a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

[oceanbarrel]

Im about to pull my drive unit to replace the exhaust bellows. To winterize I drained all my gear lube to check for water then replaced with fresh gear oil. Can I re use this oil as I have to drain it again to pull the drive? Also at the end of the summer year before last I had all new bellows put on. At the time the ujoints seemed in good shape and even though I had new ones I didn't install them. Mainly because I didnt have the tool to get the old ones off. I put a lot of hours on my boat in the summer, im out almost everyday (weather permitting). If they are still good should I just replace them while I have the drive off or is that even neccesary? What about the Gimball bearing? My other question is does the engine ever just get out of alignment? I have had my drive off quite a few times. Everytime I do the alignment check its fine. I feel like Im doing something wrong. Im a very nervous boater. I always feel like something bad is going to happen to my outdrive.

 

[ziggy]

Re: a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

we don't know what drive ya got. what i got to say would apply to a alpha1 type drive.

To winterize I drained all my gear lube to check for water then replaced with fresh gear oil. Can I re use this oil as I have to drain it again to pull the drive?

i pull my drive w/o removing the gear lub. i also put it back w/ gear lub in it. one time i did drain my lub that was pretty new. i went with new lub anyways. i just couldn't bring myself to putting the slightly used back in. i could see dust on the surface. who knows what other contaminates were present. kind of a bummer. gear lub sure is expensive. so i guess, your choice on reuse. i'd just look at it and see what i thought. can't hurt to run a round of fresh gear lub through it though.

At the time the ujoints seemed in good shape and even though I had new ones I didn't install them. Mainly because I didnt have the tool to get the old ones off. I put a lot of hours on my boat in the summer, im out almost everyday (weather permitting). If they are still good should I just replace them while I have the drive off or is that even neccesary?

imho, if ya didn't have a problem with them before, they should be ok now. lub and reinstall. on the other hand. new is nice. harbor frieght has a cheaper press ya can get. it worked well for me in R&Ring the ujoints. that along with the special mercruiser ujoint tool.

What about the Gimball bearing?

check it out. it should turn totally smooth, no feel, no sound, no anything. just turn smooth. anything other than that. R&R it.
also, any water intrusion into the bellows area is cause to R&R both ujoints and gimble brg.

My other question is does the engine ever just get out of alignment?

not that i'm aware of. unless something has changed. ie rotted stringers allowing ft. of engine to sag, changeing alignment.

Everytime I do the alignment check its fine. I feel like Im doing something wrong.

that's the way it's supposed to be. the reason ya check the alignment is to see if something has changed. if not. alignment shouldn't change.

imho

 

[Don S]

Re: a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

There is no reason to drain the gear lube to remove the outdrive, only if you have to take the drive apart.

Ujoints should be replaced when they start making noise, they are not something that gets replaced as a maintenance item like an impeller or bellows.

The alignment can go out if a mount fails, or the front mount comes loose, or rot takes out a stringer and the engine sags. If you keep checking and it's ok, that's a good thing.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

What we working on?Profile?Fill it out.
Why are U draining the oil when U take the drive off to change the bellows.If U change it throw it out.
Unless the U-joints are making noise and they have had salt water in them I would just grease them and put the drive back on.
Alignment:the older a boat the more your chances of it going out of alignment,weak stringers.
It's great that U check the alignment.
Sounds like your nerves are getting the best of U.If you stay on top of the maint(sounds like U are)
Get an drive oil resivoir.That one good thing that's like a warning device.If it shows any change then U know something is wrong.

 

[cr2k]

Re: a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

OK the obvious question. Why are you removing the drive to replace the exhaust bellows? Cobra? Alpha? Volvo?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

OK the obvious question. Why are you removing the drive to replace the exhaust bellows? Cobra? Alpha? Volvo?

Howdy,


I'll also add, If your exhaust bellows is "bad", you should probably change the "main" bellows too.........

The exhaust bellows is not nearly as critical as the drive shaft bellows..... (My previous 460 King Cobra ran for more than 10 years with NO exhaust bellows at all!)

Can I re use this oil as I have to drain it again to pull the drive?

You do not have to drain the oil to remove the drive if it's an Alpha, Bravo, Cobra,SX etc........I donno about a stringer or other obsolete drive......

Cheers,


Rick

 

[oceanbarrel]

Re: a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

Sorry, I have a mercruiser Alpha 1 hooked to a 4.3 in a 97 Sea Ray. I do have the drive oil resevoir, Im always checking that. All the bellows were replaced at the end of the summer before last, but apparently these cheapo mallory exhaust bellows are junk and just shred. Can I use the tube that just attaches to the transom or is that one junk as well?

 

[Bondo]

Re: a few questions, gear oil, alignment, u joints

Can I use the tube that just attaches to the transom

Ayuh,... The 1s from Mercruiser work Great....