Oil seal in upper case

[dirtyoldman]

I changed my impeller pump last night and when I filled it up the oil ran out about as fast as I was pouring it in. It looks like it was coming out of the hole between the two halves of the case, but under inspection there is a small tear in the shaft seal. So, I have a few questions:

1) How hard is it to change that seal?
2) Why would it be leaking out that hole?
3) Is it possible that I didn't put it back together right and it wasn't all the way together?
4) How do I pressure test it before wasting another half a quart?

 

[Don S]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

What are we working on?

 

[JustJason]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

I'm assuming your working on an alpha 1 and not a Datsun here... You need to put what your working on in every thread, or better yet, add it to your signature.

1. Which shaft seal?
2. Because you either forgot, or it moved on you, or you doublestacked quad rings. They are what seal the upper and lower together
3. Yep
4. With a pressure tester.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

oops - sorry!

It's an '87 sea ray 210 with 260hp mercruiser and alpha one.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

I'm assuming your working on an alpha 1 and not a Datsun here... You need to put what your working on in every thread, or better yet, add it to your signature.

1. Which shaft seal?
2. Because you either forgot, or it moved on you, or you doublestacked quad rings. They are what seal the upper and lower together
3. Yep
4. With a pressure tester.

1) The seal is the lower seal in the upper unit, where the shaft from the lower unit enters.

2) Which are the quad rings?

3) OK

4) Where do I get a pressure tester?

 

[JustJason]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

1. Was there gear lube all over the vertical driveshaft that sits in the lower unit? If there was, the upper needs to be resealed.

2. With the drive in half, look on the lower, starboard side, just next to the water pump. You should see a small hole with a relief cut in it for a seal to sit.

3. Okay cool

4. If you head up to the adults only section, you can read about making your own vs buying one from Stevens for 90 bucks.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

1. Was there gear lube all over the vertical driveshaft that sits in the lower unit? If there was, the upper needs to be resealed.

2. With the drive in half, look on the lower, starboard side, just next to the water pump. You should see a small hole with a relief cut in it for a seal to sit.

3. Okay cool

4. If you head up to the adults only section, you can read about making your own vs buying one from Stevens for 90 bucks.

1) no, there wasn't. It really appeared to be leaking out of the hole you are referring to in bullet #2. The seal was there and appeared to be in good shape. The oil appeared to be running down the inside of the lower unit by the shift linkage and out the weep hole. And it was leaking fast. It took maybe five minutes before it was empty of a half a quart.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

Did you pull out the old quad ring, scrape out the relief with a screwdriver, and put in a new one with a dab of grease?

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

I don't know what the quad ring is.

 

[Grumman59]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

A quad ring is something like an O-ring but it has a square or 'X' cross section so it will seal all around.

The one here is a tiny one on the horizontal surface between the upper and lower cases and it seals the oil gallery connection.

There are also two more seals on the shaft above the water pump.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

A quad ring is something like an O-ring but it has a square or 'X' cross section so it will seal all around.

The one here is a tiny one on the horizontal surface between the upper and lower cases and it seals the oil gallery connection.

There are also two more seals on the shaft above the water pump.

That quad ring is where it looks like it was leaking from. I forgot to replace it when I put it back together, but it was in good shape. I have anew one I will put in when I do it tonight. After some further reading I may not have been assembling it correctly. It was in neutral and I was not holding the prop counter clockwise. Would this have kept me from getting the two halves mated properly?

I am aware of the shaft seal above the water pump - but where is the other seal you are referring to?

 

[Grumman59]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

I am aware of the shaft seal above the water pump - but where is the other seal you are referring to?

There are two seals there, upper and lower, on the vertical shaft below the 90 deg gearbox. To change them the U/J shaft would need to come out first, then the driven shaft and gear so it's not a quick job.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

And you said "pouring"...were you not filling the drive from the bottom like you are supposed to?

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

And you said "pouring"...were you not filling the drive from the bottom like you are supposed to?

Busted - huh??

Yes, I was doing that also.

I am confused on the shaft. The seal that is bad is the one that does not have a shaft on it when the lower case is removed. Will it just pull right off?

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Oil seal in upper case

well, it turns out that I got the wrong pump base from the dealer and it was too small by about .100" and didn't seal. I put it back together with the new seal and o ring, and it still poured out. I also bought the pump and put it in properly this time.

So, today I will be making a pressure tester and putting it all back together.

Thanks for the help!