MC-1 outdrive leaking water into bilge, can't figure out where it's coming from....

[montejw360]

I replaced the bellows, and now I have a leak. I've pulled the engine (470) in order to do some other work. I trailered the boat into the water to see if I could figure out where the water is coming from. It's puddling in the bottom of the outdrive in the area where the hydraulic lines for the power trim go out. I'm not sure what I might have done when replacing the bellows to cause a leak down there. Unless it's coming from somewhere else and that's just where it's collecting before running into the bilge.

My weekends are very short, working away from home so I don't have much time to work on the boat. I'm posting hoping for some direction for when I do have time. Could it be the exhaust bellow? That one was very tough to install. I'm not sure, but it seems that some marine adhesive would have been better than the "contact cement" sold for installing these things.

Thanks.

 

[mrchev]

Re: MC-1 outdrive leaking water into bilge, can't figure out where it's coming from..

did you check the shift cable boot

 

[montejw360]

Re: MC-1 outdrive leaking water into bilge, can't figure out where it's coming from..

did you check the shift cable boot

thanks, yes, it's leaking a little, but it's obvious where that is coming from. The leak I'm looking for is definitely not the shift cable boot.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: MC-1 outdrive leaking water into bilge, can't figure out where it's coming from..

Was it leaking before the bellow replacement?

The exhaust bellows are not the problem as the could be left off and not leak into the boat. The Ujoint bellows could cause the leak and if that's what's leaking you need to get the drive off ASAP so the Ujoints and gimble bearing don't rust up,,, then need replacement. There is a vent hole on the gimble housing, above the driveshaft, that could leak water if the Ujoint bellows are leaking. Have a look there, it's visible from inside the boat.

On my ol' 73 M1 drive the gimble housing gasket was shot (sucked up and not sealing right on the bottom) which was causing a mysterious leak, found it when I stripped the boat. A rotten transom could have lead to the bad gasket.... But I'm sure the rotted lower gimble housing bolts were the main culprit. 1 of them was corroded all the way through and the other one was corroded about 2/3 of the way through. I removed the both nuts with the 1/2 of the bolt still attached.

Your trim hose manifold on the bottom of the gimble housing is another place that could leak.

 

[montejw360]

Re: MC-1 outdrive leaking water into bilge, can't figure out where it's coming from..

Was it leaking before the bellow replacement?

I can't say for certain, but I don't think so. It's a fairly steady stream that I think I would have noticed. The last time I took the boat out I was coming back in 2'-3' swells so it took water on from spray. There was a fair amount in the bilge at the end of the trip and I didn't run the bilge pump till I got home because of the leaky oil pan.

The exhaust bellows are not the problem as the could be left off and not leak into the boat. The Ujoint bellows could cause the leak and if that's what's leaking you need to get the drive off ASAP so the Ujoints and gimble bearing don't rust up,,, then need replacement. There is a vent hole on the gimble housing, above the driveshaft, that could leak water if the Ujoint bellows are leaking. Have a look there, it's visible from inside the boat.

I don't think it's the drive shaft bellows, it's dry, and I think I would be able to see water coming from around the gimble bearing. But maybe not. I should take the drive off again just to make sure, but that won't happen now since I'm not going to be around for a couple weeks possibly.

On my ol' 73 M1 drive the gimble housing gasket was shot (sucked up and not sealing right on the bottom) which was causing a mysterious leak, found it when I stripped the boat. A rotten transom could have lead to the bad gasket.... But I'm sure the rotted lower gimble housing bolts were the main culprit. 1 of them was corroded all the way through and the other one was corroded about 2/3 of the way through. I removed the both nuts with the 1/2 of the bolt still attached.

Your trim hose manifold on the bottom of the gimble housing is another place that could leak.

If the trim hose manifold is where I think it is, that seems to be where the water is coming from. It's the in lowest part of the gimble housing that the water seems to be coming from. But if it didn't leak before, why does it now after I did the bellows? That's what has me scratching my head.