Out drive pressure check (quick question)

So i put my outdrive back together after replacing the impeller. I made a quick pressure checker from a tire pump with a psi gauge on it. Hooked it up to the bottom of the outdrive in the drain hole and started pumping. Well i didn't pump too much, when i noticed i forgot to put the res. cap back on.

So my question: I screwed the cap back on and pumped a couple times. I could see the resivour pumping up and bulging out, but the gauge was not moving. I gave it a couple more pumps and stopped (because i didn't want to break anything). I slowly turned the cap off and it sounded like a really big pop can.

Is this normal, and will it hurt the resivour (sp). I didn't want to keep pumping because i am not even sure the gauge is working. It sure seemed like it built up a lot of pressure inside the unit, but i am unsure of where to go from here.

Thoughts?


Thanks,
Dean

95 mer alpha 1 gen 2.

Re: Out drive pressure check (quick question)

Kind of the right idea.
Wrong tool
Wrong procedure

Need pressure and vacuum checker
Service manual.

Re: Out drive pressure check (quick question)

Howdy,

It is a good idea to pressure (and vacuum) check your drive if you think you might have a leak but you need to know what pressure (or vacuum) you are pumping it up to. You don't want to pump it too much or you will "blow" a seal. I think 15 psi is about max for a test.

I wouldn't do it without a reliable gage....

Here's a good example of a test set up you can easily make yourself.
http://www.boatparts.ca/omc-cobra-parts/testing.html

It sounds like yours held pressure!

Regards,


Rick

Re: Out drive pressure check (quick question)

That rig needs a shut off valve somewhere between the gauge and pumps. Vacuum has to "hold" ,ain't gonna get that with with a pump constantly pulling on it. pressure test also has a hold time also.

Re: Out drive pressure check (quick question)

i am not even sure the gauge is working.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't do it without a reliable gage....

Click to expand...

i found it hard to find a gage that read low enough. most tire gages i found only start to measure pressure at 10psi. and even at that, it's on the low end of the scale so is suspect for being accurate. i have no suggestions for a gage to use other than use one that reads real low so that 10-15psi is at least on the lower 1/3 of the scale on the gage. the gage i found i had on hand and appeared to be an very old tire gage of some kind. but the scale starts low so ya can achieve yer 10-15 psi with some kinda accuracy. i don't have a fill bottle on mine. but if i did and it started to blow up like a balloon, i think i'd take it out of the picture for the test. could be it won't blow up like that with only 15psi applied to it.....

note gage has needle movement prior to 10psi. still low on the scale, but at least it moves with small amounts of pressure..... i also used a valve stem from a tire to connect to the pump. left the shrader valve in place. so tire pump can be removed after it's pumped up....
ya ain't talked about vacuum test so assume ya ain't performed it yet. the white thing in my pic is a brake self bleeder vac. pump. obtained at yer local auto parts store. it measures vac. very accurate and has the valve in it to hold vac.

Re: Out drive pressure check (quick question)

thanks guys, I was thinking the tire gauge just wont read low enough. I might just have to take it to a shop and have it checked...


dean

Re: Out drive pressure check (quick question)

I use one of theese: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Outd...018QQitemZ280227065109QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Works perfect - and it is quite cheep too