Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 20, 2012

I noticed a little sheen on the surface of my exhaust water today. I shut the engine down and then noticed a steady drip of gear oil from my exhaust chute, onto my aft prop. I raised the outdrive fully just to contain the drip. I looked down inside the exhaust chute and saw a puddle of gear oil, about an ounce. The puddle isn't getting any bigger, but there is an obvious leak when the props are turning. I guess it's safe to say this outdrive will fail a pressure test.

I have attached an overall photo and another photo with a red arrow pointing toward the exhaust chute, which is where the oil is dripping from. There are no exterior oil leaks on this outdrive. Although the oil is dripping from the exhaust chute the actual leak appears to located be up inside the exhaust chut somewhere around where the upper and lower gear housings are bolted together. Now the question is how do I fix it? Does anyone have a shop manual and plenty of advice on how to proceed? Some step by step instructions would be even better.

Hey, if you gotta beg for help, go big!

This outdrive is a Volvo Penta DP-D1.

Don S · Apr 20, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Assuming you are using green gear lube, there is only about 1 place for gear lube to get into the exhaust, and that is the oring around the vertical shaft and bearing between the lower and the intermediate housing.
I would sure drain the gear lube and do a pressure check before any disassembly though.

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 20, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Hi Don,

Nope don't know anything about "green gear lube". Is that a brand or a color? I'm using API GL-5 SAE 80w–90 and it's golden brown in color. Ok, so I'll dump the gear oil and pressure test a dry housing. If it passes or if it fails... then what?

Don S · Apr 20, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

I think I just read green where you said sheen :facepalm:

If you have a puddle of gear lube, yeah, a pressure check is in order.

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 21, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

OK Don S. here is what I found.

I drained the gear oil and it looks fabulous. I have no reason to suspect there is any water leaking into the outdrive, only oil leaking out thru the exhaust chute. I used the sticky in this forum to quickly build a cheap pressure tester. I pressurized the outdrive to 15psi and all of the pressure completely evacuated in 4 seconds. I could hear a loud hissing sound as the gauge needle was dropping. I put my ear to the exhaust chute and pressurized it again. There is an obvious catastrophic leak somewhere up inside that exhaust chute. Can you point me toward a good shop manual that has a parts breakdown and gives me some direction? I have no clue where to get started on this repair. Thanks! Outdrive is a DP-D1

Don S · Apr 21, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

I't not that tough a job to replace that oring if that's what is the problem. Here is a link to the manual for that drive. Click Here.

Here Is a link to the seals for the lower (Yeah, I know, it's not the lower. but it is Volvo

) 22 and 30 are the ones you need.

Here is a link to your drive for future use http://www.volvopentastore.com/Tran...on_id.217467074--store_id.366--view_id.772651

Volvo also can't count. In the manual they say there is 5 bolts holding the lower unit to the intermediate. There are actually 7. The picture and arrow will show you the missing bolts

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 21, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Thanks Don, I am printing the documents you recommend right now. I’ll get started on the disassembly today as soon as I can assemble my tools and I will update this thread on my progress. FYI… A rainy weekend is predicted so my reply with any progress could be delayed a few days. Just one more question... while I have this thing broken apart.... is there ANYTHING else (gaskets, seals etc.) I should plan on replacing while I have it broken down?

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 21, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Don, I said it before and I'll proclaim it again. Your advice is just amazing! It took all of 10 minutes to remove the lower housing. I can see obvious signs of #30 oring compression (flattening) and #22 seal wear. I have attached a photo of the top of the lower housing and a photo of the bottom of the intermediate housing. I will replace #30 and #22 as you suggested, but I'm also going to replace #19 for good measure. I have a good feeling this will fix my problem, or at least 90% of it. The best part is the pricing looks to be about $20 including shipping. I'll order parts, get it back together, then update this thread with a new pressure test result.

Don S · Apr 21, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Well your pictures didn't show up. Did you look at the upper housing also to make sure you don't have any cracks or defects? Those orings are always flat after being there a while, but they don't always leak without pressure. It probably is the orings, just make sure you do a pressure test after the repairs, and that there are no more leaks.

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 21, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

I just edited the post and made sure the photos were there this time. No I have not inspected closely for crack. I’m on my way back out to see if I can lightly remove some of the crud and then look for hairline cracks

Don S · Apr 21, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

After looking at your pictures, I realize I forgot to tell you to order the #19 sealing ring (same parts page as the other orings). Without that, you could end up with the raw water pump sucking air and overheating your engine. Sorry 'bout that!

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 25, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

OK Don S., I think this is one you?ll have to explain since I can?t get my parts guy on the phone.

My new parts have arrived and I found that part #872755 (sealing ring) which is part #19 on the drawing does not look like the part I removed. Note the photos I have attached. The old seal on the left is much shorter when looking from a front view and the lip around it is much wider when looking at the top view. The old seal looks like an oversized garden hose rubber washer. The new seal looks like it was sawed from a thin piece of rubber hose. When I try to fit the new seal in place it?s not much bigger around than the water pick up tube itself. Its much taller than the old part so it wants to compress and crumble into the water pick up tube. I have my doubts this part is the correct part even though the number for this part is correct. What can you make of these photos and what?s your advice on proceeding?

Don S · Apr 25, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Can you post a picture of the bottom of the intermediate housing where that seal is supposed to go?

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 25, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Here are two photos of the surfaces after being cleaned up.

Don S · Apr 25, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Interesting, not what one should see on a DP-D1.
You need oring #941820

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 25, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Don, yeah my parts guy is looking at the same parts breakdown you sent me. He's got about 40 years in the business and he operates a Volvo Penta parts warehouse with millions of $$$ in inventory... and he's stumped too! He's couldn't recommend anything to me. So, I'm trusting you (again)

and I have ordered your your #941820 oring suggestion. At this point I think I could make a gasket out of a rubber innertube that would work better than the part I received. I'll wait for parts and update the thread again... hopefully by Saturday. Thanks again!

Don S · Apr 25, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

It's an oring, and you NEED the right one. It's just for an older style drive. Perhaps someone replaced the intermediate housing somewhere along the line, who knows. There is only two possibilities, the one you have or the oring. Nothing else.

Don't even think about trying to make one, or you will be burning up impellers, and having overheat problems every time you get on plane.

rfdfirecaptain · Apr 25, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

Don, agreed! I was just musing.

Actually I found an oring lying around my shop that is a very close fit. I tried it and it seems to be a much better fit than the part I received. Of course I am not going to use this oring. I was just using it to see what kind of "fit" an oring would have since my old part looks like a flat washer and my new part looks like a piece of hose. So yes, I agree that an “oring” is the part of choice for this application. Thanks for helping me figure out which oring to purchase. Hopefully the oring you recommended will arrive by Friday and I’ll have an update for you very soon.

rfdfirecaptain · May 4, 2012

Re: Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

UPDATE: Finally I received all 3 of the orings for this repair. I used a little grease to seat them in place and slowly and evenly I started tightening the 4 main bolts. Once these bolts were tight I inserted and tightened the aft 3 remaining bolts. I pressurized the outdrive and lost all pressure within about 1 second. I could hear the air leaking out through the exhaust chute (same as my original problem). I torqued all the bolts just a little more. There was no change.

I removed the lower housing, cleaned all surfaces, repositioned all 3 orings and then torqued bolts again just as stated above. Now I am holding pressure for about 6 seconds. :facepalm:

I’m at a loss for what to do next. The oring around my drive shaft is so thin it looks like there can be no more than 1mm of compressible height before the two surfaces are flush against each other. But I am sure this is the correct oring and it even looks like the one I removed. I guess the question I have is this. When you are sure you have the correct parts, and you can’t tighten the bolts any tighter what is the next thing to do in this situation? I’ve already prayed about… so that one is covered!

Outdrive Leaking Gear Oil Thru Exhaust Chute (need repair help)

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