Bravo II on 5.7 using some drive oil and now making noise in nuetral and forward

[jerryb1]

Hi My drive oil resevoir requires about a half pint of gear oil for every hour or two of operation. I don't see any leaks in the water nor in the bilge. Someone told me that Bravo's use oil so i don't know if it's normal, however, I think it shouldn't require topping off every other time I take it out. The boat ran fine all summer, but I didnt use it for a couple of weeks and today when I tried to take it out, it makes an occasional grindind sound(hard to describe). Even when in nuetral at about 1500 RPM it makes the sound like some gears are trying to mesh or something. It lasts for a few seconds then stops. I beleive it also happened when in forward and moving slow? Any ideas on what is going on here?
Thanks very much.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bravo II on 5.7 using some drive oil and now making noise in nuetral and forward

Hi My drive oil resevoir requires about a half pint of gear oil for every hour or two of operation. I don't see any leaks in the water nor in the bilge. Someone told me that Bravo's use oil so i don't know if it's normal, however, I think it shouldn't require topping off every other time I take it out. The boat ran fine all summer, but I didnt use it for a couple of weeks and today when I tried to take it out, it makes an occasional grindind sound(hard to describe). Even when in nuetral at about 1500 RPM it makes the sound like some gears are trying to mesh or something. It lasts for a few seconds then stops. I beleive it also happened when in forward and moving slow? Any ideas on what is going on here?
Thanks very much.

Ayuh,.... Ya probably oughta pull the drive, 'n have a Look,...

No,... No outdrive should need toppin' off durin' the season....

 

[Don S]

Re: Bravo II on 5.7 using some drive oil and now making noise in nuetral and forward

My drive oil resevoir requires about a half pint of gear oil for every hour or two of operation.

You are probably lucky it works at all, a half pint low leaves the upper gears and bearings looking for some lubrication.
Drain the gear lube and look for metal flake looking oil.

 

[jerryb1]

Re: Bravo II on 5.7 using some drive oil and now making noise in nuetral and forward

The half pint is in the resevoir which is above the drive and the resevoir is never completely empty. It did empty once and the sensor alarm starting sounding, so I immedialtely shut it off and put some oil in it. That was when I first put it in the water and I thought it was because when i filled it there was a lot of air pockets. After I then filled it ,it was good for 5-10 hrs of running. I was hoping that the leak is at the hose that connects to the bottom of the resevoir. The drive is still full of oil as long as the alarm isn't sounding-right?
Of course I'll have to take it out of the water and check the condition of the oil, but what do you think is causing the noise? is there a description of how the Bravo ii drive works, clutch operation etc?
Thanks

 

[jerryb1]

Re: Bravo II on 5.7 using some drive oil and now making noise in nuetral and forward

I also wanted to mention that in the spring I took the drive off to grease the bearings u joint etc. I used Perfect Seal on the o-rings that were around the water passage and shifter as a sealant. i hope that was okay?

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo II on 5.7 using some drive oil and now making noise in nuetral and forward

... I used Perfect Seal on the o-rings that were around the water passage and shifter as a sealant. i hope that was okay?

It "probably" isn't your issue, but it wasn't necessary. Thos "o-rings" will stay in place all by themselves, if you put them in properly. And the -rings are the sealant, no need for anything else.

 

[jerryb1]

Re: Bravo II on 5.7 using some drive oil and now making noise in nuetral and forward

So what could the occasional sqealing noise be?