My sterndrive's buggered - help please

[oGaryo]

btw.. I was unable to turn the inner race of the gimbal bearing by hand assuming I was attempting to do it correctly.. it didn;t look corroded, it looked pristine in fact once the excess of grease was removed... I will be replacing it as a matter of course

 

[oldgit]

All my U/Js,whatever drive it was,always seem to have coating of rust even when water had not got in.
Both my Mercruiser U/Js failed exactly like yours but it was the transom (gimbal) bearing on the Volvo which failed.
The gimbal bearing on my Mercruiser was not tight in the casing but a combination of locktite and distressing made sure it stayed in.
At least you know what is what and can get the perishing thing back in the water.

 

[GrahamHR]

When I changed the U/Js on my 1999 VP drive, I used a G clamp and sockets (as I had done many years ago with car propshaft U/Js). It works OK, but it's a little fiddly if doing it on your own, trying to hold 2 sockets in place whilst getting the G clamp in place. The U/J s used external C clips, like in that manual . When VP went to sealed for life U/Js, like on my 2004 drive, they say the whole input shaft has to be changed ! They now use internal circlips like on the photos of the U/Js. Hopefuly Mercruiser or someone else can get you the U/Js.

I'd also have a look at the bearing at the outdrive end of the input shaft; if you had water in the outdrive and it came from the bellows, then that bearing will also have been exposed to seawater.

 

[oldgit]

"I'd also have a look at the bearing at the outdrive end of the input shaft; if you had water in the outdrive and it came from the bellows, then that bearing will also have been exposed to seawater. "



Been there done that .... forgot all about oil seal in front of upper drive shaft bearing which is supposed to keep oil inside of leg.

Need to make sure shaft is not scored,if it is,put new seal back in slightly different position so it runs on virgin metal.

 

[oGaryo]

thanks both, I'll take a look at the shaft seal too

 

[oGaryo]

STREWTH G !!!!!!!......just think, that vid we took could of ended with a touch of the "TITANIC,S !!!!"....... glad you,ve found the prob, hope all works out asap..keep us forumites posted........... ................... ................ (ps. i recon you were goin to fast!!!...i had trouble keepin up!!!!.....goodfun though was,nt it!!!!!)

certainly was buddy... got a new prop on the boat, same diametre and pitch as the other one but no dings and slivers of metal filed off the ends.. certainly feels like it pushes the boat along quicker... will have to try it at WOT next time we're out

as for the consequences, yep, was a tad nervous having to give it a little welly to keep control of the boat in the wind when putting her on the trailer with the leg raised by a 1/3rd... I could hear the sterndrive complaining

 

[sarabande]

fascinating (but expensive ) story, and a triumph of rational thought and experience over the WOT.

Beats carp fishing, doesn't it ?


Hope it goes back together smoothly.

 

[oGaryo]

doesn't sound flippent at all, the oil is now in an oil absorbent mat placed under the gearbox... (this isn't the first time its happened). But this is going to sound even more odd, I can't locate where the bloody oil is coming out! seems to escape in the night after usage and leave no evidence...

Hi James, have you got to the bottom of your issue?

 

[oGaryo]

fascinating (but expensive ) story, and a triumph of rational thought and experience over the WOT.

Beats carp fishing, doesn't it ?


Hope it goes back together smoothly.

thanks and certainly does.. was thinking about fishing today and thought about the amount of time wasted sitting on a river bank, chilling out when I could have been experiencing the joys of stripping down a sterndrive instead... wasted years

 

[lovezoo]

Yes, but when you have it all back together again and its purring nicely, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you fixed it yourself.

 

[moonraker 36]

if your vise will open wide enough.
use 2 sockets one small-one large.
then you can press the uj out with the vise.

 

[oGaryo]

if your vise will open wide enough.
use 2 sockets one small-one large.
then you can press the uj out with the vise.

thanks for this.. prompted me to consult YouTube and there's a guys that shows this method really well.. looks the way to go.. thanks again

 

[Firefly625]

Hi James, have you got to the bottom of your issue?

pm sent...


for everyone else,
basically spent 5 hours yesterday tracking down leak and with the aid of UV fluid and UV light and pressurising the gearbox found output seal leaking. So not the gearbox casing as we were worried about... but gearbox out job... so not good news...

 

[blackmagicthe1st]

Sorry to hear about your problem, although it's so good to see everyone pulling together to help you out.

Having read this thread, I was going to book a flight to go see a boat I'm interested in buying but when I called my mechanic friend he told me "with twin stern drives on a old boat, you could become my best customer" so sadly, I don't know if I could afford it.....

On the other hand, I'm not that handy around engines but I guess if it's your own, you learn pretty quickly.....?

I hope you get her back in soon, there's still plenty of season to be enjoyed yet!

 

[oGaryo]

thanks BM the 1st

Resourceful lots us boaty folk... cross bearings are coming out a treat with this method.. benefits of using a large adjustable spanner on the bearing cap end is the vice doesn't have to open so far and you can see the bearing cap coming through.. using a large socket obscures it. the large spanner is purely for leverage and the smaller socket obviously used to push the bearing through. no heating required, the extra pressure from the heavy duty vice is enough to push it through.

 

[rafiki_]

I've used this method on prop shafts with good results Gary. Good luck with the rebuild.

 

[oGaryo]

thanks RAF

First cap now out of its casing ready for the maul grips... Roy, this was the one that we attacked with the blow torch and C Clamp... just needed to be introduced to the vice squad

 

[mlines]

Another method I was taught , for car propshafts, is to lay the shaft along your arm with the UJ hanging free just beyond your hand which is holding the propshaft, then tap the yoke with a hammer(and yes I mean "tap"). This followed a lot of pushing, shoving and pressing with sockets and hitting with large hammers. It works despite appearing to be a very soft approach.

 

[STEVEDUNSTABLE]

thanks RAF

First cap now out of its casing ready for the maul grips... Roy, this was the one that we attacked with the blow torch and C Clamp... just needed to be introduced to the vice squad

BLIMEY Gary !!!!!......i bet there are bits of the Titanic with less rust on !!!!!!.......glad there is positive progress...GREAT THREAD n pics n descriptive detail..just hope it does,nt happen to mine !!!!!

 

[oGaryo]

BLIMEY Gary !!!!!......i bet there are bits of the Titanic with less rust on !!!!!!.....!!!!!

look worse in the picture than in reality to be honest Steve, a scrub up to reomve the old chipped paint and will treat it with rust inhibitor then repaint and it'll be a good a new