Art, Trent, thanks for the reply on my other thread. To tell you the truth, I can't be sure that the outdrive is the source of the leak. When we took it out after float testing it the other day we looked all over for the leak but couldn't find it. It seems to be a slow leak, or maybe at that point the water level in the engine compartement was below the bellows. <br /><br />Is there a trick way to find a leak? I was thinking of:<br /><br />-painting the outside of the outdrive bellows with water dyed blue, and spraying yellow water into the inside of the u-joint bellows and looking for green<br /><br />-using chemicals for a more profound change, such as phenylthaline & a sodium hydroxide solution (i'd have to see if either of these are corrosive 
) <br /><br />-shooting smoke into the inside of the bellows and seeing where it comes out...<br /><br />I don't know if any of these methods would work. I'm also considering using a hi-lift jack under the front end of the trailer and then filling the engine compartment with water...it is hard to test for a leak in the outdrive bellows when the outdrive bellows are above the starter!<br /><br />Also, what percentage of leaks are in the outdrive bellows? I'd feel better about going ahead and changing them if I was more certain that's where the leak was.<br /><br />Art said something about a leaky drain plug. I need to look into that too. The metal on my drain plug is made of brass and it deforms when engaged...don't know if it's tight enough. <br /><br />So how would a pro find a leak? So far the high lift idea sounds like the best.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />-Trent<br /><br />My boat is a 1973 starcraft islander with a 1991 V-6 and and Alpha One outdrive.
) <br /><br />-shooting smoke into the inside of the bellows and seeing where it comes out...<br /><br />I don't know if any of these methods would work. I'm also considering using a hi-lift jack under the front end of the trailer and then filling the engine compartment with water...it is hard to test for a leak in the outdrive bellows when the outdrive bellows are above the starter!<br /><br />Also, what percentage of leaks are in the outdrive bellows? I'd feel better about going ahead and changing them if I was more certain that's where the leak was.<br /><br />Art said something about a leaky drain plug. I need to look into that too. The metal on my drain plug is made of brass and it deforms when engaged...don't know if it's tight enough. <br /><br />So how would a pro find a leak? So far the high lift idea sounds like the best.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />-Trent<br /><br />My boat is a 1973 starcraft islander with a 1991 V-6 and and Alpha One outdrive.