............
So just because the the PDS bearing and the yokes/u-joints are rusted, are you thinking maybe one of the seals behind the PDS may have held and not allowed water to penetrate further?
It would not be "behind" the PDS.... it would be
right at the PDS.
My answer: I highly doubt that this seal held water out.
Here's the rub, 1stboat;
If..... and I say
if this PDS bearing is bad, it won't be too long before it fails completely!
Remember, this is a NON-Serviceable bearing, meaning that it is running on what little grease it held captive from the day it came off of the assembly line.
How many years do you think this has been since a replacement was made?
Secondly, if you have not seen, nor heard of, the damage that results from when this bearing fails, you should!
It is so easy to change this bearing in your system, that it would be a complete and direct shot in the foot if you did not change it now.
If you would like to see this, I'll see if I can dig up some photos of the resulting damage that this can cause.
Otherwise, you'll simply half to take my word on it..... and maybe the word of a few others here.
40+ years as an anal mechanic..... 20+ years with the Volvo Penta drives suggests to me, that I'd be changing this if it were my boat!
Please don't take this as though I'm being grummy with my delivery...... I do not mean to be!
It's just that this is simply so important, that I try to strongly emphasize it!
I'd hate to see any of us undergo the expense of a failure here.... of which can range from a broken F/C "bellows snout"....., ruined Universal Shaft...., to a broken front transmission collar....., and/or all three at the same time!
I'll leave you with this thought (and a wee bit of sarcasm):
PDS bearing primarily supports the aft end of this shaft.
This is the end whereby the Universal Drive Shaft connects.
PDS spins same rpm as engine.... in gear/neural... doesn't matter.
PDS bearings usually fail upon a cruise RPM and while making a mild turn (so I hear from those who have had total failure here!.... yeah, the same people who I end up repairing these for!) :rolleyes:
Imagine the effects of the weight and velocity occurring between PDS and Universal Drive Shaft during drive articulation @ let's say 3,000 - 3,400 rpm.
Again, 1stboat, please do not take this the wrong way, but may I remind you of your first post in this thread?:
........... when making turns today a friend sitting in the back noticed and grinding noise. I then had him drive and make turns while I listened.
I sounds pretty bad. It makes it when turning both at low speed and high speed. It is worse at high speed than at low speed. When going straight, it does not make any noise at all. I'm going to buy more gear oil and put in through the fill hole on the back of the drive till it drips out to see if that's the issue. If that doesn't fix it, what else could it be?
Need I say more?
Yours truly, the hard headed, overly obnoxious, please replace these, PDS NAZI, Ricardo.