Leak from outdrive?

Sebago2012

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Ok so I put the boat in this weekend and from the boat ramp I use to the mooring I have on the lake at my house is about a 30 minute ride.

Once tied up at the mooring I want to check everything and make sure all is ok after warming up. And when I took of the engine compartment cover I noticed alot of water in the bilge area and could hear it coming in. So I moved the seats and stuck my head back as far as I could and couldn't see where the water was coming from but could hear it back there and sounding as it was coming mid way of the outdrive area. Cause I could hear it as though it was falling / pouring into the water laying in the bilge area.

However last week I did replace the fuel fill hose and vent hose both was original and dry rot/cracked. And resealed the garboard drain, in doing so I sanded and cleaned the areas where the garboard flange seats and the hole and I did check the hole area for rot and was solid and glazed the tunnel hole with 5 minute epoxy with a popsicle stick sanded and waited 24... hours then used 3m 4200 and coated the garboard throat and around flange seated and screws coated as well I bring it 1/8 of an inch of being flush then waited about an hour or so then tightened completely so I wouldn't squeeze out the sealant. I don't think this has to do with the leak but wanted to mention.

However on the outdrive port side there's a rubber hose that has some concerning dry rot cracks .... its not the accordion style hoses. Is this hose a water intake hose to engine? As I wanna say the leak is either from water intake lines or seals from bell housing area. Or water coolant hoses on engine side.

I wish I had more time to investigate ... with mirrors but I had a short window to use my neighbors boat launch or travel back to public boat launch... I choose the neighbors and he'll only let people use it at his convenience and when he's right there...
 

Grub54891

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Hope you don't have the boat in the water right now,if it's leaking it should be fixed.any dry rotted hoses or bellows shoul be replaced. Along with the gimble bearing and lower gift cable. Do them all at one time and save some headaches. Now go to the inside of the boat and replace the water pick up hose. That should stop leaks for quite a few years. Some will put a bunch of water in the bilge and watch where it comes out when on the trailer.I dont like to do that as I've seen people put to much water in and sink the starter.
Grub
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Haha Nope its on the trailer in my yard like I said in my post I used neighbors launch to pull it in.

I did how ever leave what water was in the bilge till I got it parked in my yard to crawl around to see if I saw water leaking back out... nothing I noticed and towel dried hull to see anything ... nothing.

Its an 1989 so what's original for hoses and seals are old and I do wanna replace. Just being my first I/O drive I know very little to nothing except the engine its self.

Thanks grub! I wrote down all your replacement suggestions so I can research and price the parts out. Sounds perfect ideas to start with and like I said alot of things are original on the boat but figured for 1800.00 for boat n trailer that if it turned out to be a turd I could recoup some money on the trailer and parts as the engine sounds and looks mint and has a new carb.
 

Grub54891

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Check the sticky's in the adult section,there is a lot of excellent info in there!
Grub
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

So is anyone knows where to get good prices on parts for a alpha one mercruiser it be greatly appreciated
 

ktbarrentine

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

I'm betting on a shift cable bellows leak, just based on the limited info... Will be anxiously awaiting the outcome of this saga.

parts are available right here on iboats.

other sources for cross ref include:
www.crowleymarine.com
www.mercruiserparts.com

I even take numbers from all these sources and check out what I can get from amazon (including free shipping sometimes!).

Have you got a "good" manual? they're here on the forum.... and go to the stickys like previously recommended. wealth of info there.
Good luck!:rolleyes:
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Ya surveys are pointing to bellows area the sound I was hearing was accurately described by others on here. I have merc service manual #25, im looking for manual #6 now
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

I guess I need both service manual 6 & 7, would prefer them on cd, much easier to just print off pages u need then mess up the book manual ... anyone know if you can get these on c-rom?
 

ktbarrentine

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

I guess I need both service manual 6 & 7, would prefer them on cd, much easier to just print off pages u need then mess up the book manual ... anyone know if you can get these on c-rom?

I get my manuals online here:
http://boatinfo.no/lib/library.html

You can easily search for what you need, and print the pages off as you need them. No need to have the hard copy or even one on your computer..it is in the "cloud"!:D
Don may have a link to the downloadable version of your manuals....
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

I get my manuals online here:
http://boatinfo.no/lib/library.html

You can easily search for what you need, and print the pages off as you need them. No need to have the hard copy or even one on your computer..it is in the "cloud"!:D
Don may have a link to the downloadable version of your manuals....

i looked where you get your manuals and i can't seem to find any under 1997 .... i need the 1986-1992 i think it is, either way i know its manual #7 and #6 my engine and sterndrive is 1989
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

And it is my bellows that is leaking family member knows a boat service tech and looked at it and said without a doubt . He can't fix it on the side cause he has a clause with his employer not to do side work . Said it would cost about $400-600. i'd rather do it myself and will replace water impeller and all the bellows and water intake hose might as well feed through a new shift cable and gimble bearing. so i'll be looking at approximately $300 in just the tools to fix it all. i just wish i could snag up the needed manuals
 

Bondo

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

i looked where you get your manuals and i can't seem to find any under 1997 .... i need the 1986-1992 i think it is, either way i know its manual #7 and #6 my engine and sterndrive is 1989

Ayuh,... The manuals you need, ARE at the link provided,....

Click the link, hi-light Mercruiser, then side-scroll to manuals #6, 'n #7...
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

ahh... thanks Bond-o! Found them! my side scroll tool wasn't working (cough-cough):facepalm:
 

series60

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Jan 4, 2010
Messages
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Re: Leak from outdrive?

How about putting all this info in your signature file so we don't have to guess what you are talking about.

1989 Celebrity 181 18' bowrider
GM 4.3 v6 alpha one Mercruiser
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Good idea. Thanks, majority of the time I use ny cell for online I don't have internet at my home so some things are easy over looked by me. Much appreciated.
 

natsgrampy

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Aug 31, 2010
Messages
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Re: Leak from outdrive?

And it is my bellows that is leaking family member knows a boat service tech and looked at it and said without a doubt . He can't fix it on the side cause he has a clause with his employer not to do side work . Said it would cost about $400-600. i'd rather do it myself and will replace water impeller and all the bellows and water intake hose might as well feed through a new shift cable and gimble bearing. so i'll be looking at approximately $300 in just the tools to fix it all. i just wish i could snag up the needed manuals

With the help of all the fine people here in the Iboats forum, I replaced exactly the same items you are loooking at on my boat this past spring. I got all the parts, manuals, much needed guidance / advice, and some tools, right here on Iboats.com. I also replaced the shift cable while I had the outdrive off. All this for a cost of less than $200. Go to mercruiserparts.com, there have a great parts search with pics to help make sure you are getting correct parts. Then come back here and check out the prices.
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Ok so I now have the service manuals I need and have been acquiring tools needed, and found a good deal on alignment tool package that comes with gimbals bearing press discs, bellows expanding tool, hinge pin socket tool for $163 shipped. And just gonna rent the pilot bearing slide hammer for gimbals bearing.

Now I have manuals where do I get or find the part # I need or do I do a search with my serial numbers? Unfortunately I can't fund the serial numbers for engine on the areas I've read to look or on sterndrive unit, however do have one in the transom housing and have a few series of serial numbers on plastic flame arrestor cover.
 

Bondo

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Ok so I now have the service manuals I need and have been acquiring tools needed, and found a good deal on alignment tool package that comes with gimbals bearing press discs, bellows expanding tool, hinge pin socket tool for $163 shipped. And just gonna rent the pilot bearing slide hammer for gimbals bearing.

Now I have manuals where do I get or find the part # I need or do I do a search with my serial numbers? Unfortunately I can't fund the serial numbers for engine on the areas I've read to look or on sterndrive unit, however do have one in the transom housing and have a few series of serial numbers on plastic flame arrestor cover.
Its an 1989 so what's original for hoses and seals are old and I do wanna replace. Just being my first I/O drive I know very little to nothing except the engine its self.

Ayuh,.... You can search by serial numbers, or, if yer '89 is original, it's an Alpha 1,...

There's only 1 choice for an Alpha 1, transom assembly rebuild kit...

You Don't have an MC-1, not an R drive, not an MR drive, nor an Alpha 1, Gen.II...
 

Sebago2012

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Re: Leak from outdrive?

I believe its all original, the reason I ask is because site to site parts companies list only by part # or say alpha one gen 1.. I assume they just mean alpha one. So in all im just trying to weed out chances of mistakes and go by individual part # or parts kits #

Transom ser.# oc556306
Drive ser.# oc555330
Engine ser.# c450633
 

Sebago2012

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Aug 11, 2012
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Re: Leak from outdrive?

Ok so I live in Maine ... winter can start in fall so I've chooses to use my funds first to get what's needed to winterize the engine.

So far I've took out the brass petcock drain plugs(4) and drained all raw water then used some wire to fish around the holes and remove any crud then used my air compressor and blew all 4 holes. Cleaned all 4 petcocks with a rag checked threads. And set them aside. Now the boat has been sitting level so the engine can drain for a week and a half now.

My next steps im gonna drain all water pump hoses and thermostat housing as im just gonna put a new thermo kit in. Prior to installing new thermo kit im gonna pour marine -50 AF in the hoses and block and of course petcocks installed on engine block and open them and hope till I AF to bleed out. Once new thermo kit is installed im gonna jug feed antifreeze thru muffs on O/D and fog carburator. Then hope engine oil is warmed up remove oil replace filter. Replace the fuel water seperatorthen filter.Then drain O/D gear oil then commence with removal of O/D to replace full water pump kit. Full bellows kit and gimbals bearing.

Please interject any advice or pointers. I know I got off topic with the winterize procedure but being the outdrive needs repaired I wanna secure the engine first and don't wanna have to worry or backtrack in absence of jumping to far ahead.
 
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