OMC Stern Drive 400 - Water in oil - Waterpump housing

Hi! Been reading up un these forums the last couple of days, and as I feared the problems with these drives are plentiful.


My problem:
Water gets into the oil in the waterpump housing.
What have I done so far:
New impeller kit, with all seals, did not fix problem
Resealed complete upper unit at a local shop, did not fix problem
Changed housing, resealed this, did not fix problem

The housing passes both vacuum and pressure testing, but leaks when I get it in water and the engine runs.
I have had axles inspected as well, and they are in good shape. Also, I can put new oil in, run the engine at idle for one minute , and this will cause the oil housing to overflow with water. In other words it seems like the waterpump is pushing water into the oil somehow.
My local shop cannot seem to understand why this is happening, since it has all new seals, new impeller kit and passes pressure / vacuum tests.

Any of you guys have any suggestions on what this problem could be?

Thanks Fredrik

This is my boat, with the darned drive on it!

on the front of the drive is a hole that hole has a zerk fitting hit it with grease.

But i'm thinking it might be you are not sealing the water pump housing correctly and not putting enought sillycone around the housing itself where it meets the metal of the drive.

What manual you using ?

hi!

I have put some sealant in there, but it might not be enough. I think it sounds weird that the oil "tank" will fill itself up with water through those bolts after just a minute of idling the engine. But it might be that this is the case...

Been using a Seloc manual.

Thanks for taking time to reply to my question!

Cheers
Fredrik

Yes it will.

Look at the size of the impeller is 3 times larger then most impellers. It moves alot of water believe me.

You got a good stream of water onto the ball gears when running ? I know your concerned about the upper filling with water when running.

Your manual is # 3400 on the upper right hand corner ?

I ask cause if it is i will get mine out and reference the pages i want you to look at when we converse back and forth in these posts back and forth.

You do know in the right hands this drive is just incredible i have a 86' fully mechanical one.

You shot the zerk fitting in the hole that is just above the cavitation plate on the front of the drive ?

What years is yours ? There is a reason i ask questions.

You got a good stream of water onto the ball gears when running ?
Yeah, there is a solid beam of water coming out near the top of the intermediate housing ball gear.
Top righthandside when facing the drive.

Your manual is # 3400 on the upper right hand corner ?
Yep, blue frontpage. It's not got the same picture on the front as the newer editions, but I think it's the same.

You do know in the right hands this drive is just incredible i have a 86' fully mechanical one.
Isn't that a COBRA drive then?

You shot the zerk fitting in the hole that is just above the cavitation plate on the front of the drive ?
Not sure what the zerk fitting is, I'll have to have a look to see what you mean. A picture, or closer explanation might help!

What years is yours ? There is a reason i ask questions.
Mine is a 400 from 1981 or 82 I think. Not electric, not fully mechanical, but the one in between the two..


Thanks again!

-F