum actuated and properly adjusted, the engine, regardless of size, will only open the vacuum doors as far as needed. In fact, most 4 barrel vac-secondary carbs operated at above 7000' altitude won't even open the rear vacuum doors until almost redline, if at all. Strawberry Reservoir near here is 7400', and a few years ago in our Sun Runner I couldn't get the thing on plane. It was a 5.7 with the original Holley carb, and the secondaries weren't opening at all. I ended up buying an Eldebrock marine carb, figuring that would solve my problem (never been fond of Holley's myself) but the Edlebrock's secondaries wouldn't open either! The fix was I needed less prop- After I got on plane with a prop change, at WOT, which was about 3800 up that high, the secondary doors were just barely trying to open. There simply wasn't enough available air for the engine, even thought the carb was ready for it!

Anyway-- that all said, the Edlebrock is a GREAT carb, but I found out 2 things after the change: (1), after a month or so of fiddling with metering rods, rod springs and jets to fine-tune the carb, once I finally got it where I liked it, I found out I'd set it up exactly as it came out of the box! and (2), even tho I'm not fond of Holley's, the Edlebrock made absolutely no change whatsoever over the Holley- None, zero, zip-- started the same whether cold or warmed up, ran exaclty the same, got the exact same mileage at all the same speeds. Probably the worst money I ever spent! (and I still have the Holley, just in case!)

Back the oily drive-- that loose bolt, just tighten it- how much torque, good question, I just tighten bolts "pretty" tight, but not so tight I think I'm about to strip threads! Not sure that bolt is the source of your oil, but it might be-- how's the other bolts holding that plate on?
 

bruceb58

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

Have a picture of this bolt you are talking about?
 

frantically relaxing

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

From his description, I'm betting it's this one:

volvoshift.jpg



This is my DP, but the 270's (and all other Volvo's) are pretty much the same...
 

condor74

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

Yes that is the bolt that was less than finger tight. I have since tightened it. I went ahead and changed drained the oil and refilled it today. Gonna take it back out to the lake tomorrow. It is my first time changing oil on an outdrive. I pulled the flat bladed plug at the bottom of the drive down near the prop. Pulled the dipstick on top in order for it vent. It drained out fast once I pulled the dipstick. I removed the allen head fill hole and pumped it in. The dipstick does not have any marks on it but it does have a flat edge that goes from the tip to about 2 inches up the stick. I filled it till it reaches the end of the flat part. I am not sure how much it was as I pumped it out of a bulk 5 gallon bucket of gear oil. Does this sound about right.
 

captmello

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

The flat part on the dipstick is the "Operating range" You don't want to overfill it or it can cause issues.

If your outdrive is a single prop, you should have motor oil in it, not Gear lube. It takes 2.5-3 quarts.
 

nathanj988

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

Does this out drive have a fill hole? I have only pumped lube in from the drain hole.
 

bruceb58

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

I am not sure how much it was as I pumped it out of a bulk 5 gallon bucket of gear oil. Does this sound about right.
You use 30Wt engine oil in that drive.

I suggest you buy a manual.

If you really want to know how to fill the drive, go to this thread and down to DonS's post #3(DonS still lives on)

http://forums.iboats.com/volvo-pent...wer-unit-oil-1984-volvo-penta-i-o-476922.html

That bolt gets torqued to 10-12 ft-lbs on the SX. Not sure what it is on the 270.
 
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condor74

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

I did look up the type of oil and volvo recomends back 85 and earlier was 80wt gear oil. It did seem to change by year and at times it did not seem that volvo new what oil to use. That is the information i have.
 

bruceb58

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

View attachment Volvo Gear Lube.pdf

Says same as engine on this Volvo document.

You got that info from an actual Volvo manual or aftermarket(Seloc or Clymer)?
 
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PiratePast40

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

For the life of me, just can't understand why people don't do a pressure test when they're not sure of the location of a leak. Instructions are in the manual and it's such a simple thing to do. You do it when changing the oil as part of winterizing anyway.
 

condor74

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

It was a volvo pdf i looked at. I cant seem to find it now. You all convinced me and i went ahead and got some marine engine oil and changed it again.
 

condor74

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Re: question about an oil leak on my Volvo 270 in my 1985 Bayliner

Took the boat out today. The boat ran great. I think the problem that I associated with the carburetor was due to old gas. It was low on gas when we went out. (I didn't know exactly how low as it had 1/4 of a tank on the gauge when we pulled out last week and I put in 10 gallons this week. It ran out at 1/4 tank again.) The bog was completely gone with the new gas. Also after I got towed back to the dock, I loaded it on the trailer and checked the oil in the outdrive. No Water!!. Was very happy that it does not seem to be getting water in the drive anymore.
 
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