mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

[chucky112233]

Hello all.. I have a 1980 sea ray 245 da and has worked well all summer. Took it for a quick drive and noticed a noise,growling from rear like a wheel bearing in a car,i suspect gimble bearing..Any other possiblities? Louder at high rpm and does change when turning. I have so far read a lot of posts and suspect this.. I understand how it is installed,is there anything else should be replaced when i am in there? Does the bearing bottom out against a flange? thanks again for all your help guys not only now but all summer!!

 

[Don S]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

Pull the drive and check. It's the only way.

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

how do you check? I heard someone say if the bearing makes any noise its bad. But i mean when i stick my alignment bar in a brand new bearing it makes some noise.

 

[turborich]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

Have you greased it? there is a fitting on the outside of the gimbal housing that let's you grease it.

 

[chucky112233]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

Yes i did grease it numerous times before i put it in the water for the year,prob just best in a week when i pull it out of water to pull the drive..

 

[turborich]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

If you have greased it then pull the drive & check like Don S said. Maybe your bellow has a slight leak & water got to it? I'm about to pull my drive & inspect mine in a couple of days.

Good luck.

 

[45Auto]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

Sounds like the gimbal bearing. It should rotate smoothly with your fingers. If it's making noise it usually means water has got to it somehow. When was the last time the bellows was replaced?

 

[chucky112233]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

I greased it around the end of july,just before the boat went in the water,it is a new boat to me this year but i do have reciepts for a new crate motor installed in 2006(december) and a new upper drive used lower drive unit installed aug last year.. I got the boat in december it has approx 60 hrs on it since that work was done. I have not been back to it but can you grease it while in water? i mean the zerk fitting is underwater so it would push a little water in it but i was thinking if i greased it really well and the noise either changed or went away,pretty much eliminates everything else.I will be pulling the boat out of the water in next two weeks so any further diagnostic tips i can do let me know!

 

[Don S]

Re: mercruiser gimble bearing noise?

Just because you just got the boat and it has a new engine, and new upper and lower doesn't mean the bellows was changed or that it was installed correctly. Gimbal bearins and ujoints don't just start making noise like that if all is ok. If you have water in the bellows, they get rusty and start making noise. If you are lucky and it doesn't lockup and destroy something else before you pull it all will be fine. If you loose the bet, you will be needing a transom shield. Your choise.