outdrive stored down

[Don't Panic!]

1987 4.3 Cobra

Why is it recommended to store the drive down? I've noticed if I put the drive down, it leaks hydraulic fluid from one of the rams. I think from the hose connection, though it's a bit messy to really tell and I have not investigated fully yet.

If I keep the outdrive up, it does not leak. Seems like it must be under pressure when down, but not as much when up, so I'd think it's probably better for the hydraulics to store up. I can't think that the u-joint would care. Is the fear that the bellows will take a set in the up position?

I will fix the leak, just wondering how much it matters to lower the drive between trips. All else being equal, I'd rather store it up to reduce the likelihood of driving away with it down.

Also I can't lower it all the way when on the trailer since it will hit the ground, so it's never fully down. Does this matter? Or is mostly down still better than all the way up?

 

[Lou C]

For winter storage I keep mine down, when its on the mooring I keep it about half way up due to low water at low tide. I have found that keeping it down over winter makes the OE bellows last a long time. Last one went 11 years before I noticed small cracks in the folds meaning its time to replace. Just fix the leak.

 

[Drivewayboater2]

It shouldn’t leak up or down. I agree with Lou C…. Fix the leak. Seal replacement on trim cylinder is easy. Hose fitting is a whole other story. Let us know where the leak is.

 

[Don't Panic!]

welp, looks like the leak is either the hose itself, or up at the manifold. I was hoping it was a bad o-ring on the connection to the ram, but it's not leaking there. The oil is travelling down the hose from further up. It's the front hose on the starboard ram.

Am I right in thinking the gimble housing will have to come off again to replace the hose?

If I knew then what I know now, I'd have replaced all 6 hoses when the transom plate was off. Actually, if I knew then what I know now, I would have never turned a wrench on this boat lol. I'm about $4k deep in repairs , but I think getting close to a reliable ride.

 

[Don't Panic!]

Well after looking around and pricing the hoses today, I remember why I didn't replace any of them! I've got the one that's leaking on order now, hopefully the others don't let go next week lol.

 

[Scott Danforth]

remember, hoses and seals are designed to last 15 years. you have 36 years on yours.

 

[Don't Panic!]

remember, hoses and seals are designed to last 15 years. you have 36 years on yours.

I hear you, It's probably not my smartest decision. But it always comes down to consequence of failure vs cost, right? For example, the batwings were very expensive to replace, but the consequence of failure is very high (lunched engine) so they got replaced.

These hoses, for me, fall into the minor inconvenience/high cost side of things. With their relatively high cost at nearly $100/line, I'll take my chances of having to pull the outdrive again down the road to replace another one.

It'd be a different equation if this was a daily driver for my wife or something, but if we miss a few days of boating because I don't replace these lines now, that's a consequence I'm ok with.

 

[Scott Danforth]

EPA fine for leaking hydraulic fluid is more than 2 new cylinders and 4 new hoses

 

[Lou C]

Where I am in Long Island any oily discharge will get you a fine if it gets reported to the police or Coast Guard. Last year I had to pull my boat in Sept due to the leaky ps actuator putting ATF in the bilge water….you don’t want to be hitting the bilge pump switch and putting a strawberry milkshake in the water!

 

[Don't Panic!]

Exactly, Lou. If I see a leak, I'll fix it asap. I'm not worried about the epa. Well, I am, but not about this lol. My boat lives on a trailer, I'll most likely see a leak in my driveway like I did this time.

Unless the epa comes for me about a few drops in the driveway, in which case I'm really in trouble with my truck...

 

[Renken2000Classic]

...Actually, if I knew then what I know now, I would have never turned a wrench on this boat lol. I'm about $4k deep in repairs , but I think getting close to a reliable ride.

Lol. I got to live the break out another thousand joke replacing the batwings during my 2nd season of ownership.

 

[Renken2000Classic]

Unless the epa comes for me about a few drops in the driveway, in which case I'm really in trouble with my truck...

Lol. I rinse my oil change oopses and other occasional old car leaks out to the asphalt roadway, which has oil in it to begin with. Or that's how I plan to sell it at any rate, heh.

Worst one included stepping right in the drain pan full of old oil. Kind of a long story, lol.