Oil in u-joint bellows?

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pvancorenland

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When I replaced my u-joint bellows, I found a blob of _dark_ grease behind the gimbal bearing as expected from adding grease to the bearing grease zerk, but I also found an oily substance covering the bottom of the bellows. It looks yellowish and smelled like _fresh_ motor oil.

How could it have gotten there? There was no apparent leakage from the gimbal side, and the seal on the outdrive looked clean as well. The bellows were intact.
I had changed my outdrive oil right at winterization and ran the outdrive for maybe a minute afterwards.

Outdrive: Volvo Penta DP-SM, gimbal housing: SX-M, Engine: 2001 VP 5.7 GSI
 
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crazy charlie

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Re: Oil in u-joint bellows?

Common repair.Upper seal for the drive shaft needs replacement.Happens in just about every drive sooner or later.Charlie
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: Oil in u-joint bellows?

It looks yellowish and smelled like _fresh_ motor oil.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... No way motor oil got in there,...
It's either oil from the drive, as Charlie says, or broken down grease, purged from the bearing...
 
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pvancorenland

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Re: Oil in u-joint bellows?

Would broken down grease has an oily texture (ie: liquid, not thick as new grease)?
The driveshaft seal looks fine (ie: dry)
 
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crazy charlie

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Re: Oil in u-joint bellows?

[QUOTE?
The driveshaft seal looks fine (ie: dry)[/QUOTE]

You cant see the seal unless you are Clark Kent.Put you finger in the bellows and if it sticks to your finger and does not have a strong gear oil smell then it is grease.If it drips and smells like gear oil then its gear oil. Charlie
 
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pvancorenland

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Re: Oil in u-joint bellows?

Fair enough. I should have said "the outdrive side of the drive shaft looks clean".
It does smell and feel like oil (engine or gear), but after googling a lot more, I think I concluded that last time the drive might have been overfilled, and the seal just spilled a little into the bellows. The amount is small (a tablespoon?), and I think that this is the first time the outdrive got pulled in 7-8 years.
 
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crazy charlie

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Re: Oil in u-joint bellows?

pvancorenlan It does smell and feel like oil (engine or gear) said:
Sounds like you googled and googled until you got the answer that YOU wanted to hear. IMHO your conclusion is incorrect,very incorrect.Charlie
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