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Volvo 285 seal test

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finhead

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"I have volvo 285 that has mil

"I have volvo 285 that has milkshake apperance to lube after 5 months at dock. I removed outdrive b/4 winter storage to check for water leak. There was about 1 pint of milkshake oil in drive bellows when removed, even though boot looked in good shape. How do I pressure check for leaks and and where can I find parts to do it. Assume I need fitting for upper fill hole and to attach to my compressor. Outdrive ran fine all summer on Lake Erie, but know I must fix leak b/4 damage occurs. Replaced the simple orings on upper and lower fill plugs, but no help."
 
"re: "There was about 1 pi

"re: "There was about 1 pint of milkshake oil in drive bellows when removed, even though boot looked in good shape."

This may not indicate an oil leak, but rather a water leak into the bellows that mixed with the excess grease from the U joints. For sure, you need a new boot...there is also the possibility that the boot is OK, but it wasn't properly installed, i.e. the seal lips on the boot don't engage the grooves in the drive and transom shield or those groves have crap in them that prevents a good seal.

RE" How do I pressure check for leaks and and where can I find parts to do it. Assume I need fitting for upper fill hole and to attach to my compressor."

The pressure and volume of air required for a leak test is so low that attaching a compressor will very likely result in blown seals. The usual pressure tester uses a hand pump. You also need to vacuum test the drive.

Also... is the oil in the drive itself milky?"
 
"Yes... I too am wondering if

"Yes... I too am wondering if the oil in the drive itself is milky?

Here is a simple explanation of what commonly occurs:
The drive bellows eventually begins to leak water.
The water/moisture rusts away at the seal surface spacer/washer (this is not a SS spacer).
The <u>NOW abrasive</u> steel spacer slowly cuts away at the lip of the seal.
The seal no longer holds oil in!
Eventually you have water from the leaking bellows now entering the drive.
Visa Versa, oil leaves the drive as the temperature of the drive interior cycles from cool to warm. (Positive pressure vs Negative pressure as temp changes.)
The cycle continues until total failure!

Thank your stars that you caught this early, and that the oil is milky! This means the oil became hydrogenated.... and the water remained suspended in the oil! Hopefully you escaped rust damage to the internals.

It is no doubt time to replace all four seals, all O-rings and gaskets.
It may be rather pointless to press/vac test it now unless you want to locate each leak.
However, definitely test after you install the seals and O-rings!


No special fitting is required for the Pressure/Vacuum Leak-Down test.... the fitting will be provided with the test kit.
No air compressor is needed as per what Robert said.
Air volume is minimal as is the pressure required for the test.
The kit will include a hand pump.

Here is a kit that I personally like.
The seller is a man named Tom G.
He offers a Pressure/Vacuum tester as well for a few extra dollars.
This kit is pressure only. I'd go for both if I were you!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Inboard-Outboard-Lower-Unit-Pressure-Leak-Tester- KIT_W0QQitemZ270539149466QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBoat_Parts_Accessories_Gear?hash=ite m3efd63d09a

<font color=""0000ff"">Gary, in reading your other thread, I caught that you refered to "seal", as in singular.
Please note that there are 14 O-rings, 4 seals and 2 gaskets to be replaced in this drive in order to make it healthy again.</font>

."
 
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