Brown sludge coming out of bellow?

[greenbm]

I was cleaning up aroung the boat yesterday and noticed some brown sludge like the consistancy thin chocolate pudding pooled on the plate (for lack of a better word) underneath the bellows. A quick inspection (it was getting dark) seems like it might be coming from the upper bellow. I dont think it's gear lube because it's way too dark. I checked the level of the lube and its a little low but still registering halfway up the flat part of the dipstick. I also let a little out of the drain and it is clean. Not cloudy or anything. My assumption is that it is some type of grease coming from somewhere. Any initial thoughts on the cause? I will take some pics and post if that will be helpful.

 

[skydiveD30571]

What engine and drive are we talking about here?

 

[greenbm]

Sorry... I thought it was all in my signature. The Drive is a Cobra SX. I'd have to look for specific serial numbers beyond that if they would be helpful.

 

[skydiveD30571]

It probably was. With the forum updates it looks like signatures were wiped out.

When was the last time the drive was pulled? Do you have a greasable gimbal bearing with a grease fitting on the transom shield?

 

[greenbm]

When was the last time the drive was pulled? Do you have a greasable gimbal bearing with a grease fitting on the transom shield?

I don't know when the drive was last pulled. I bought the boat last year and haven not done it. I'm not 100% sure about the fitting on the transom shield but I seem to remember looking for one before and not seeing one. I will double heck tonight when I get home and post some pictures.

 

[skydiveD30571]

It would be a good time to pull the drive and check things out, especially since you do not know the condition of anything in there since the boat is new to you. It should be part of your yearly maintenance list and takes less than an hour to remove, check alignment, grease splines and u-joints/gimbal, and reinstall. While it is off you will get a good idea as to where the sludge is coming from.

Step by step instructions are available in the Stickies thread right above yours, under #2 "Volvo Penta Information" then #19.

 

[greenbm]

Thanks. I saw them earlier and printed them out. I've been hesitant to take on this job myself but after reading the instructions, it doesn't seem too bad. Anyway, you never know until you try, right? Does anyone have any guesses as to what the problem may be? Am i correct in assuming that it is probbaly grease that I am seeing and not gear lube since it is so dark and that the gear lube level is not too low?

 

[skydiveD30571]

What is the consistency like? Thin and syrup-like or thick like grease? I would guess grease but it is hard to tell. And if I could manage to get my drive off alone, you'll have no problem. Then you'll be able to see inside the bellows and see what it is and where it's coming from.

 

[greenbm]

its thicker than syrup and thinner than grease. I described it as a litter thinner than chocolate pudding and I still thing that's accurate. Like a melted chocolate bar maybe? I don't have a cart or jack to help with removing the drive. Is there any big concern with removing by hand and just propping it up somewhere? I think I read that they weigh about 100 lbs. I can handle that.

 

[skydiveD30571]

When I remove mine I just slide it off and set it to the side. No cart or jack or anything. The worst part it the awkwardness...very top heavy.

 

[greenbm]

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[greenbm]

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[greenbm]

this is where i first saw the stuff

 

[greenbm]

working on trying to upload photos. Its telling me I am "not authorized to create this post"

 

[greenbm]

In the meantime I will describe what I found... Took the drive off and all of the brown sludge came out of the drive (upper) bellow. When I looked loser I realized the inner end of the bellow closest to the transom was loose. So loose that I coule stick my finger in from the backside right into the bellow. I have a picture of this. I am guessing when I ran the boat on the muffs the other day, the water got inside of the loose bellow, mixed with the grease and oozed out. Am I fooling myself to think that the loose hose clamp on the bellow was is my only problem? Am I fooling myself to think that the loose hose clamp on the bellow was is my only problem? I'm thinking since I dont know when the bellows were last changed I will just change them. Another question I have is... is these supposed to be a bellow or sleeve or something that goes where the shift cable comes in? If so, I didn't have one. I have a picture of that as well.

 

[greenbm]

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[greenbm]

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[greenbm]

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[greenbm]

Took the drive off and all of the brown sludge came out of the drive (upper) bellow. When I looked loser I realized the inner end of the bellow closest to the transom was loose. So loose that I coule stick my finger in from the backside right into the bellow. I have a picture of this. I am guessing when I ran the boat on the muffs the other day, the water got inside of the loose bellow, mixed with the grease and oozed out. Am I fooling myself to think that the loose hose clamp on the bellow was is my only problem? Am I fooling myself to think that the loose hose clamp on the bellow was is my only problem? I'm thinking since I dont know when the bellows were last changed I will just change them. Another question I have is... is these supposed to be a bellow or sleeve or something that goes where the shift cable comes in? If so, I didn't have one. I have a picture of that as well.

 

[Sparkinator]

Yeah, I would change the drive bellows if I didn't know how old it is. Now that the drive is off, it;s an easy job. Make sure you check your gimble bearing as well. Grease it good, and check to make sure it spins smoothly. With having a hole/leak in your bellows, you could have a bad gimble bearing due to water intrusion, so check it out good. With a hole/leak in the bellows, it allows water to get into the gimble bearing and water to into the boat.

When your boat is in the water, a leaking bellows allows water to pour into your boat. Unless you are on plane, the bellows are below the water level. When running on muffs, you wouldn't see nearly that amount of water (if any) at the bellows. The syrup you are seeing may be grease from your gimbal/u-joints dripping through the hole/leak in the bellows and falling into the transom.