Bravo 3 Oil Leak - Oh No !!!

[tpenfield]

As if I did not already have enough things to do with my new-2-me boat, I noticed a oil spot below the port outdrive this weekend.
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Following it up to the outdrive . . .
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. . . and then upward . . .
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It looks to be dripping from the oil line. I also noticed a trace of oil seepage around where the bell housing meets the outdrive in the area of the oil interface valve.
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So, it looks like I'll have to take things apart to investigate further.

I am wondering if the oil check valve got damaged when the outdrives were last serviced/installed and if that is causing seepage both down the oil line and around the area of the valve.

The oil line (hose) looks dry as it leads up to the transom assembly fitting . . .

Any thoughts, guidance, or similar experiences are welcome

 

[Scott06]

As if I did not already have enough things to do with my new-2-me boat, I noticed a oil spot below the port outdrive this weekend.
.
View attachment 360071
.
Following it up to the outdrive . . .
.
View attachment 360074
.
. . . and then upward . . .
.
View attachment 360072
.
It looks to be dripping from the oil line. I also noticed a trace of oil seepage around where the bell housing meets the outdrive in the area of the oil interface valve.
.
View attachment 360073
.
So, it looks like I'll have to take things apart to investigate further.

I am wondering if the oil check valve got damaged when the outdrives were last serviced/installed and if that is causing seepage both down the oil line and around the area of the valve.

The oil line (hose) looks dry as it leads up to the transom assembly fitting . . .

Any thoughts, guidance, or similar experiences are welcome

I found the same thing last spring on my alpha gen 2 after R&R drive during winterization the previous fall. I think there is some that spills out when you are reinstalling the drive. I had no issues or water intrusion last summer

 

[tpenfield]

The drive has been on for about 2 years and came out of the water last November . . . maybe the oil had been seeping for a while even in the water.

 

[tpenfield]

BTW - drive and transon S/N's are 2A326007 (Drive) and 2A481509 (Transom)

 

[dubs283]

Wipe/clean the hose between the bell housing and gimbal housing. That hose tends to dry/age crack from time to time, not uncommon failure

 

[tpenfield]

Wipe/clean the hose between the bell housing and gimbal housing. That hose tends to dry/age crack from time to time, not uncommon failure

Yes, I cleaned the tube/hose off and no visible signs of cracking from where the dripping oil was located. So, my assumption at this point is that the source of the oil is from further up towards the bell housing.

To my surprise is that the outdrive (and boat) are only 6 years old, so not the sort of thing that you'd expect to be leaking this early on.

 

[Scott Danforth]

To my surprise is that the outdrive (and boat) are only 6 years old, so not the sort of thing that you'd expect to be leaking this early on.

could be a poor assembly job, or a seal that went south

 

[tpenfield]

I'll be taking a closer look when I remove the outdrive. Right now, I'm thinking it could be something as simple as a missing clamp #6, or something to do with the barb fitting #8 at the bell housing.



The oil where the bell housing and outdrive mate, could be a bad o-ring . . .
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It might be a couple of issues . . . Time will tell . . .

 

[alldodge]

The anodes to look to good, and neither does the oil line

 

[tpenfield]

The anodes [don't] look too good, and neither does the oil line

The new anodes are still in the box. Those are last season's anodes. I'm not sure about the oil line, since it still has some marine growth on it.

It looks like my next step will be to take the outdrive(s) off and see what is going on.

 

[tpenfield]

I spent some time yesterday evening looking at the outdrives . . .

It appears that the oil tube does not have clamps on either end, which would explain the leakage. There are clamps called out in the parts list, so I will have to see about installing some.

 

[Bt Doctur]

the tight fit of the oil hose work well without clamps. There is zero pressure in the system . Most likely the hose itself is the leak. When you start the repair CUT the hose first. You dont want to break the plastic nipple end at the transom end.

 

[alldodge]

Heat and pressure increases under load. Remember if the one way lube bottle goes bad it will belch oil out into the bilge

Tie wrap

 

[tpenfield]

I pulled the outdrives today, and glad I did.

The alignment was out on both engines, the port side being the worse. I'll see about getting a tywrap on the oil line.

 

[dubs283]

I'll see about getting a tywrap on the oil line.

I've never been able to remove a gear lube line from a barb fitting without first slicing it lengthwise along the barb, brass or otherwise. Years ago I stopped installing any clamp device on the hose when replacing them. No leaks as of yet. Ymmv

The quicksilver product packaging refers to the gear lube hose as "push on" whatever that means

 

[tpenfield]

I hope youze guys are right about the oil tube. I'm going to take another look at it today, now that the outdrives are off, just to make sure the tube is on the barb fittings an appropriate amount.



Yesterday, as I contorted my body in various ways to gain access to the engine mounts, I was thinking "oh, outboards would be so nice right now .

The only good news was that the SeaCore version of the Merc's have stainless steel engine mounts and a new design for the locking tabs. Much easier than the old style.

 

[tpenfield]

Also, when I removed the port outdrive the drive shaft housing was marked in paint with the PO's name and 'STBD', when I removed the starboard outdrive it was similarly marked, except 'PORT' . . .


Not that it should make any difference, but it does speak to the shortage of skilled labor, since the boat was marina maintained for its 5 year life.

Additionally, the outdrive o-rings were held in with bellows adhesive in an excessive fashion and allowed to dry, which apparently made the mating surfaces uneven, probably contributing to the oil seepage that I observed at the bell housing.

 

[tpenfield]

Also, another note . . .

I removed the outdrives, thinking that I may have some greasing of the U-Joints to do. Nope . . . 'perma-lube' type which means replacing, not greasing. So the only thing to grease was the coupler (which I can do from inside the engine compartment as there are 2 zerks on the coupler)

So, I am wondering if the outdrives don't really need to come off on an annual basis as was the case with the older drives?

 

[Lou C]

Only risks there is if the bellows developed a leak during the season and that salt water laid in there all winter; rusting the gimble bearing and possibly making the drives very difficult to remove…

 

[alldodge]

So, I am wondering if the outdrives don't really need to come off on an annual basis as was the case with the older drives?

Agree with Lou
I've never used the grease fittings on the coupler, just to hard to get to (always in the wrong place), and I use a long screw driver and blob some grease inside before install