Gear oil everywhere! PICS

JNormV163

Seaman
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
66
Soooooo I finally got my replacement motor for my 78 Glastron SSV 177. My knowledge on boats is getting pretty damn good but one thing that really remains a mystery to me and I'm not sure if its lack of motivation to learn or they just seem more complicated than they really are, are OUTDRIVES. I was getting my existing motor ready to be pulled and obviously one of those things is removing the outdrive. Everything went really smooth but when I seperated it from the motor a ton of milky gear fluid was around the drive shaft ( idk if that's the technical term or not ) and came oozing out of the housing (not sure if that's the right term either). When I changed the gear fluid a few weeks back it was pretty milky and smelled pretty bad but what threw me for a loop was the amount of water that came out that was not mixed with oil. It came out as clear water right out of the drain plug. It obviously needs some work and some new seals but is this gonna cost me a fortune? How serious is this? Should I do it myself or pay a shop? I'm pretty mechanically inclined but don't really know what I'm doing on an outdrive. I got a complete running Mercruiser inline 6 165hp motor (without the outdrive) for $675 which I think I scored on but I don't make a whole lot and I'm trying to keep the cost down. Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hard to tell but there is fluid all down the middle.

The fluid on the bottom half wasn't there when I pulled it out. It made its way from the top on down to what looks like the exhaust or water inlet.


Here's a shot of the replacement motor.


Here is the boat
 

MarkSee

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
1,172
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

Probably a bad ujoint bellows letting the water in and seals in the drive. Time to pressure test the drive and see where it's leaking.
Mark
 

JNormV163

Seaman
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
66
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

Oh and its a 1978 so that makes it a gen 1?

OK cool. Can you buy one or should I make one? I could easily make one but I would be worried my craftsmanship would be faulty. Also it was not winterized by the guy I bought it from and why I need the engine. Does an outdrive hold any water? could freezing water cause all these issues?
 

MarkSee

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
1,172
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

You can easily make one. Up in the top of the forum you'll see that sticky called Adults only which Don compiled a lot of great information on all kinds of stuff. Check it out.
Here's a link to making a pressure tester:
http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser...sure-check-prior-post-233546.html#post1573303

No water should be in an outdrive; only gear lube.
You can also buy complete replacement aftermarket outdrives right here on IBOATS; just look for a picture of the outdrive above and check it out.

Mark
 
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achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

Oh and its a 1978 so that makes it a gen 1?

No, that makes it an MC-1, not an Alpha One (or a 'gen I').

OK cool. Can you buy one or should I make one? I could easily make one but I would be worried my craftsmanship would be faulty. Also it was not winterized by the guy I bought it from and why I need the engine. Does an outdrive hold any water? could freezing water cause all these issues?

No water in the drive UNLESS it's been left in the trimmed UP position, and even then, the water will be in around the bearing carrier. No, the most likely cause of your milky oil in the bellows is two fold. One, you have a hole in the bellows somewhere, and the water has caused the seal in the front of the drive to leak, hence the oil getting into the bellows to mix with the water already in there.

A few weeks ago I wrote a document you might find interesting..... It is in the stickies, but here's the direct link....

http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser...rives/od-presure-test-524743.html#post3556520

Chris.....
 
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flipbro

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 8, 2013
Messages
830
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

When you change your seals check 4 rust on the gears and bearings! No telling how long the water was lying in there if any rust on bearings replace. any pitting on gears at all replace.
 

JustJason

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 27, 2007
Messages
5,319
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

Your going to need a new upper yoke as well as resealing the drive. If you do not have the tools to do it (and there are a lot of tools needed). It is going to be cheaper for you in the long run to buy an SEI drive.
 

flipbro

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 8, 2013
Messages
830
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

I decided to buy all the tools gears and bearings and do it my self.. I got an oem gear set with bearings shims and seals of ebay 199.99 new old stock witch was a deal regular 667! Inch pound torque wrench 110 bucks..both driven and drive gear shimming tools 175 for both oem used.. i had a slide hammer other wise add 80.00 Seal drivers and inner race driver i had so saved 100. I made the spanner wrench at work free. I also made the bottom carrier wrench at work Free so i saved 75. I also made the socket to torque the retainer nut on the bottom gear out of an old gear. I also made the tool to cheack rolling torque in the upper out of an old shaft i had so i saved around 150 there. upper and lower seal kit 56bucks new bottom carrier nut $25 Im sure im missing something .. So unless you just want the experiance and hobby its much much cheaper to go with sei if you find youve got some rusty bearing and gears!!!
 

Walt T

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
1,369
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

Yup. SEI. You have techs telling you that. Techs that can work on those MC's. SEI. It's what I'd do.
 

flipbro

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 8, 2013
Messages
830
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

Before you get to excited pop the top cover of and have a look. that dont cost nothing You may get lucky as those gears and bearings are still in oil so your top should be fine. Take a few pic and show use!! You do know what BOAT stands for? Bust Out Another Thousand.:)
 
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JustJason

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 27, 2007
Messages
5,319
Re: Gear oil everywhere! PICS

Before you get to excited pop the top cover of and have a look. that dont cost nothing You may get lucky as those gears and bearings are still in oil so your top should be fine.

You can't see the input shaft bearings by popping the top cover. You have to pull the input shaft which means you need the retaining nut tool. But when you get water in the gear lube like that the upper yoke goes 99% of the time.
 
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