Gear lube leaking from water inlet/intake

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Ramsey77

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Jul 2, 2014
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Hi there! I have the 1994 SX leg on my boat and issue is oil is leaking from port side water inlet/intake when I first attempted to fill new gear oil in it. I had mistaken my cobra leg with an older version in which the old ones u filled oil in middle hole and not from the bottom like the SX does. When I put lil less than 1/3 qt in middle hole, oil came out from water inlet/intake from same side. Last winter when I attempted to drain and refill gear case I had first tried to fill it from the bottom drain hole ( which I believe is the correct way now). I was trying to fill to check hole ( middle ) but did not know about dip stick hole at the top. Therefore I was trying to pump lube in from bottom but after couple litres it was building pressure. Guess I should've taken dipstick out so air could be pushed out. I only used a hand pump for adding lube. But I must have blew a seal somewhere ???? Please help!!!!
 
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Boaterguy05

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Jul 1, 2014
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After the pressure test, the proper way to fill an SX drive is, remove the top dip stick, remove the 4 screws to remove the cover, then remove the air bleed screw. The oil is pumped in from the bottom drain screw. The drive holds 2.2 qrts, but that is a dry fill. Pump it in slow to minimize air bubbles until fluid is seen at the air bleed screw. The dipstick sits in a tube and should only be used to check fluid level after the oil has had a chance to equalize for a couiple of hours. If too much oil is added, it can cause slippage and failure of the cone clutch.
 
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Ramsey77

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Jul 2, 2014
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Hi there! Thanks for info! All seems well so far. I refilled from bottom with side plug open and top dipstick plug open also. I was able to add approx 2.25 qts in. No leaking from water inlet/intake holes. Ran boat with garden hose with "muffs" on. All seems good. Re-drained leg oil and oil was perfect with zero water. Re filled again and everything seems fine! Could the gearlube that was leaking from water inlets happened from adding the oil in the wrong hole ( middle side/check/vent hole) ? This turned out to be more confusing than it should've been. With my boat and leg being a 1994 and the merge of cobra & Volvo. The leg still says cobra but I'm sure now from all the reading and pics on this forum that I do have a SX Volvo.
 
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Ramsey77

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Jul 2, 2014
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Plus when I filled from the bottom, there was no sign of gear lube in middle check/vent hole. I was only able to tell fluid level by inserting dipstick in hole periodically when I was close to 2.25 qts. I guessing the middle hole is just a vent hole. Is dipstick level checked with it resting on top of threads? Or with it screwed in? I'm guessing just with it resting on top of hole (not screwed in to measure).
 
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Ramsey77

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Jul 2, 2014
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Ok. So much different info sometimes on here. I've read that the threads just rest on top to measure dipstick reading..... I guess I'll remove more gearlube as it is possibly overfilled then?
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
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30,620
You thread it in all the way. Then thread it out and read it. At least that is what my Volvo service manual says. It is from an LK model which is a few years newer than yours.
 
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