mechanics only

[chriswilliams29]

i have a volvo 200 diesel which is coupled to a 280 leg.
i took the starter motor off as it playing up and to my horror water poured out .sea water.
is this the bellows leaking or something more sinister, help

 

[BrendanS]

where is the starter motor situated?

 

[hlb]

If the bellows are leaking thats very sinister. Need to take engine out and replace bearings and whatever has been affected. I did'nt and suffered the consiquences.. But the starter motor is miles from the bellows. Cant you just start it up and see where the water is spraying from. Or is it three foot deep in water down there! Send the starter to an auto electrician, soon be fixed. (hopefully) Look for leaks round pipes etc.

<font color=blue>Haydn

 

[tr7v8]

Assuming the boat isn't sinking then is is clean water (River or sea) or is it loaded with antifreeze?
If it's clean water then you either have a leak in the raw water side (pump, pipe work, heat exchanger).
If it's antifreezed then it could be water pump, heat exchanger, pipework or possibly a core plug in the bel housing area.

To sum up need more info....

Jim
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[hlb]

Well hope your right but mostly water gets into the starter motor through the bell houseing. First through bellows, then through bearing in transom plate. This buggers up the bearing and seezes (S) it so prop shaft eventually wears away bearing, then starts eating the back off the bell housing, which is also part of transom. Hence big hole in back of boat.

<font color=blue>Haydn

 

[tr7v8]

Agree with your diagnosis but unless its a gentle weep then I'd assumed it would have sunk by now!
It needs more info, like is it ashore, or afloat, river or sea etc.

Jim
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[hlb]

Well may be it has sunk by now. With my bilge pump set up at the time it sertainly would have. No doubt all will be revieled, slowly....................

<font color=blue>Haydn

 

[pistonbroke]

Sounds like bellows are shot, together with bellhousing bearings and link shaft and possibly the crankshaft seal.

Loads of money!!

 

[Bejasus]

God, this sound scary, expensive, a saga in the true hlb tradition etc. You have my sympathy & best wishes. Sorry I could not contribute more.

"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."..........I think????

 

[chriswilliams29]

the boat is in the water 24hrs aday so when i took the starter off i thought water would continue to enter the bilge ,Well picked up the overhauled starter from the repair shop went down to the boat and theres no more water than any other rainy week.
SO AND THIS WILL FRIGHTEN YOU , SO GOT A THIN STRIP AND DIPPED IT IN THE STARTER MOTOR HOUSING HOLE AND WATER IS PRESENT.
BUT NOT RISEN TO THE LEVEL OF THE HOUSING.
SO I THOUGHT I NEED TO GET THAT OUT,
WELL I DRILLED A HOLE THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF MY BELLHOUSING(ITS ALLOY)
WELL WATER DRAINED AND BEARING IN MIND I AM UPSIDEDOWN AND DRAINED AND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOPPED SO I WAITED .NOTHGING SO I SPRAYED A WD40 TYPE LIQUID IN THERE AND THIS GRADUALLY DRIPPED OUT
BUT no sea water. put the starter in run her up and no leak ..where did the water come from??? the onlywork i ever had done was a bearing on the gear lever not even touching any water leaking areas. thevwater vwas sea and very clean. any ideas

 

[hlb]

Oh just let it develope and come back and tell us the story. It makes for much more interesting reading. Have you got to chapter three yet?

<font color=blue>Haydn

 

[BrendanS]

Yelling ain't gonna help, so lets try some fact gathering. Slowly, and in clear english.

eg
How long have you owned boat?
When did starter motor start playing up?
as asked before, are there any obvious signs that bilge water has at any point been high?
are there any pipes/hoses/any other sources of water near to the starter motor?
where are you based? you're profile contains nothing... may be someone lives close by and could come take a look?

etc, etc,

 

[hlb]

Dont forget it has been asertained that water was in the bell housing. Far as I know, that must have come from the bellows. Mind you, now he's put a hole in the bottom, it could come from anywhere next time! I suspect that it does not leak into bell housing much unless the boat is under way. Well, not yet anyway!!

<font color=blue>Haydn

 

[BrendanS]

Lots of assumptions, very few facts

If water is entering housing only when at sea then:
tap tube into new hole, stick into container, take for long run, measure amount of water

 

[tr7v8]

Umm, not strictly true, a lot of engines have a core plug in the bellhousing area, is this water fresh or salt we need to know.

Jim
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[hlb]

Well he did say that it was salt. Trouble is, he put up two threads at the same time, so you have to read between them.

<font color=blue>Haydn

 

[tr7v8]

OK, I give up with this, I'll just go over to the corner and take my pills....
Nurse where's my tablets?

Jim
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