Gear Lube from nowhere?

ral160

Recruit
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
1
Hello, new to the forum, did some searching and couldn't find my specific situation.
I am the 3rd owner of a 2003 Crownline 180 bowrider with a mercruiser 4.3 engine, alpha one gen 2 sterndrive. Previous owner i know well, told me the boat usually uses /loses 1qt. of lube oil during the season, he thought it was a loose fitting.
I've had the boat out twice for about 6 hours total and have used over a qt. of gear lube.
I am newer to working on boats but have worked on engines my whole life.I fix things for a living.
I got the Alpha one Gen 2 service manual to familiarize myself with the outdrive.
The reservoir is not leaking, the line from the reservoir to the 90 degree swivel is dry and not leaking, i see no oil around the swivel connector, so it is clicked on, I don't really see oil anywhere but in the bilge.
After doing some reading I thought it was an oil seal on the driveshaft.
We took the sterndrive off today following the manual. I expected to see oil of something in the ujoint shaft cavity or bellow, but it is clean, except for some grease. Bellows were changed 3 years ago. no rust no oil in there...
so now I am at a loss. how is this oil getting back into the bilge?
it is gear lube, that is the only fluid i am losing, and it is bluish green..
I can post pics tomorrow if needed of what I am seeing, but does anyone have any ideas.
I believe it is only doing it under power, and I see no oil sheen on the water when I park it, just when I trailer it home and pull my drain plug..
Sorry this is long winded but just wanted to give some history and where I am at with the disassembly
Thank you
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
42,072
Howdy
Remove the lube bottle and see if there is any lube under it
 

Rick Stephens

Admiral
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,118
Only way to leak into the bilge with a dry u-joint bellows is the lube bottle line or tank. That said, in the end, pressure testing the drive is the only way to know if the drive has a leak.
 

SeaDub

Recruit
Joined
Jun 30, 2022
Messages
2
I had a similar leak and it turned out to be the line (part #1940971) that runs from the gear lube monitor (bottle) to the sterndrive. Looks like a previous owner had the line running below the driveshaft, and there was enough friction to rub over time until a hole began leaking. I was able to do the job by turning the steering all the way to the left and swap out the line - leak solved!
 
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