water in U-joint Bellows...

[Captain-Noob]

...pulled my outdrive and found water in the u-joint bellows. Gimbal bearing and U-joints, yokes are quite rusty as well. I bought new bellows and when I pulled the old one and inspected it for rips, tears rot etc. I could find absolutely nothing wrong with it. I also checked to make sure it was mounted correctly and it definitely was.
So my question is can water enter the bellows from the engine coupler side through the gimbal seal??. Reason I ask is that this boat has been sitting a couple of years uncovered with the doghouse off. and after seeing a correctly mounted and un-damaged u-joint bellow with water in it I'd like to know where it's coming from. Boat is a '91 Bayliner capri 3.0GS with SX drive.

P.S. new gimbal bearing and seal will be installed.
Thx. guys. ,
Mikey.

 

[Redneck Yacht Club]

Re: water in U-joint Bellows...

Yup, if the water is over or near your drive shaft at the coupler side, it will leak in to the bellows. Is the transome ring for the bellows clamp area rotton?

 

[Captain-Noob]

Re: water in U-joint Bellows...

Redneck Y.C. when you are refering to the "transom ring" do you mean the Gimbal housing itself or the actual stern of the boat being rotten??? The Gimbal housing where the bellows clamps to is fine. I may be missing something here but if you could describe the transom ring that'd be great. I am pretty new to the boating scene but I've learned fast how it drains your bank account.

Thx. again,
Mikey.

 

[Captain-Noob]

Re: water in U-joint Bellows...

...I bought this boat as a used and abused basket case, and I wouldn't doubt that the previous owner left it uncovered outside with the drain plug installed. Living here on the West Coast I know that 1 heavy day of rain could nearly fill that bilge. Soooo...is it plausible that if the bilge filled with rainwater that it entered through the coupler side?. It would sure explain why my undamaged or deteriorated and properly mounted U-joint bellow was full of water

Anyone have any theories???

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: water in U-joint Bellows...

"If" it was sealed like it should have been then your theory is the most plausible.

 

[Redneck Yacht Club]

Re: water in U-joint Bellows...


Dose it look like this?
And yes, water will leak threw the drive shaft into the bellows in time.
Was your battery dead? Dose your auto float switch work for the bilge pump?
Since it has been sitting awhile.

 

[Captain-Noob]

Re: water in U-joint Bellows...

...thankfully the gimbal housing looks very clean nothing like that pic. Redneck lol.

I have yet to put this boat in the water. It was bought as a project and has a sound hull. The Engine and drive are another story though. I just finished replacing the freeze cracked motor with a new one from Michigan motors and now I'm replacing Gimbal bearing and U-joints and bellows ,but I would sure like to know how that water got in those bellows. . I am quite sure however that the boat was left uncovered at one point with the doghouse off and probably the bilge plug left in and thats how it sat for at least two years .As far as I can tell the bilge pump is not wired for automatic operation. Only the bottom of the gimbal bearing shows rust as well as only the 6:00 position on the u-joint yokes, leading me to believe that it wasn't waterlogged in operation only sitting. I drained and replaced the drive oil and it did not have any sign of water in the oil either. . oh well, new gimbal bearing and seal, U-joints and Bellow and then pulling the drive at the end of the season will tell the story I hope.


Thx. guys for the input,
Mikey