Adding grease to bearing?

[f_inscreenname]

I just got a new Volvo Penta bell housing kit for my Chevy. Now on my other bell housing for the Chrysler that’s in the boat now it has two fittings to add grease to the inner bearing. The new bell housing doesn’t have any fittings and for that matter I don’t see where they could have put one if they wanted to.
How am I supposed to grease the bearing once its all put together. Is it a one time thing and then every year or so I have to pull the motor to do it again or am I missing something?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

I doubt that they would design it to have to pull the engine every year....
I could swear Don S had talked about this once......
But I wouldn'd be able to point you in the right direction....
Where the hell is he anyway?.....
iboats must be paying him way too much if he can afford extended vacations like this......

 

[johnbo]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

On the Volvo's and the OMC Cobra's, the zerk for the gimbal bearing is on the starboard side of the transom shield (the bit that bolts to the outside of the transom).

Unless of course, I'm confused and a gimbal bearing is not an inner bearing.

Later,

johnbo

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

A Volvo Penta's transom shield just holds the bellhousing in place and the bellhousing is self contained if that makes sense?
The red X's are where they are on my Mopar's. There is nothing on this one. I am thinking of making a hole just in front of the bearing and connecting it to a grease zerk further up the bellhousing but not sure.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

Where is the Great Don S when you need him?

I bet he is having a heck of a vacation!

 

[Don S]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

If you don't have a sealed bearing, just pop the outer seal out and use a needle type grease fitting on your grease gun to push some grease into the bearing.
If you look at how the shaft and bearing is installed, you can actually remove the snap rings and pull the bearing and shaft out the back without pulling the engine. (if you can get a hold of it and it isn't rusted in)

Gary. Wasn't really a vacation. Time to leave Alaska and get ready to retire. So we went looking at towns and houses. Found both, bought new (to us) home............. Anyone want to buy a house in AK . Really hate 2 mortgage payments !!!

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

Good for you Don!
May i ask where are you moving to?
Somewhere warm?

 

[Don S]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

Zip 98569

Backyard has dock and looks out onto Duck Lake.
Fresh water......... anyone know if it's more corrosive than the salt water i'm used to? ? ? 8)

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

Sounds great! you must post some pics when you get settled in!8)

 

[Don S]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

Here is a backyard shot. Straight up is to Duck Lake, to the left goes to the Grand Canal. It was 60 to 65 degrees there last week and I came home to 4" of snow........
Hopefully FSN doesn't whoop my azz for hijacking his post.:%

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

For all you done in the past you are more then welcome to hijack away. I almost feel a little privileged about the big announcement coming to the lower 48. You know they don't like Nascar fans there but I wont hold that against you.8)

So what do you think about drilling a hole in the bell housing where it comes out just in front of the bearing (between the bearing and front seal), fitting a connection hose and a grease zerk further up the bell housing? Or would pushing grease out in front of the bearing wouldn’t be any help?
I just found out about the sealed bearing (lucky me just had the open bearing that came with the kit pressed on the shaft) . How long do they last? Are they maintenance free? With my experience with these bell housings pulling the (2) snap rings and shaft after a season or so would require a tow truck to get it out and like you said, if you can get a hold of it.

 

[Don S]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

On your old bellhousing, if you had a dual bearing flywheel housing, it had the zirk between the 2 bearings. So the grease would be in the cavity between the two and if you kept it serviced there was always plenty of clean grease. Plus, you could always clean out the old stuff when it squeezed out into the bellows area.
With the single bearing there was a serious seal in the front to keep the grease in the bearing. Now, if you can get a zirk in there to put grease in the bearing and not just around it where it can't ever get to the bearing, then go for it. It sure couldn't hurt.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

First does a 2 bearing mean 2 bearings inside the bell housing or a bell housing bearing and a pilot bearing? I always thought it was 2 bearings inside the bell but looking at a description of the kit it said something about 2 bearing but it’s a single bearing in the bell and a pilot in the crank.
The Mopar bell housing has 2 zerks in it but it has only one bearing in the bell with seals on both sides.

“With the single bearing there was a serious seal in the front to keep the grease in the bearing. Now, if you can get a zirk in there to put grease in the bearing and not just around it where it can't ever get to the bearing, then go for it. It sure couldn't hurt.”

So what you are saying is it will not work having the grease go in between the front seal and the bearing (it’s a serious seal, Volvo # 958859 sealing ring)?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

Wasn't really a vacation. Time to leave Alaska and get ready to retire. So we went looking at towns and houses. Found both, bought new (to us) home............. Anyone want to buy a house in AK . Really hate 2 mortgage payments !!!

Zip 98569

Backyard has dock and looks out onto Duck Lake.
Fresh water......... anyone know if it's more corrosive than the salt water i'm used to? ? ? 8)

Congratulations Don.......

I can tell ya,.....
Working on those Freshwater boats of your new Friends,.........
Well,........... Your gonna Think ya Died,+ went to Heaven...........d

Wow,... I just googled the zip code,..... A Cupful of Freshwater,...... Surrounded by Saltwater........

 

[Don S]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

The old style (2 bearings) had 2 bearings in the bellhousing. They also didn't use a pilot bearing inside the crankshaft. The splined shaft only went into the flex plate.
The later models had a single bearing in the bellhousing but also REQUIERS the use of a pilot bearing to keep the shaft aligned. Without that pilot bearing, they will destroy the bellhousing in short order.
We HAD an auto mechanic that decided to work on boat to get the easy money. He lost 3 bellhousings on one charter boat within a month. The owner brought it to us (He hated that, we charge too much) we found the problem, installed the bearing and all was well. Of course the guy doesn't let us work on his boat anymore, but that's his problem.

So what you are saying is it will not work having the grease go in between the front seal and the bearing (it’s a serious seal, Volvo # 958859 sealing ring)?

Like I said, I've never tried it, and if it has a real seal and not just a dust cover it may work.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

I may have to give it a try. The thought of not being able to grease the bell’s bearing without pulling the outdrive is not good. I like to do it once a month when I do the buddy bearings on the trailer and other points. Taking the drive off with the way the "T's" trim system hooks up would be a nightmare every month. I have to come up with something to make it easier.
How often do sealed bearings need to be serviced? If it its like once a year I may have to try that instead.

 

[8x56mn]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

OK, have probably a dumb question, but why are you greasing a sealed bearing?

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

Zip 98569

Backyard has dock and looks out onto Duck Lake.
Fresh water......... anyone know if it's more corrosive than the salt water i'm used to? ? ? 8)

Don, are you coming down here to personally straighten me out? I'm 60 miles west, NW of Olympia at Steamboat Island area. We ride the M/C's to OS ofter, and I go there with the dog and do the beach. The spit/park at the south end is fabulous, and either way to drive onto the beach is great!. Like to drive on by the big hotel, and head north..get a few miles up, and the crowd goes away. Lots or cool/foggy weather in the summer, but a mile or two inland is warmer and sunny..farther inland and its hot. Neat area, and the exploring possibilities are ENDLESS on the Olympic Peninsula. And a little part time work is ALWAYS available down in Westport with the fishing charter boats. Ride along the shore down from there to Raymond is terrific. And along the Ocean there, leave your snow shovel in AK. Feel free to email me with any questions to hogrider@myway.com. Know the area well, been here 13 years. Good luck, Robby

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

OK, have probably a dumb question, but why are you greasing a sealed bearing?

Because the bearing that came with the kit is not a sealed bearing.

 

[tommays]

Re: Adding grease to bearing?

i would find it in a ZZ (double sealed NOT shielded ) they run in washdown electric motors with NO grease fittings at 3450 RPM for many many years 24/7




Tommays