Volvo DP leak.....HELP

Tipafew

Cadet
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
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18
Have a 2001 Cobalt 360 with DP drives. Last year I had a marina pull the drives, align motors, and check things over. I also replaced the shift cables that winter.
This past spring I had a water getting in the hull. Boat sits on the trailer all week and spends one weekend night in the water during the summer.

Sometimes when I kicked the bilge on it would pump a couple gallons of water out and other times absolutely nothing. To me it seemed like it would take on more water if the boat was sitting anchored in rough water. One of the worst times I remember being anchored for quite a while and the drive may have been trimmed up....

I took it back to the dealer that worked on it last year and they said the leak was coming from the drives and that if it was bad enough the motors might have to be pulled!!... They said it was safe to run for the rest of the season. I have tried calling them to help clarify what they thought it was but I never get a call back.

Fast forward, I decided to pull the drives and look for myself. Starboard bellows looked perfectly dry inside and had nice fresh grease.
Port bellow had very slight evidence of moisture. The inside of the entire bellow and around the bearing was all like it had seen a little water. The grease was thin but not milky. The bellow looked fine. I shined a light inside it and flexed it and looked all over with no signs of any issues.

Any idea what in the world they could have been talking about? What would possibly require motors to be pulled???!!

I don't think the leak is coming from the bellow because there just wasn't enough water in there. I laid down in the bilge with the motors running and not running. I had them trimmed and not trimmed. I never saw a thing.......
 

Tipafew

Cadet
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
Messages
18
check the transom for rot
I have done a ton of searching and that was one thing I had read. The transom is a composite rather than wood cored so I would think that could be it. That being said, I did notice that both drives have a bead of white caulk all the way around both transom assemblies.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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49,626
white caulk is a giveaway that something is wrong. there is a transom seal that if intact, does its job well. usually caulk is done as a bandaid.

how long have you owned the boat?
 

Tipafew

Cadet
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Dec 21, 2020
Messages
18
How about by the exhaust Y where it meets the transom?
It has been frustrating not really knowing where to look.
 

alldodge

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Port bellow had very slight evidence of moisture. The inside of the entire bellow and around the bearing was all like it had seen a little water. The grease was thin but not milky. The bellow looked fine. I shined a light inside it and flexed it and looked all over with no signs of any issues.

This gives me concern that the boot was not installed correctly and may be leaking at the clamp. Either that or the seal between drive and bell housing is the issue. The crud about its the drive and they do not respond makes me wonder about the shop

How about by the exhaust Y where it meets the transom?

Don't see this being the issue because if it was then the water would flow in when sitting still
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 10, 2002
Messages
12,716
And if you ran the boat on the water hose on land if it were the exhaust Y you’d likely get warm water in the bilge. Ask Rick on the Bayliner owners board he’s a real expert on these drives.

It’s a general problem with all I/Os, too many places to leak water.
 

Tipafew

Cadet
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
Messages
18
I finally did get through to the dealer that looked at it. They called it a swivel shaft seal. After talking to him they said it's the seal at the top where the steering arm goes through. It actually does make sense because that is sitting just out of the water normally but when it a little bit wavy water it will go above that point. I'm hoping I am on to something!
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 10, 2002
Messages
12,716
Also post up this question over at marine engine dot com in the Volvo I/O forum there’s a few posters there including the one I mentioned above that really know these drives...
 
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