Most likely water leakage points VP AQ170 + 250 drive

[Refueler]

Just asking for the most common water leakage points on the combo :

VP AQ170 with 250 sterndrive.

It must be something static - not cooling pump related as I pumped her out yesterday - replaced the non auto pump with an auto and today I saw about 4 - 5ltrs exiting the bilge pump outlet ... that's about 20hrs

Such volume indicates a largish leak - not a 'drip' ...

Engine temp runs good ... so I am not concerned about running the boat and not having engine cooled ... everything seems to run smooth .. so I'm hoping that I can delay lift till mid summer when I plan to give her a mid season clean-up.

 

[Refueler]

Nobody any suggestions of where to look ??

 

[stelican]

Could be syphonlng in on the cooling water circuit.

 

[Refueler]

That was my first thought as there is a joint in the colling water 'in pipe' from stern drive ..... previous owner disconnected there and then had a bucket with connector he fitted to engine and fed anti-freeze in for winterisation ..

I wanted to fit a three way with valves to save all the hassle of hands in the bilge to connect / disconnect the pipe ...

Blue pipe to engine - black pipe in bilges from stern drive intake ...

bucket connected to blue pipe ...

I checked it ... and all seemed OK ... but its possible ... so difficult to get to rear of engine and check out everything there ...

 

[Refueler]

Have dug out my Endoscope ... will have a gander around engine bay - see if anything shows ..

 

[simonfraser]

you imply there is water ingress when afloat with the engine off ?
salt water ?
when were the bellows last inspected / changed ?

 

[Refueler]

you imply there is water ingress when afloat with the engine off ?
salt water ?
when were the bellows last inspected / changed ?

Its brackish water as its in the River ....

Bellows - that is an unknown factor ... I have asked seller (agent who imported the boat) and he advised that when they changed engine - all was in good order but they never had the boat in water other than to test run ... so they cannot answer it either. It appears they may not have changed the bellows as the sterndrive would not need to be touched.

I am a little confused about the bellows as I have watched a few videos and one actually talks about the 270 exhaust bellows having a small hole in by design .. As to the larger drive bellows ?? Would that let water in ?

The 250 as I understand has a separate water cooling intake hose that sits next to the exhaust bellows ..

The manuals I have are all in Swedish and trying to find an English version is proving difficult .. the only ones I can find are not of the same model / combo.

 

[oldgit]

As to the larger drive bellows ?? Would that let water in ?

YES.
Possible split in driveshaft bellows.
or
One of the two stainless jubilee clip type fasteners has failed.
Once water is in , the U/J and the bearings are at risk.
Hopefully it is not leaking around the transom assembly itself.
A good pair of eyes and decent torch should find any leak pretty quickly.
The exhaust bellows are clamped on to something similar this.

Engine has been moved back a little , in order to replace transom bearings.
Due to inspired VP design inner bearing in this case can only be removed from inside boat.
Either way its lift out.

 

[Refueler]

Right ... will be lifting the floors and passing the scope camera round ...

Tks Oldgit !

 

[oldgit]

Right ... will be lifting the floors and passing the scope camera round ...

Tks Oldgit !

Engine back in position.
Top is the U/J
Bottom is the exhaust.
Bowden is the gearshift cable.

At the top of pix just out of shot is the steering fork , in theory this should never be under water and the steering fork shafts seals should prevent water getting into engine compartment.
However on my ancient Princess 33, age had somehow ensured that the stern of the boat when loaded was frequently below the waterline.
New seals and constant greasing of the steering fork never quite solved the problem
Check water is not getting in via the steering fork, it will be connected internally to the steering arm and almost certainly hidden way under loads of other stuff, there should be a well used grease nipple in there !

Note rusty flywheel.
If enough water gets in its goodbye starter motor as well.

 

[Refueler]

Your pics all agree with a removal / refit video on YT I saw yesterday .. but I couldn't watch all way through ... the American guy doing it was so annoying in his talk .. destroyed the video ..

Luckily the trailer is a roll on job - so once I find the leak - I can lift the boat and set to.

mmmm I read somewhere that you should not run this combo of 270 sterndrive with leg raised ? My pal when he was on the helm was playing with leg angle as well as trim tabs .. at a few instances - leg did approach full up ...
????? Maybe that has compromised the bellows ?

 

[oldgit]

Think with bellows in good condition doubt short periods of " leg up" would be terminal, how ever if bellows have lost their plasticity due to age they will split.
Try to find source of water ingress ASAP, if it is a bellows leak, two keen fit young men should get that leg off in two shakes of lambs tail.
Worth checking gearbox oil/ gearshift seal and steering fork seals easy to check and can only be replaced with leg off.
Pennies for most aftermarket bits.

 

[scottie]

As I recall the steering fork has a greaser at top which tends to get neglected
The comment regarding not running hard with UJ at an angle is sound on purely mechanical grounds and not exclusively this unit
UJ failure is prone to be both spectacular and expensive so best avoided
You have a long lived setup and maybe just be kind to it
The bellows should be checked on a regular basis as any water collecting will rust

 

[Refueler]

Just spoke with Yard ... they wait my findings with the scope camera and reckon they can change the bellows if needed.

Few years ago - I would think nothing of doing it myself - but time and age take their toll ...

I also need to replace the bumper stop that's fitted to transom frame that outdrive head touches when raised. The metal holder for this has corroded and failed - we rescued the rubber bumper before it fell off !!

 

[oldgit]

Just spoke with Yard ... they wait my findings with the scope camera and reckon they can change the bellows if needed.

Few years ago - I would think nothing of doing it myself - but time and age take their toll ...

I also need to replace the bumper stop that's fitted to transom frame that outdrive head touches when raised. The metal holder for this has corroded and failed - we rescued the rubber bumper before it fell off !!

Available as after market item but seem to recall making up my own from a chunk of industrial sized rubbing band liberated from a workboat, a little resizing using a hacksaw, then "gluing" to the metal of old bump stop with CT1.
Shame the CT1 was white, but beggers cannot be choosers ?
Rubber Bump Cushion for Volvo Penta 270, 275 and 280, Replaces: 875531 | eBay

 

[simonfraser]

steering fork def has a grease nipple, prob stuck as no one has lubed it
grease gun and heat the nipple up a bit
i finished up putting an extension on mine for ease of access

 

[oldgit]

steering fork def has a grease nipple, prob stuck as no one has lubed it
grease gun and heat the nipple up a bit
i finished up putting an extension on mine for ease of access

Somebody had ground out a small section of the transom woodwork in order to actually be able to get any grease gun onto the nipple.
Doubt it was Princess.
Over the years with nobody bothering to grease the steering fork, probably have no idea its even there, the internal drilling in the shaft will prove to be useless due to old grease going rock solid and no amount of pressure from your grease gun will shift it.
Fork has to come out, nipple removed (without top coming off leaving thread to drill out and good luck with that matey) and length of stiff wire poked inside to clear old grease.
As for not fitting a grease point in the transom assembly for the jackshaft.....words absolutely fail me...........................
Perhaps they fitted one to later versions.

 

[Refueler]

Available as after market item but seem to recall making up my own from a chunk of industrial sized rubbing band liberated from a workboat, a little resizing using a hacksaw, then "gluing" to the metal of old bump stop with CT1.
Shame the CT1 was white, but beggers cannot be choosers ?
Rubber Bump Cushion for Volvo Penta 270, 275 and 280, Replaces: 875531 | eBay

I have the old Bump stop and its in good condition ... no lumps out of it ..

I thought of grinding away the old rusted metal bits stuck on it and on the sterndrive ... then gluing in place with plastic metal ...

Here's an online photo of the bump stop and bellows tunnel.

 

[Refueler]

OK .. scoped around back of engine .. under ... water pipe connections ... nothing found ... not even a slight trickle as I would expect ..

Now wait launch of my main boat and then lift out for a full check of transom gear ... haven't decided whether to lift with my roller trailer or just go to yard for their lift and then check out ...

Its most likely that they will end up with the boat anyway ..

 

[simonfraser]

i have used blue roll paper in an engine bay to detect a leak

put it all the way round and see which bit gets wet first, after you have thoroughly dried the area

i would not want to depend on the yard to find the leak ....