Volvo Penta SX Drive Vibration

[kc6ape]

Hello Forum, I have a 2002 Vovo Penta 3.0 GS with SX outdrive everytime I steer to the right or left I get a vibration grinding noise when steering straight there is no noise or vibration, also when the outdrive is trimmed all of the way down I get the same noise when steering straight if I trim up up about an inch the noise stops. Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[Bondo]

Re: Volvo Penta SX Drive Vibration

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,....

My WAGuess is;
You've gotten Water into the drive bellows, which has Trashed the U-joints,+ the Gimbel bearing.....

Pull the drive,+ have a Look.....

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta SX Drive Vibration

Pull the drive,+ have a Look.....

That would be the first step for any professional, until you pull the drive, you have no clue about anything.

 

[kc6ape]

Re: Volvo Penta SX Drive Vibration

Thanks Bond-o and Don S, Bond-o you hit the nail on the head, pulled the outdrive and sure enough there was water inside and rust a plenty, looks like new U-joints and gimbal bearing are in order. Here is the kicker the grease tube for the gimbal bearing had pulled lose allowing water to get in!!

Thanks for the quick response

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta SX Drive Vibration

Those tubes do come out on occasion, and are a real problem. You can actually get in there with a pipe tap and tap out the hole for the tube and put in an angled SS grease zirc and eliminate the tube completely. You can still get to it to grease it without pulling the drive or anything.
We had one boat up in Alaska that lost that tube 2 times a year, no matter how we tried to glue it in.
Since it is a 2002, I would still replace the bellows, it could be leaking too.
The other thing you need to look at is the yoke going into the sterndrive. If it gets all rusty, it will take out the front seal in the drive and then you loose gear lube (and usually fry the bearings and gears)
I always replace that seal after water intrusion, and carefully inspect the yoke seal surface, and change the gear lube.
Here is a link where you can download the OEM service manual for your outdrive and transom shield.
http://www.4shared.com/account/file/50982625/e2bdb42c/SX_DP-S_Service_Manual.html