Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Torn U-Joint Bellows

U

Utilo

New member
Would a couple of tears in the u-joint bellows be a source of ALOT of water entering the bilge? After a run and pulling up to a dock and shutting down....my bilge pump starts and pumps out quite alot of water. I've pulled my outdrive and there appears to be a couple of tears in my u-joint bellows. Just wondering how much water can enter through there and get into the bilge.

454 Mercruiser in a '87 268 SeaRay

In case anyone asks:

Lots of clean grease in the bellows....and on the gimbal bearing and u-joints. Bearing is smooth as any beaaring I've ever felt......u-joints are tight and well lubed. No "milky" appearance at all in the grease. A tiny bit of water leaked out as I was separating the outdrive from the gimbal housing.....but no evidence of water "pooled" inside the bellows themselves once the drive was off.

Gotta find this source of all that water getting into my bilge.

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Thanks

I'm getting ALOT of water in the bilge during a run. Last run was 20 minutes to a ramp to pull the boat. It was pumping out while on the trailer being towed down the street.

I guess I'm having difficulty imagining how so much water can get past the gimbal bearing and it's housing and in through to the bilge. "shrug"
 
Utilo said:
Thanks

I'm getting ALOT of water in the bilge during a run. Last run was 20 minutes to a ramp to pull the boat. It was pumping out while on the trailer being towed down the street.

I guess I'm having difficulty imagining how so much water can get past the gimbal bearing and it's housing and in through to the bilge. "shrug"
Click to expand...
make sure the lower unit has no water/mositure in it .
 
"make sure the lower unit has no water/mositure in it . "

Yup....I've got the outdrive in my shop in my basement right now.....will be giving it a going over next week.

my u-joints and gimbal bearing appear to be perfect...joints tight and well lubed.....bearing smooth and well lubed....all clean...no rust anywhere....lots of grease everywhere.
 
Utilo said:
............ my u-joints and gimbal bearing appear to be perfect... joints tight and well lubed..... bearing smooth and well lubed.... all clean... no rust anywhere....lots of grease everywhere.
Click to expand...
Don't allow yourself a "False/Positive" here.
At a minimum, you should further inspect these!
Purge them with new grease pressure, and ASAP.
Bump the starter motor as you lube the Gimbal bearing as to not do this statically!

Reason being, once you button this up with new bellows, you're very likely not going to peek back in there.

And if this was salt water, you'd best replace the Gimbal bearing and both bearing crosses!
 
Also check water intake hoses and fittings, plus also the exhaust y-pipe for any holes, cracks or possible loose conection to transom/gimble housing.

Just a couple more suggestions.
 
I don't believe that a torn bellows would allow much water in while you're on plane--------which I assume you were during the 20 minute run. If you were sitting or at displacement speed, then a lot could be coming in.
 
Update......my bellows have been inspected by a marine mechanic and they're all fine. What I thought looked like tears turned out to NOT be tears.

So the search for the water entry point will continue in the spring since the boat is now wrapped up for the winter.
 
Back
Top