vp 275 water in drive oil

[erinj]

I'd appreciate help with this problem.

I'm getting water in the oil of my volvo penta 275 outdrive. I don't know where from though. The oil/water froths up and a small amount leaks from the exhaust boot. What steps do I take to find the water leak? Also, what should I use to flush after draining the oil? Thanks in advance!
erinj

 

[Don S]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

The most common place for a leak is water in the ujoint bellows. If that is dry, then it's time to drain the outdrive and do a pressure test of the drive to find where the leak is.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

Profile? Location? You might be close to someone who can help.
You'll need to do a pressure test.
No flush, just drain and refill and then drain again.


Posted at the same time Don posted.

 

[erinj]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

The most common place for a leak is water in the ujoint bellows. If that is dry, then it's time to drain the outdrive and do a pressure test of the drive to find where the leak is.

Sorry, to be so long in checking back in.
Don, I really appreciate you posting the directions for the pressure test. I'll printing those.

So hubby says he's pretty sure there's a leak /crack in the ujoint bellows. If water gets in the bellows, will it get into the outdrive oil?

Any way to check the bellows for leaks/cracks? Do I need to pull off the outdrive to check it? Will the pressure test show a leak in the bellows? Can leaks, etc be repaired or do the bellows need to be replaced?

Sorry, Don, for all the questions, trying to type them as hubby asks them! Thanks agin for the test instructions, I have a heck of a time finding those sort of thing online. erinj

 

[Don S]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

So hubby says he's pretty sure there's a leak /crack in the ujoint bellows. If water gets in the bellows, will it get into the outdrive oil?

Absolutely water will get into the drive with a leaky bellows. The seal in the drive is there to keep the oil in, not the water out. The bellows is supposed to do that. Plus the bellows keeps water out of the Ujoints and the primary shaft bearings in the flywheel cover.

Any way to check the bellows for leaks/cracks? Do I need to pull off the outdrive to check it? Will the pressure test show a leak in the bellows? Can leaks, etc be repaired or do the bellows need to be replaced?

No, the pressure check is only for the drive. To check the bellows, just remove the camp that holds the ujoint bellows to drive, push it back and see what's in there.
If it needs replaced, and it sounds like it does, then you only need to remove the upper gear box, not the whole drive.

Sorry, Don, for all the questions, trying to type them as hubby asks them! Thanks agin for the test instructions, I have a heck of a time finding those sort of thing online. erinj

Spend some time in the stickies at the top of this forum. It will be time well spend.

If you aren't sure where the stickies are, click on this picture.

 

[erinj]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

Profile? Location? You might be close to someone who can help.
You'll need to do a pressure test.
No flush, just drain and refill and then drain again.


Posted at the same time Don posted.

:happy:Jerry, what a nice suggestion. :Guess I never did a profile. I'll take care of that. We're in California, near the San Joaquin and Sacramento Delta. Anyone else in this area?

 

[Don S]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

Be careful of who you invite to help you. There are lots of posters here that just repeat what they read on the forum. No first hand experience at all.
We even had one guy from Romania debating US state laws.

 

[erinj]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

Be careful of who you invite to help you. There are lots of posters here that just repeat what they read on the forum. No first hand experience at all.
We even had one guy from Romania debating US state laws.

Thanks for the warning, Jerry. I'll pay attention to who is answering my questions on here... you and Don both passed the background check.

 

[erinj]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

I apologize for the length of time between posts. Work keeps getting in the way of the important stuff!
First, I want to thank you, Don and Jerry, for sharing your expertise. It's been very helpful. Don, Mark followed your directions for checking inside the bellows and it was definitely not dry in there. He removed the bellows and found a tear in it. so he replaced it. (again, thanks, Don for letting him know he need only remove the upper gearbox!)

Took the boat out on Sunday, and today Mark checked inside the bellows and Drats! he found about 8 - 12 oz. of oil in there. ( it's sort of a creamy, milky yellow color).
So, here we go. I'd appreciate any guidance, advice, suggestion......



"The seal in the drive is there to keep the oil in, not the water out. The bellows is supposed to do that."

1) Inside the bellows is always supposed to dry,right? so there should be NOT be oil in there?

2) Is the next move is to replace that seal?

Apparantly, the manual we bought doesn't cover troubleshooting. And I'm off to read throught the stickies again.

 

[Don S]

Re: vp 275 water in drive oil

Was the oil changed in the drive? Did you pressure test the drive after putting the upper back on the boat to make sure there weren't any more leaks? Did you use new orings between the upper and intermediate housings when the upper went back on?

If the drive has a leak in it, and gets water in, it will then be over full and oil will be force out of the drive through the front seal. Usually when water gets in the bellows, it requires a new front seal in the drive, along with a new spacer/washer on the yoke that the seal rides on.

Manuals don't have troubles shooting charts for leaks. That's what the pressure test does. Any time there is work done on the drive, it should be pressure tested prior to oil being put in the drive. It's just how things are done.