Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

[boatgrunt]

89 OMC Cobra with 4.3 liter engine - Oil leaking out of propellar shaft. Called a local stern drive shop, and he said that it is usually something big. Supposedly, he doesn't work by the hour but charges by the job, and he needs to tear it down to see what was wrong. When I suggested a vacumn or pressure test which could lead to revealing a bad seal, he started explaining how these drives always need a rebuild about now. Told me something about how OMC used crome to weld or join something... whatever<br /><br />I told him that I would pay for him to break it down and give me an estimate. Is this guy prepping me for a hosing or do his initial comments sound accurate.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

I think i would get a second opinion.Sounds like he is trying to prep you for a major hosing!<br />How would he know that it needs rebuilding? It depends on how the drive was cared for and what has been done to it in the past.<br />It could just be a shaft seal.

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

what he said. start with the pressure/vacuum test and drop the bottom plug to determine water entry.

 

[boatgrunt]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

Unfortunately, I do not have the drive history, but it ran fine last summer. I pulled and stored it over the winter in my basement with the prop removed. In the spring, when I tilted it back to carry it outside, about 2 tbs of drive oil leaked out. Hasn't leaked since but figured it should be checked. Now this guy is talking major rebuild...

 

[KaGee]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

A prop shaft seal on a brand new boat can be destroyed the first time out by fishing line or some other debris. Does that mean he has to break down the whole drive to fix it? <br /><br />The prop and bearing carrier seals on that drive can be replaced without even removing the drive from the boat.<br /><br />Having said that, it does not that your drive isn't in need of a total reseal. Like said... pressure test it.

 

[tommays]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

I have found that the seals get very HARD with age and if one is leaking its really best to just reseal the drive VS doing one now and one later and ending up with multi repiars<br /><br /><br />The hard part is whats involved with getting to some of the seals and what might NOT come apart <br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[lilmandavis]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

have you ever hit anything. a good drive check would be appropiate id say. unless youve got fishing line on the shaft there is probably a groove in the prop shaft as well as hard seals.if you have it resealed no need to worry about it for another while. or replace one and think. i wonder which seal is goin to leak next?

 

[boatgrunt]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

Never hit anything, but as suggested, she's probably due at the least for all new seals. If he comes back and confirms that he was right and it needs a rebuild, I will probably ask for a second opinion.

 

[lrlima]

Re: Oil Leak Out of Prop Shaft

I had a similiar problem last year. I hit something underwater and it loosened the bearing carrier seal. As Kagee said, you can fix that without removing the drive...