Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

My feelings exactly, my only concern is that there is rust on the shaft between the u joint and the lower unit.................

im taking a picture today for you guys

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

My feelings exactly, my only concern is that there is rust on the shaft between the u joint and the lower unit.................

im taking a picture today for you guys

If you can do it yourself I would NOT be banging them out. Make sure you use a press.

M

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

If you can do it yourself I would NOT be banging them out. Make sure you use a press.

M

Im going to have the dealer change the gimbal bearing for me, and probably while the bellow is out, just a new u joint bellow in since i obviously messed up on the bellows thing and got water in there in the first place....


attached are pix....

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

Im going to have the dealer change the gimbal bearing for me, and probably while the bellow is out, just a new u joint bellow in since i obviously messed up on the bellows thing and got water in there in the first place....


attached are pix....

The bellows should be something you can service yourself, especially since you can take the drive off.. Take the old bellows (since you won't have to worry about tearing or puncturing it) and put it on and off a bunch of times until you "feel" how it seats. Once you get it it's easy, but until you feel how it pops in the grooves a few times it's hard to know if you have it right.

Don will tell you I am a big fan of practice makes perfect. I have my drive off weekly it seems

BTW, that is one fugly gimbal bearing

M

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

The bellows should be something you can service yourself, especially since you can take the drive off.. Take the old bellows (since you won't have to worry about tearing or puncturing it) and put it on and off a bunch of times until you "feel" how it seats. Once you get it it's easy, but until you feel how it pops in the grooves a few times it's hard to know if you have it right.

Don will tell you I am a big fan of practice makes perfect. I have my drive off weekly it seems

BTW, that is one fugly gimbal bearing

M

First, I appreciate you guys taking time to respond!!

Second, how hard is it to replace the gimbal bearing? How is it removed? Would the link below be the same procedure to remove the gimbal in my volvo ?

http://www.mercstuff.com/gimbalbearing1.htm

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

It's not hard but you have to use a special tool to install it.

A basic slide hammer pops the old one out. The trick with the gimbal bearing is making sure the grease port is lined up with the zerk tube fixed into the transom shield.

I tried to install one last year without the tool and dinged up the outer race and never got it quite straight. I this year I got the install tool and it was pretty much impossible to screw it up.

M

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

No that mercstuff link goes against every Merc manual and service bulletin ever put out.
Gimbal Bearing service bulletin
A slide hammer will remove it, plus a gimbal bearing install tool is needed to push on the outside carrier ring. The Merc tools are a LOT cheaper than the Volvo tools and do exactly the same thing.
You will also need an alignment bar to get the inner part of the gimbal bearing set to the coupler. Or you will never get the drive on.

You do have the old style ujoints, those mentioned in post #14 will work perfectly.

As far as the housing sealing against the bellows, It will and you can usually see the imprint of the housing on the bellows. IF not, you may not have had your old bellows on all the way. Which would explain the water.

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

No that mercstuff link goes against every Merc manual and service bulletin ever put out.
Gimbal Bearing service bulletin
A slide hammer will remove it, plus a gimbal bearing install tool is needed to push on the outside carrier ring. The Merc tools are a LOT cheaper than the Volvo tools and do exactly the same thing.
You will also need an alignment bar to get the inner part of the gimbal bearing set to the coupler. Or you will never get the drive on.

You do have the old style ujoints, those mentioned in post #14 will work perfectly.

As far as the housing sealing against the bellows, It will and you can usually see the imprint of the housing on the bellows. IF not, you may not have had your old bellows on all the way. Which would explain the water.

Guys - Thanks a lot for the responses!

1) GOod place to order this bearing installer?
2) according to the merc bulletin they recomend installing a new catridge, does the volvo have that? if so how is that removed?
3) Does the volvo penta have a gasket or should it have gasket maker put around the gimbal housing where it attaches to the drive? Seems mercury uses a gasket to make a seal. If not, would it hurt anything to put a thin layer of RTV around the mating surfaces of the drive/gimbal housing to make a seal so water cant even attempt to get into the bellows "that" way ?
4) Best RTV cleaner, to remove old gasket maker?

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

If it hasn't been said in this thread yet I'll say it now. You need to stop reading the merc stuff and trying to relate it to Volvo. You need to start reading about YOUR drive. The next item you need to purchase is a shop manual (an OEM manual, NOT a Seloc of Clymer)

There is no gasket on the gimbal housing. The gimbal bearings for some mercs and Volvos are identical so the merc tool will work (it's what I used), but that is where the comparisons stop. There are special places you need to run a film of grease on before install for instance. The steps in the manual are very detailed and fool proof. Anyone trying to explain it here will likely miss something important IMO

M

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

If it hasn't been said in this thread yet I'll say it now. You need to stop reading the merc stuff and trying to relate it to Volvo. You need to start reading about YOUR drive. The next item you need to purchase is a shop manual (an OEM manual, NOT a Seloc of Clymer)

There is no gasket on the gimbal housing. The gimbal bearings for some mercs and Volvos are identical so the merc tool will work (it's what I used), but that is where the comparisons stop. There are special places you need to run a film of grease on before install for instance. The steps in the manual are very detailed and fool proof. Anyone trying to explain it here will likely miss something important IMO

M

where would i get this merc/volvo gimbal bearing installer? I thought i found one but this website sold it in pieces... ?Suggestions

also where do i get an OEM manual for the SX cobra drive i have, i can find the OEM manual for the engine, not the drive.

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

You will need 3 parts to make the Merc installer. 2 of the parts are used with other tools.
Any gimbal bearing install tool will work, since all gimbal bearings are the same basic sizes and get installed the same basic way.
Here are the Merc parts (You don't need part b)

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

You will need 3 parts to make the Merc installer. 2 of the parts are used with other tools.
Any gimbal bearing install tool will work, since all gimbal bearings are the same basic sizes and get installed the same basic way.
Here are the Merc parts (You don't need part b)

Don - THank You sir - i'd assume i can order those through any merc dealer..?

also when using a slid hammer, i just hook the puller behind the bearing, is there any seals on the other side of the bearing that i need to be mindful of?

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

You should be able to, just give them a call and ask

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

I got mine from Boatfix.com. They are Sierra parts and we tend to hate them, but this tool is fine

1 SIE189835 DRIVER HEAD SIERRA, INC.: $9.78 $9.78
1 SIE189821 DRIVER HEAD SIERRA, INC.: $24.90 $24.90
1 18-9816 Mandrel SIERRA, INC.: $23.02 $23.02
Sub Total: $57.70

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

BTW, I know it's easy to try and sleuth your way through the internet for instructions on how to do things, and it's hit or miss, as Don points out in that gimbal bearing removal process you came across. But if you are going to try and find stuff to look at online you are better off looking for OMC Cobra pictures and processes. That is what your drive housing and transom sheild is based on, not Merc.

You still need to get a Service manual. Call your local VP dealer.

Here is one on Ebay. It's from an HU series engine collection of manuals, but for the drive they are going to be the same.
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-Penta-Boat-manual-Hu-Nc-SX-driv-unit-Transom-19_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247QQcategoryZ26453QQihZ004QQitemZ140199910501QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

Here is another:
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VOLVO-PENTA-BY-SX-D-DR-and-TRANS-S-WORKSHOP-MANUAL-1998_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ26453QQihZ025QQitemZ380021303425QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW


M

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

I got mine from Boatfix.com. They are Sierra parts and we tend to hate them, but this tool is fine

1 SIE189835 DRIVER HEAD SIERRA, INC.: $9.78 $9.78
1 SIE189821 DRIVER HEAD SIERRA, INC.: $24.90 $24.90
1 18-9816 Mandrel SIERRA, INC.: $23.02 $23.02
Sub Total: $57.70

Thanks chief! did this set of tools come with instructions on how to install?

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

Thanks chief! did this set of tools come with instructions on how to install?

No, that part is in the manual . And it's very important to follow

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

Ended up taking boat into dealer, out the door 600 bucks total, new gimbal bearing, new u joint bellows, new exhaust bellows.... ouch..... but the consolation prize is i have a warrany through august on the work and parts, if the joints leak this year or the bearings go bad i take it back and they fix it "free"

the exhaust bellows i got looked to be highly updated, they have MUCH more, MUCH larger star shaped holes in the bottom of the bellow. getting to the point where i dont even need exhaust bellows

 

[mcleaves]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

No u-joints? If there was enough water to take out the gimbal bearing I'd expect the u-joints to need servicing also.

And 600.00 seems awfully steep for that work. You are only talking about 100.00 in parts.

M

 

[4winnsskipper]

Re: Volvo Penta 3.0 GS SX Outdrive Noise

U joints were fine. i checked them out myself, no slop at all, moved flawlessly with no noise. my dad also checked them he gave the thumbs up, and the dealer also said they were fine (they'd say they were bad before anybody!! ) so i greased 'em up real good till nothing but new grease came out the seals. dont forget these u joints are no different than car u joints and have seals that are suppose to keep water out for the most part as u know so....

the bearing noise has always been there since i owned the boat, it just got alot louder lately so i had it repaired. all else was in good shape, alignment good, joints good. the bellows were shot tho....

if i ordered the parts through any of the three local dealers it would of totaled 200 bucks for the gimbal, and two bellows, genuine parts......