I removed my outdrive and didn't find what I was expecting

[Wave34]

New boat, so as preventive maintenance I decided to remove the outdrive.
I was expecting a dry bellow, but found a pool of oil. What is strange, is the the 2 U-joints seem dry, no dripping.
The week before, I changed the oil. Is it possible I filled too fast? I don't think, it took me almost 45 minutes.
The texture is like gear oil but the smell is not there, may be because it is new.

Also, I found an oil seal spring inside. Is it possible it is me that was not careful with the alignment tool that knocked something inside?

Oh, also there is like a spring wire inside the bellow, which seems out of it's groove. Is it used to hold the bellow in place?

The alignment tool is a Mercruiser one that I borrowed. There is a total of 3 steps. The one farthest from the handle goes in the splines, the second step, doesn't do anything, and the third step which is also the handle goes inside the gimball bearing. WhY they took the time to machine step #2?, why not left it the diameter of the first step?
Unless the Merc is different from the Volvo?

Inside the top bellow:




oil seal spring








ALIGNMENT TOOL VS DUOPROP SHAFT; STEP#2 NOT TOUCHING ANYTHING





INPUT OF THE OUTDRIVE, IT LOOKS LIKE AN OIL SEAL WAS THERE?

 

[BRICH1260]

You`ve probably lost your input shaft seal and drive oil has leaked into the bellows. The alignment tool you have is the right one. Volvo and Merc use the same.

 

[Wave34]

By looking more into it, I see that there is an oil seal in front of the gimball bearing.
So, I must have knocked the lip of the seal with the alignment tool.

Since I don't what to remove the bearing to replace the seal, do you guys think I can buy an oil seal, take just the spring out of it, and from inside the transom install it over the seal lip?

 

[Grub54891]

That inner seal is not needed these days. It was intended to keep the grease in there when you grease the greaseable type of gimble bearing. When installing a new non greaseable bearing, you clean up the excess grease and remove the seal, or just leave it there.

 

[Keyboardman]

Forget about trying to put the Garter spring back on. I keep knocking it off with the alignment tool. Seems like a lot of guys do. I was told by one of the "Gurus" on here to forget about putting it back on. Will work just fine without it.

 

[Wave34]

But does that seal acts as a safety in case that the bellow splits and water gets in?
May be having the seal without the Garter spring (thanks Keyboardman for the correct name) will help slow down water if the worst happens, even if it's not 100%?

Is it possible that Merc don't have a seal there? My friend never told me he had one when he checked his alignment.

Does removing the bearing destroy it?
When I turn it with my fingers it is smooth, without play.
I think I will just leave it like that.

 

[Grub54891]

That seal won't stop or delay the boat from sinking if the bellows splits. It'll go down just as fast as it can.
Something about water and gravity, water always wins.....

 

[Wave34]

That seal won't stop or delay the boat from sinking if the bellows splits. It'll go down just as fast as it can.
Something about water and gravity, water always wins.....

Ok, I take notes.

The stainless steel rod that is there is looping the whole length of the bellow. It's like a reinforcement.

At the marine store, the bellows they sell don't have that steel wire. May be it's a Volvo thing.