I sent my sei outdrive in for waranty repair. I was pleased they replaced the lower with new housing and I assumed all new inside the upper they replaced all the inside not the housing. I installed it in the spring changed oil after 10 hours like they say. I am winterising check oil water comingout for 15 to 20 seconds pure water b4 I got any oil. This an alpha drive it is now out of warranty. how do you pressure test to find out where its coming in. Is this DIY or should I take it to shop. Is there likely to be damage to gears and bearings.
outdrive water intrusion
- Thread starter memaw777
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- Jul 27, 2001
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I followed this youtube last summer and built a pretty nice DIY tester. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5JHNy53uk0
So they replaced sections under warranty awhile ago? Now its out of warranty and you just found a lot of water in the gear oil? The best test is a vacuum and pressure test. Typically without any gear oil in the unit. I might pump in some oil or cheap gear oil to get all the bearings and gears covered with oil while you prepare of for the test.
Three areas to consider 1) prop shaft seal 2) drain plug gaskets 3) oil ring (like 2 glued together) that seals between upper and lower housing the oil tube.
Three areas to consider 1) prop shaft seal 2) drain plug gaskets 3) oil ring (like 2 glued together) that seals between upper and lower housing the oil tube.
You mean the gimbal bearing/u-joint boot? I had that issue with mine. Turned out to be a problem with a large metal clamp that wasn't seated properly. It was canted a little instead of sitting square on the boot. Allowed water to seep in and destroy the gimbal bearing.
Pressure Test Fitting: I took a metal drain plug and drilled a hole through its center. Cut and power brushed the rubber off a car tire valve stem. Matched hole on the screwdriver slot side of the plug to the little protrusion on the tire valve. Fluxed and soldered together. Use an O-Ring instead of OEM plug gasket. Seals with finger tight pressure.
Is your Alpha Drive a Gen1 or Gen2? Gen2 has that lube oil reservoir. Keeps the drive full, of course, but it also prevents vacuum from forming as the drive cools after a run. That in turn makes the drive much less likely to suck water in.
I have SEI, both halves. Not really impressed. Lower is noisy and upper had a bearing failure. Anybody buying SEI, be sure to keep the boxes...
Anyhow, this water may not be SEI's fault. IF the "drive boot" leaked, it probably ruined the gimbal bearing. Could also have damaged the U-Joints, but there might be more. The Driveshaft Yoke (entering upper gearcase from engine side) is ordinary steel and has an oil seal surface. If that got pitted, that's a loss of sealing.
Go ahead, make a tester and try it with a few PSI (no more than about 10). If the whole unit bubbles from the upper/lower joint area, you'll have to plug the oil passage of each half to test each gearcase individually.
Is your Alpha Drive a Gen1 or Gen2? Gen2 has that lube oil reservoir. Keeps the drive full, of course, but it also prevents vacuum from forming as the drive cools after a run. That in turn makes the drive much less likely to suck water in.
I have SEI, both halves. Not really impressed. Lower is noisy and upper had a bearing failure. Anybody buying SEI, be sure to keep the boxes...
Anyhow, this water may not be SEI's fault. IF the "drive boot" leaked, it probably ruined the gimbal bearing. Could also have damaged the U-Joints, but there might be more. The Driveshaft Yoke (entering upper gearcase from engine side) is ordinary steel and has an oil seal surface. If that got pitted, that's a loss of sealing.
Go ahead, make a tester and try it with a few PSI (no more than about 10). If the whole unit bubbles from the upper/lower joint area, you'll have to plug the oil passage of each half to test each gearcase individually.