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AQ 290 280 Outdrive Problems

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mike77cj

Regular Contributor
"I have an AQ290 engine and a

"I have an AQ290 engine and a 280 drive. I think it is a 280T because it has the big 'ears' on the sides with hydraulic trim pistons. Anyways, many problems this year... water in the #2 and #4 cylinders. I decided to buy a new GM Marine long block and swap all my parts onto it. What I thought would take two or three days is now into the eleventh. Here is where I am stuck:

1. I removed the six bolts from the clamp ring but am unable to 'pop' it off like the Clymer manual says. I have tried heat, penetrating oil and pry bars. NO GO. I had to separate the bell housing from the engine to pull the engine. Any ideas here??

2. The last few years I noticed a small amount of water coming in around the steering arm assembly. With the engine out I thought I would remove the collar steering fork and change the seals / bushings. I removed the bolt from the steering arm, spread the arm as much as I could with a cold chisel and tried to drive the steering fork out. NO GO. Am I missing something here? Again I have tried heat, penetrating oil and LOTS of force. Nothing.

3. I am so discouraged at this point, having used up a week's worth of vaction time and encountering numerous rusted and corroded parts, I am thinking of a complete repower package or selling the boat. Does anyone know if the cutout for a Volvo 280 drive is smaller or larger than a Merc Alpha drive? Anyone have any comment or advice on the transom adapters that are out there for roughly $800?

I look forward to the respones. Thanks in advance!

Mike"
 
"Mike,

1) Once the 6 bo

"Mike,

1) Once the 6 bolts have been removed from the clamp ring, just pull the engine forward and it will come out. No need to remove the transom shield. You can later push the clamp ring outwards from inside the boat once the engine has been removed.

2) Get a deep socket of the appropriate size, put it on top of the steering yoke, and use some "persuasion" with a hammer. Be gentle, you don't want to destroy the transom shield!!!

3) The Merc transom shield is smaller, and if I was in your shoes I would stick to the Volvo 280 you have unless there is something very, very wrong with it; and it that case, I would look for a replacement Volvo 280. It is a far superior drive, virtually indestructible. Believe me, I have worked with both drives.

Last year I went through a very expensive exercise, replacing the AQ240 (351 Ford and 280 outdrive) I had in my boat to a 350 Chev ex-AQ311, but keeping hte 280 outdrive. To summarize it, I had to get a different transom shield (double bypass), new exhaust, new bellhousing, new engine, different heat exchanger, etc. Yes, it was an expensive exercise, but I know the final product I have. If I am lucky, it will serve me for quite some time."
 
"Hey Mike, You think you have

"Hey Mike, You think you have problems now just put that Mercruiser in there and start beating your head against the wall. Do like El said, It will come out, the engine that is. I've never had one not come out in 29 years. Now onto the steering, try like El says but these can be real buggers from the salt, I've destoyed my share of them but the forks are pretty easy to come up with if you kill it getting it out. Don't hurt the shield. You don't have a 280 "T", you have an 280 power trim. I wouldn't wish a 280 "T" on my worst enemy. Keep trying and ask all the questions you want."
 
"First off, thank you very muc

"First off, thank you very much for the quick responses. I'm at an all time boating low here and appreciate the help.

1. Once I had the 6 bolts out I tried pulling the engine forward. No luck. I even hooked a backhoe up and tried curling the bucket to get the leverage and nothing. The stinker is frozen in there. What the heck is holding it? Should I try putting a 4x4 across the tail of the intermidiate and using a sledge to drive the housing into the boat?

2. I can't get a socket on the top of the collar steering fork because the transom interferes. I ground a bit of the glass /plywood away but I don't risk doing anymore. Is there anything else holding this steering fork on, or is it just the splines and the steering arm?

3. MORE BAD NEWS. I drained the oil on the 280 drive and found it to be full of water. I imagine the water came in behind the universal joint seal since I discovered the bellows was torn. I then pulled the upper gearcase off and tried to remove the four bolts to free the yoke. One bolt came off. Three are stuck. I tried heat and NO GO. I think I am cursed. My fear now is that the bearings in the lower unit are smoked from sitting all winter in a sub-freezing climate with water in the oil.

Am I shoveling against the tide here? I too believe the Volvo drive is stronger, but at this rate everything I touch on this 30 year old setup is either frozen or broken. I hate to go Mercruiser, but for financial reasons I am feeling like this is my only choice.

Have any of you heard of the transom adapters they sell to cover up the Volvo hole? I got prices rangin from $2,000 - $3,500 to glass it in. Here is a link to the product: http://www.psepmarineparts.biz/store/mercruiser_transom_adapter_kit.htm

Again, thank you very much."
 
"Mike, you don't have to p

"Mike, you don't have to pull the engine forward. You have to pull it upward from the middle. By the way, you have to remove the front mounts, but you probably have done that.

I have been successful in the past removing steering forks from the outside with the help of two crowbars. And no, there is nothing holding the steeing fork except for the grip of the splined steering arm.

If you find the drive is toasted, you should be able to buy a used one for $1000 or less, which is about the price of the transom plate adapter (not counting the fiberglassing).

The interesting things about re-engining with a different engine or installing a different drive is that, somehow, Mr. Murphy usually shows up and drives the final bill to figures that would make you dizzy. I've seen that a few times too many. But anyway, it's your money and your boat."
 
"Mike,
The clamp ring has a

"Mike,
The clamp ring has additional holes in it to allow you to run the mounting bolts in to "push" the bell housing away from the transom shield, basically, breaking the seal between the rubber ring and the transom shield. I had to do this to remove my engine. The rubber ring, over time is stuck like gorilla glue to the transom shield. Be careful doing this though and ensure you use the correct holes in the clamp ring, and not the original bolt holes. Good luck..
BZ"
 
"Some good news! I was able to

"Some good news! I was able to remove the clamp ring from the upper gear case body. But, again I have some questions. You will see some pitting on the face of the drive gear teeth in the photo bellow. This was caused by the water in the drive oil. Will this pitting weaken the hard face on the teeth and lead to eventual failure, i.e. the drive lunching itself? How bad does this damage look? I'm afraid if the upper gearbox has this damage what does the lower unit look like....

82072.jpg
Drive Gear Teeth
 
"Bobzilla, the threaded holes

"Bobzilla, the threaded holes in the clamp ring are designed to push the ring away from the transom shield, not to push the bellhousing away from the transom shield. The only way you would be able to "push" the bellhousing away with the method you suggest would be by somehow securing the clamping ring in place after removing the 6 bolts; like, for example, passing a rod through both hinge pin holes, then inserting a couple of pieces of wood or metal between the rod and the clamp ring, so that when the three screws press against the bellhousing the clamp would not pop from its location.

The correct way to dismantle the engine is by removing the 6 bolts in the clamp ring, then removing the clamp ring (even if with the help of three screws inserted in the threaded holes), then lift the engine with a crane, hoist, etc."
 
"Mike, if the rest of the gear

"Mike, if the rest of the gears and parts in the outdrive look like the one in the picture, you would be better off looking for antoher outdrive. Deep and extended pitting in gears is no good, as they are stress risers that will eventually lead to gear failure. Some of the water marks may be eliminated with the help of steel wool or Scotch Brite pads. Let's see what the rest of the outdrive looks like."
 
"I polished the upper drive ge

"I polished the upper drive gear but I think it is beyond repair...

The lower gears look pretty good. I cleaned them up and did not find any pitting as on the upper.

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82123.jpg
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82124.jpg
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I hope to swap on another upper gearcase and move on!

Couple more questions:

1. What should I use to clean the watery-oil from the drive? Brake cleaner, carb. cleaner, gasoline, diesel?

2. When I refill the drive, what is the best oil to use?

Thanks again for all the help!"
 
"When I did my leg a couple of

"When I did my leg a couple of years ago, it had water in it from the top screwcap having lost it's threads and being loose. We used diesel fuel to flush throught the leg to get rid of the water.

We also used a heavier gear oil 80W-90 GL-5 Pennzoil Gearplus. I am not convinced that the common idea that you can use the same oil in the gearcase as you use in the motor is correct. When I first got the boat we used 30W and I had it slip out of gear several times while running at cruising speed - very scary! Never happened after putting in the 80W-90.

I make a habit of changing my gear oil every time I come out of the water. It could be 6 months or it could be a couple of weeks, just because I can never be too sure when the next time will be to pull it out of the water. If you have water in your leg, you want to find it ASAP, and it doesn't hurt to change the oil regularly anyway.

Good luck with your project.

Jim Pook
Tahsis, BC"
 
"Fisherman,
I used the seco

"Fisherman,
I used the secondary clamp ring holes to separate the clamp ring, not the bellhousing, however, it still was a struggle to break the seal at the bellhousing rubber ring (I think it was glued in).... my bad... For Mike: there were some deals on eBay for 280 drives and drive parts (Ebay Motors/Volvo Penta).
Good Luck,
BZ"
 
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