Water inside gimbal bearing

jasin25

Cadet
Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Messages
9
I have a 1996 Fourwinns Horizon RX 180 with a I/O v6 4.3L GM Motor and Volvo Penta SX. I winterized by boat and pulled the outdrive to store it and found water inside the gimbal housing.

I replaced my gimbal bearing this summer and decided to shorten the grease fitting my eliminating the extension tube. I relocated the grease fitting by retapping the hole and sealed around it with silicone. I inspected my gimbal bearing bellow this summer when i replaced the bearing and it was fine.

So when i removed the outdrive I found water and my question is what keeps the water from getting in in the areas highlighted in the images below.
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Pesimist

Seaman
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Jul 6, 2012
Messages
65
There is a garlock style seal on the upper gearbox to keep oil in the unit that also prevents water from getting in.

If you've pulled the plug on the lower unit to check for water and there isn't any, the seal is working.
 
Last edited:

jasin25

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Dec 2, 2013
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Hi guys, thanks for replying.
I inspected the bellow and didn't see any cut on it.
The water is in the bellow not the lower unit or gear box.
I'm just wondering what would keep the water from getting inside the below true outdrive and the pivot housing ( the red area on the picture)
Thanks
 

Pesimist

Seaman
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
65
I can't see the pictures, just to small. The only way you can get water in the bellows is via a crack/dry rot or because the bellows weren't positioned right or clamps might not have been seated correctly.

Yes, I've changed my bellows. Not as frequently as some folks, about every 3-4 years works for me.
 

jasin25

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Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Messages
9
Thanks pesimist, I will replace the bellow since my outdrive is out but I still don't understand how water didn't get inside the bellow if there is no gasket in the red area on the picture, I'm sure there is an explication bc no one complane about that gasket not bearing there.
I just want to understand what stops the water from getting inside the bellow from the red area highlighted .
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,798
The seal is made by the nose of the bearing carrier pushing against the inside sealing surface of the bellows. You removed the tube that feeds grease to the gimble? I bet thats the source of your leak! They designed it that way for a reason....OMC Cobra has the same design in fact Volvo copied OMC's transom design....put it back the way it was!!!
 

BRICH1260

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 6, 2011
Messages
1,342
I agree, I bet the water came in through your zirk modification, if not due to bad bellows. See if you can get a sealed gimble(maintence free) and put a more waterproof seal (4200/5200) seal in the grease tube hole.
 

jasin25

Cadet
Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Messages
9
Now I understand the why I don't need a gasket on the pivot housing and the outdrive assy, I will replace the bellow and seal the grease tube and also replace the gimbal bearing with a non serviceable one.
Thanks to all of you guys.
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,798
That is one of the differences between the OMC Cobra and the Volvo SX, the Cobra uses a gasket there but the Volvo due to differences in the design does not need one there. However, this brings with it a different issue: On the Cobra if you coat the gasket with OMC gasket sealer like the manual tells you do, the drive will never corrode on the pivot housing. With the Volvo design this can and does happen. So coat the mating surfaces between the upper gear housing and the pivot housing (all around the 6 studs) with a water proof grease like OMC/Bombardier triple guard grease.
 
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