1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

[akita8]

I have an E200STLEOA that is leaking at the upper drive shaft seal. I have tried changing the upper seal and the bearing and it still leaks. When I put a vacuum on it and wiggle the upper drive shaft it leaks. With the upper seal and bearing housing installed the lower drive shaft is tight and has no play. The upper drive shaft looks good were the seal runs but the shaft is rubbing on the metal housing that covers the impeller. I believe the problem is were the upper and lower drive shafts connect, but I am not familiar with how it is connected. I can pull up on the upper drive shaft approx 1/8 inch and rotate the upper shaft a little and lower drive shaft does not move.

I have never hit anything with the prop so I don’t think the upper shaft is bent. Does anyone have any info on this problem? Does anyone now where I can get the special spline tool and puller so I can loosen the pinion nut to remove the shaft?

 

[imported_lorin]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

The 2 drive shaft parts are connected by a pin and there is really very little there to go wrong. If you grab the drive shaft and jostle it around, there is normally some wiggle room. I'm not sure there is any need to remove the drive shaft. Maybe only if you have a bad pinion bearing, but nothing you describe really indicates this. Does it only leak when you wiggle the drive shaft? If so, I would not worry-there is no wiggling going on when the motor is running as long as the thrust bearing and the pinion bearing are good. I guess you replaced the thrust bearing so we know that's ggod. The pinion bearing is located closer to the end of the drive shaft. The drive shaft is held in position by this bearing. If it only leaks when you wiggle it leave it alone. Some models have a single seal and some have back to back seals. If yours has the 2 seals, and if there is a seal problem that is allowing it to leak, then it is the lower seal that is allowing gear oil to leak out. Its job is to keep the gear oil in. The upper seal is there to prevent water from leaking into the gearcase.

 

[akita8]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

I did'nt change the thrust bearing. I changed the upper drive shaft bearing and seal assm. The changed the seal on top twice, once with the one piece seal and them with the two back to back seals and they all leaked under vacuum and pressure. The reason I think there is something wrong with were the shafts conect is the wear spot on the shaft from the water pump liner. Something is alowing the shaft to wobble.

 

[imported_lorin]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

It's not real unusual to find a circular mark around the drive shaft where it passes through the water pump liner. Did you find any water or milky appearance in the gear oil that would indicate a vacuum leak.? How about any metal particles in the gear oil? Again, there's not much to go wrong with that pin and retainer that go through the 2 parts of the drive shaft. It's just a very light roll pin and there is no stress on it as both drive shaft parts that fit together are splined and that's where the stress would be. I guess you could have a bad pinion bearing but if it were so damaged that it was allowing the drive shaft to wobble I suspect you would be noticing other major problems when you're running. I don't want to give bogus advice and your suspicions about a problem might be correct but I doubt it. Maybe go to a dealer and show the mechanic the wear mark on the drive shaft and ask about it or see if they have any used driveshaft lying around you can look at.

 

[akita8]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

The oil that I drained out was milky. I put all new seals in and went to the lake took a ride, came back and drained it and it-still had water in the oil. I then puled it off and pressure tested it and it was fine so I put a vaccum on it and it would'nt hold. If you wiggle the upper drive shaft you can here the air going in.

 

[imported_lorin]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

How about if you put a vacuum on it and don't wiggle the drive shaft. Can you find where it's leaking then? It might be at that seal and/or somewhere else. Also how much of a vacuum are you putting-I think it should be no more than 16 or 17 psi.

 

[akita8]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

I put 15 psi of vacumm. When the vacumm was at 15 it would leak out slow and I could'nt find where it was going. I put grease on the prop shaft seal and it did'nt stop and then put grease on the upper drive shaft seal and it would slow down. Then when I wiggled it I could here it leaking.
I just got done taking the shaft out and the only thing that looks worn is the driveshaft retainer. I'm going to take the upper drive shaft to a machine shop so they can put it on a lathe and check to see if its bent. Thanks for the inputs

 

[akita8]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

Took the shaft to a machinest and it's not bent. I'm going to r2 the pinion and foreward gear since they had some chips in the teeth and put it back together.

 

[akita8]

Re: 1995 Evinrude 200 Leaking Lower Unit

Rebuilt the lower unit and it works like a champ. Thanks for the inputs.