Oil in the drive bellows

[pikiewicz]

I purchased a Larson Hampton this spring.I removed my drive today for winter storage. This is the first time I have removed a mercury drive. It is a 1989 alpha 1. There was some gear oil in the drive bellows around the u joints and near the shift cable. Is this normal? Where did it come from? Secondly the drive was drained and the oil was blue but light blue like it could have a milky appearance. No visible water but a slight milky appearance? I plan on changing the bellows next spring but what about the oil? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[IES99]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Not sure, but my 1988 alpha leaked in that area so badly that drive oil was coming into the boat. I was told that this was caused by worn parts in the drive. It has been fixed.

 

[Don S]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

No, it's not normal. The bellows should be dry of water and/or oil.
If oil is in there, that means the input shaft seal to the drive is leaking. Probably because of a worn sealing surface on the yoke. If you keep running it like that, the drive gear lube will be too low and start destroying the bearings and gears in the upper because the lube is low. Then the metal from that problem moves to the lower. Soon, you need a new drive.

 

[pikiewicz]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

How big of a job is it to pull the u joint off the shaft and repair the seal? How is it done?

 

[Robbo22]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Oh Lord...I Just found a pool of muddy loooking oil under my 280 leg (AQ 125a) last time I took her out and backed into the driveway,,,,the residue was all over the exhust bellows and dripping down......Don, where is that coming from

Rob

 

[Maclin]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

(Since you have a completely different drive you should probably start a new thread.)

Robbo,
That is coming from your drive bellows. It is a mix of drive oil and water. It probably means you have water in the drive oil as well. The front seal on the drive leaks oil out into the bellows and since your bellows is leaking it out it means water is getting into the bellows as well and into the same leaking front drive seal. Your ujoints and driveshaft will have been riding in that watery mix as well and are probably pretty far gone by now.

 

[achris]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Oh Lord...I Just found a pool of muddy loooking oil under my 280 leg (AQ 125a) last time I took her out and backed into the driveway,,,,the residue was all over the exhust bellows and dripping down......Don, where is that coming from

Rob

NOT RELEVANT TO THIS THREAD... START A NEW ONE OF YOUR OWN!!!

 

[achris]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

How big of a job is it to pull the u joint off the shaft and repair the seal? How is it done?

It's all in this manual...

http://www-alt.mercurymarine.com/mnetdata/SERVICE/CRUISER/Servmanl/6/6covr3.pdf

You'll only need the tool to remove the front cover and a rolling torque indicator.

I usually push the new seal on by about 20 thou deeper, thus doubling the life of the yoke....

Chris...........

 

[pikiewicz]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Thanks for the info. The only problem is when I go to open up this document you sent, I get 7 pages of intro. That is it. I also went to a similar post from Don about service manuals and it also shows me 7 pages of intro. I am lost as to how big a job this drive seal is. SHould I reseal the entire drive? The oil was a tint milky but not white. More of a lighter blue than the original fluid. COuld it have gathered moisture throughthis top drive seal? I am handy but being the first time I have cold feet. You know that fear that mllions of springs will pop out and you can't find them.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

The only problem is when I go to open up this document you sent, I get 7 pages of intro. That is it.

run yer mouse over the service manual outline, the letters under a specific section will turn your mouse from a hand to a point and click finger...

I am lost as to how big a job this drive seal is.

once ya figure out opening the service manual, it will tell you all... oh, and once ya got it. save it to disc for future reference.....

. SHould I reseal the entire drive?

my feeling is, only if it leaks. ya can do a pressure test on the drive to help ya fig. where any leaks are at, or if it's leaking at all.....

? I am handy but being the first time I have cold feet. You know that fear that mllions of springs will pop out and you can't find them.

i'll speak for myself. but i feel that way too doing something new. i'd guess others do too. get that service manual and read it. it'll let ya know if spings are getting ready to fly. and keep asking questions here on 'the' fourm. ya will probably get much help. fwiw. at least 2 of these fellows in this post helped me get thru doing the yoke seal in my drive. i read the manual, but still had questions, these folks helped me thru it and i was successful...

 

[pikiewicz]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Still no luck opening the manual. I only get 7 pages. I get the hand mentioned above but it doesn't do anything. If someone has changed out this drive seal, maybe they could give me there opinion. If it all slides off the shaft towards the u joints, I think I could handle it easily but busting into the drive without the proper manual kinda spooks me. Someone mentioned in this post about a setting on the seal? Usually I have put seals in until the are flush on the rear side. So what is up with the setting?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

but busting into the drive without the proper manual kinda spooks me.

good, it should. yer gonna have to have a service manual. it's not straight fwd. especially the rolling torque that achris talks about. if i remember right. the yoke nut gets torqued to 4-6 inch lbs (thats not much torque) of rolling torque. (requires a dial indicator type inch pound torque wrench capable of going low. from 0-10 in lbs.)(pretty pricey tool too)

i've replaced the seal on my 1 drive. it's similar to the alpha1, but there are differences. like i used a straight torque on the nut. not rolling torque. here's a few old threads i did when i was up against it... and i read the service manual over and over and over, and i still had many questions....

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=228851

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=228998

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=229200

Someone mentioned in this post about a setting on the seal? Usually I have put seals in until the are flush on the rear side. So what is up with the setting?

in the last copied post, post #2 has a pic of the ft. seal. i believe this is the seal that achris is randomly placing trying to get a fresh surface on the yoke. fwiw. the seal i got from mercruiser came as an assembly. the carrier and the seal already put together....

I get the hand mentioned above but it doesn't do anything.

in the table of contents, run the hand over the letters A, B, C, etc. under a specific section. it should turn into a pointing finger... left single click....

 

[pikiewicz]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

The left click may be a problem. This is a Mac.

 

[achris]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

The left click may be a problem. This is a Mac.

Another one!!! Find the option that allows you to select 'Save target as'...

 

[achris]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Still no luck opening the manual. I only get 7 pages. I get the hand mentioned above but it doesn't do anything. If someone has changed out this drive seal, maybe they could give me there opinion. If it all slides off the shaft towards the u joints, I think I could handle it easily but busting into the drive without the proper manual kinda spooks me. Someone mentioned in this post about a setting on the seal? Usually I have put seals in until the are flush on the rear side. So what is up with the setting?

It was me... I set the new seal about 30 thou deeper than the original. That way the new seal runs on a new section of the yoke. Run it on the old damaged part and real quick the new seal is damaged too.

Chris..........

 

[Robbo22]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

NOT RELEVANT TO THIS THREAD... START A NEW ONE OF YOUR OWN!!!

Thank you for the real friendly reply.....and for future reference using Caps in email or a forum is considered yelling and is generally not a polite way to interact.

So I made mistake...thats no reason to lose control and start screaming like some demented storm trooper. Where in Gods name do you think you are, Berlin 1937 ?

Most Forums have rules regarding agressive postings like yours... obviously you feel elevated enough that civility doesnt apply to you.....

Out of here...!

 

[achris]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Thank you for the real friendly reply.....and for future reference using Caps in email or a forum is considered yelling and is generally not a polite way to interact.

So I made mistake...thats no reason to lose control and start screaming like some demented storm trooper. Where in Gods name do you think you are, Berlin 1937 ?

Most Forums have rules regarding agressive postings like yours... obviously you feel elevated enough that civility doesnt apply to you.....

Out of here...!

I answer a lot of questions here. I also find that other people 'hi-jacking' threads causes a hell of a lot of confusion. If you are so versed with forum etiquette, then you should have known better.

I have tried asking nicely for people to stop doing this (hi-jacking) , but it seems the only way they listen is for ME TO YELL AT THEM!!!

Chris.......

 

[Bondo]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Most Forums have rules regarding agressive postings like yours... obviously you feel elevated enough that civility doesnt apply to you.....

Ayuh,....

And here at iboats We have Rules about Hy-jacking threads.....

Start your Own,+ you'll have All the Help you need...

 

[pikiewicz]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

Thanks to all those who helped me with my bellows and oil problem. One last thing. I take it that I actually have to go inside the drive and remove something on the rear of the shaft. Hopefully this is right? Are there special tools or can I get by with the arrangement of stuff I already have (sockets open ends, box wrenches etc. As a side note. Sorry for the other discussion. I have learned a lot reading posts on iboats and I will continue to ask and answer questions to the best of my ability. I finally get the 20 or 30 thou.. That was thousands of a inch : ) It took a while to sink in..

 

[ziggy]

Re: Oil in the drive bellows

I take it that I actually have to go inside the drive and remove something on the rear of the shaft.

yep. did ya look at the second link i gave ya regarding my wows. just like a parts diagram. layed out in order, though the yoke should be turned around 180*. the nut is at the far left corner of the pic in post 6. the nut screws on the end of the yoke.

ya need one of these to get the assy. out of the drive... http://www.iboats.com/Spanner_Nut_W...5288272--**********.966635519--view_id.271181

the hand tools ya have are what ya need. ya just need a few extra specialty tools is all. to me, the dial indicator inch lb torque wrench is the cost prohibitive must have item.... a ujoint press and the merc tool to press them in and out is nice to have too. if yer doing ujoints....