Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came out

[jasonmd13]

1996 rinker 4.3lx, both my exhaust shutter went bad. Today i pulled the drive, and when the drive shaft starting coming out, white fluid started pouring out. About a four inch round rubber seal came out around the u joint, not sure if that had anything to do with it. Bellow looks ok, as far as a novice can see. Is this a leaking bellow?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

you need to drain the drive ,replace the yoke and/or yoke seal,and find out where the water is getting into the drive.

 

[jasonmd13]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

Thanks BT, Hate to ask, but what is the yoke? I looked in the index in the service manual but didnt see yoke.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

Which Service manual are you using? It's actually the "u-joint shaft" (There is a "gear end" yoke shaft, and a "coupling end" yoke shaft on either side of the u-joints)

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

Thanks BT, Hate to ask, but what is the yoke? I looked in the index in the service manual but didnt see yoke.

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/showSpecialPicture.asp?pn=46020002 #9 here http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...=60&bdesc=Drive+Shaft+Housing+And+Drive+Gears

 

[jasonmd13]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

Looks complicated, I guess the drive is leaking instead of bellows because the fluid was outside the drive? Stinks, great advice to remove drive because I had 3 pieces of exhaust shutters inside drive but this....

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

The white fluid was a mixture of water and oil. The water came in either through the bellows or past that 4" O-ring if it was not properly seated. The oil came from the outdrive. Drain the outdrive and look at the oil. Is it milky color?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

be thankful, the shutters saved you the cost of a replacement drive.

 

[jasonmd13]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came



When i pulled the drive out, it was milky white fluid. I drained a little fluid out of the drive. It was still thick and dark brown, but it did have some light streaks in lt, but nothing like flowed out of u joint area

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

if that rubber ring was not glued in place ,it dislodged and allowed some water into the boot and got into the upper part of the drive.
1 joint looks rusty

 

[jasonmd13]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

I thought that rubber ring shouldn't have came out. If that let it leak water, that oil still shouldn't have came out of the drive, should it? Thanks for all your help. My first time pulling a drive.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

usually:
rubber ring is not glued in place and gets dislodged. minute drops of water enter the shift cable cavity and find their way into the boot.
rusting starts on the yoke, rust eats seal, water leaks in and mixes/displaces oil, drive eventually runs low on oil and this happens.

 

[jasonmd13]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

Sounds like i have a leak around the u joint seal. Looks like you have to have special tools to remove the yoke. I guess it's time to take it to the boat shop. Are these seals difficult to replace?

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Pulled mercruiser alpha one drive to clear exhaust shutters and white fluid came

Sounds like i have a leak around the u joint seal. Looks like you have to have special tools to remove the yoke. I guess it's time to take it to the boat shop. Are these seals difficult to replace?

It can come down to $$$. (its always about the $$$, aint it??) Special tools for that seal (if it is in fact that seal, which the symptoms so far point to) are basically a spanner (anywhere from 30 bucks on ebay to 100 bucks or more in the shop), a torque wrench, good mechanical abilities, and ability to exactly follow the OEM manual for your drive. Then you need the seal(s) and new oil. I would start by draining the (remaining) oil, and pressure testing the drive to tell you that the yoke seal (and whatever else) is leaking, then you are better armed with knowledge for taking it to the shop. Just my 2 cents.... Good luck, whatever you decide. Hope it gets better!