Brand new Bravo 3x never splashed or run - Oil leak?

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PCUK

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As said above. Just preparing for first test start and tilted the leg to get the test tank under the leg. Noticed drive oil coming out of the front dual water inlet. Where could it be coming from? any ideas? Thanks.
 
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Its quite possible if the drive was fitted while there was oil in the reservoir that as the drive was installed oil can leak out before the drive is fully mated and it will run down the internal passage and out the bottom.
If its only a small amount and no more coming out then probably nothing to worry about, if the level in the reservoir is dropping or empty then you need to investigate further
 
Ah well, Still leaking, so it's off with the leg. Still in the shed and under the hoist so no big deal, but a bugger all the same! The only place I can think it's coming from is the dribble valve connection, perhaps the seal? has moved or something. This is the first Merc' drive I've worked on and although they're not rocket science they are different to what I have previously been used to. Any further places I should be looking once the leg is off. Thanks.
 
Check the oil hose between the shield and the gimbal house, I have seen a few that were missing the plastic clamp which secures the hose to the nipple at the back of the valve.
 
Thanks again, Definitely from the water inlet holes. Only happens when the leg is raised to trailer position. Then stops. After leg has been down again for a few days and raised it starts again. What's the procedure for pressure testing please?
 
You need a pump with a pressure gauge, its a bit like a bicycle pump with a threaded fitting which you screw into the level hole on the top section, all decent marine workshops will have one.
 
Level plug is there for filling to allow the air out as you pump oil in from below
Level in bottle usually drops after first run as last bits if air exit via the bottle
 
UPDATE: Pressure tested the leg to 10 psi and could hear bubbling from inside the cooling passage. Presume there must be a seal between the upper and lower leg that was not fitted correctly at the factory. Any other likely seals. I'm looking at worst case scenario as although brand new and never run it sat in the box in the workshop for seven years due to life getting in the way, so I'm not over-confident about the warranty being honoured.
 
Pretty easy job to split the two halfs drain the oil and undo the 6 nuts and 1 bolt and lift the top off no pipes or linkages to worry about theres 3 seals between the two halfs
 
I'm going to see if Mercruiser will take pity on me first. Thinking about the seals, it would seem unlikely that oil could pass from the oil passage past the seal, then travel across an force it's way into the water passage without also appearing on the outside of the joint. I beginning to think it is a perforated casting.
 
I'll hang on until I've heard from Mercruiser but it seems unlikely that oil could pass the O ring on the oil passage then pass the O ring on the water passage without appearing on the outside of the joint. I'm now thinking of a perforated casting from the factory.
 
Strangely enough I've put lots together and never had one leak, its not an oring, its a flatter ribbed seal usualy orange, its usually glued in place but could easily be misplaced or misaligned on a production line .
Easy to split the two halfs for a look and you can reuse all the seals so all you have to loose is a little time and some oil to top up afterwards
 
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