Outdrive gasket woes

[ckraker]

Thank goodness for Amazon and affordable gaskets.... I'm currently on attempt # 5 and still failing. Don't ask why i've had my outdrive offs so many times, that's a whole nother thread.
Every time i pull it, my bellows are full of water. There are no tears in them. I'm almost sure it's that gasket. The first time i installed the gasket dry...fail. the second time i tried as gasket sealer. The entire gasket squeezed out on the thin section. All other attempts failed as well The drive is not from this boat but it is still an alpha one.
Are there tricks that I'm missing? Anyone ever try just rtv? Or another sealer? I don't know how much more water my u joints can take.

Also while your here.... Do you all really change impellers every year? Seems excessive to me.
Thanks

 

[Scott06]

Check the seals on the shift shaft that swivels just below it. Top seal can leak and let water in bellows. Big square gasket tha5 gets glued on out drive or in bellhousing will help with this but it’s easy to get out of place when installing drive.

on impeller no not every year. I do about 40 hrs per year in fresh water, dock in a shallow sandy cove so 8 get a lot of debris in cooling water. I watch the temp gauge hot idle temp creeps up well before impeller is roached. I’ll be on my fifth season this year, likely will change in the fall. Changed by neighbors with him a couple years ago, ten years old/150 hrs looked brand new. Buy merc parts no5 aftermarket for this. Significant quality and longevity vs aftermarket parts

 

[Mad Props]

You need to check the gasket surface on the bell housing and the drive and look for gouges or dents etc... sometimes when the drive gets stuck, people try to pry it off and ruin the mating surface.

If that all checks out then you might want to look at the shift shaft seal as noted above...

I've never used rtv on it, but I usually put a little bellows adhesive in the thin spots to keep it from slipping out

 

[Bt Doctur]

Are you glueing in the rubber ring? Not many ways for water to enter , rubber ring, bellows hole, high bilge water level

 

[Rick Stephens]

I had an outdrive with a crack in the cooling water passageway. Miserable POS that drove me the short drive to nuts.

I used GOOP once to install the drive. And I used aftermarket gaskets that are wider than the stock OEM ones. DON'T use GOOP. It was a major pain to remove and any paint came with it. RTV and your gaskets will pooch out. Rubber cement, or bellows adhesive is probably best, like MadProps said.

 

[Grub54891]

Even overtightening the nuts can squeeze out those gaskets. They are tightens to 50 ft pounds. If the nuts are wore to much from being reused to much they should be replaced.

 

[ckraker]

I have never glued on the rubber ring.... Is that necessary? I don't think that thing has anything to do with sealing out water... Does it?
or are you talking about the small o-ring? Never glued that one either.
I'll get some bellows glue and try that on the gasket.
I'm also confused about the shift cable seal comments. I don't have water in the gear oil, just in the bellows
Thanks

 

[achris]

I have never glued on the rubber ring.... Is that necessary?

Yes.

I don't think that thing has anything to do with sealing out water... Does it?

Yes.

or are you talking about the small o-ring? Never glued that one either.

I just use a bit of grease to hold that in place while I'm installing the drive. But I've pulled quite a few drives that have had that one also glued in, so it's doesn't really matter. Glue, grease, as long as it doesn't fall out.

I'll get some bellows glue and try that on the gasket.
I'm also confused about the shift cable seal comments. I don't have water in the gear oil, just in the bellows
Thanks

The upper shift shaft goes through the bell housing, and if the seal leaks, the cavity at the front of the drive fills up. If the rubber ring isn't glued in, water goes into the bellows.



Chris..........

 

[ckraker]

That is helpful. Thanks. I get the shift shaft o ring part.
still a little confused about the big rubber ring. What type of glue are you using? And not that it matters... But where is there water by it? It's it completely enclosed inside the bellows??? In my mind that paper gasket should be keeping the water out?

 

[ckraker]

I have watched several videos on this install and some don't even mention that big rubber ring.

 

[achris]

That is helpful. Thanks. I get the shift shaft o ring part.
still a little confused about the big rubber ring. What type of glue are you using? And not that it matters... But where is there water by it? It's it completely enclosed inside the bellows??? In my mind that paper gasket should be keeping the water out?

The big rubber ring puts up another barrier should water get into the shift shaft/slider area. If you don't glue it in, it can't do that... Use bellows adhesive, some 3M stuff others talk about or just plain contact glue, like Bear Brand.

I have watched several videos on this install and some don't even mention that big rubber ring.

You-tube videos... Biggest purveyors of first rate BS on the internet.

Not mentioned because they either don't know about it (most likely :facepalm or it didn't come out when they pulled the drive (as it was glued in by someone who DOES know what they are doing), and so they don't know about it.

Chris.