Allan4

Hi Evryone,

I just installed my motor and sealed the Gimbal ring before installation. When I put the boat in the water, I am getting ALOT of water into the bilge. It looks like it is coming from a little plate that sits right under the Tiller Arm on the trans assembly. It is basically puring in there at a pretty good rate. I understand there are 2 bushings and a seal in there. I highly doubt I am getting water intrusion from around the ring, it looks like it is coming from "within", where I mentioned.

So...if that is the case, is it possible to fix this without pulling the motor again? Full Hydrualic steering, so there is room to work from the inside. How do I fix this...from the front or rear? I don;t want to yank the motor I just spent 2 weeks installing and rigging if I can avoid it. Needs to be fixed though, I don't want a wet transom.

Any advice would be great, this is a new one for me.

Thanks,
Allan

sonic28

hi allan
? is the housing new or the original.if its the old one and had work done to it check the plugs outside on either side of the transom assy.also there is a grease fitting on top is that still there?

Allan4

Thanks for the reply.

It;s original. The plugs are still there and I know there is a grease fitting for the gimbal bearing at about 4 o'clock (stndard location), but not sure about on top. I will check, give me a few minutes.

Thanks

Allan4

I did not see a fitting at the top, I did lay over the back of the boat, upside down, and was able to see some rust on the washers/bushings around the tiller arm.

Also...I tried to force water thru all areas of the assembly with a hose and still no leaks inside the boat. Only when it sits/is submereged. The boat has a low X so the drive is submerged when it is not on plane.

Thanks

sonic28

ok do you block out plates on thee inner transom assy are the leaking check to make sure i've seen bolts losen up and when on way the water sprays.also look at where the hoses run thru the transom trim etc.

Allan4

Block off plate is good. I just found something, I was able to produce the leak with a hose this time, I tried about 10 different angles and got it to leak, and it is definitley coming from the top, INSIDE of the trans assembly. So, it is NOT leaking around the edges/from the seal. The only thing up there would be the tiller hardware, correct? It is not shift cable, water intake, trim lines, blockoff, outer seal, outdrive resevior....

How do I change this stuff at the tiller arm? I was told over on my board that I need to replace 2 bushings and a seal. That sounds right to me, just looking for other info, ideas. Any easy way to do this while the motor is in (why even bother asking this )

Thanks agian for your help. I just wish I had found this BEFORE I installed the freakin motor last week..........

Twig111

The steering arm attaches to a swivel shaft that goes thru the gimbal ring. I'm not sure exactly where the bushing are but to replace the steering arm on my Bravo I, I had to drill two holes in the upper sides of the unit. Merc sells a kit to help.

But why would it be leaking there? What did you mean by you "sealed the gimbal ring".
I'm not the expert on this but hope it helps...Sam

Allan4

Yeah, the tiller arm has a set of bushings and a seal. It has a nut on top. I am pretty sure I have my game plan on how to attack this, I was just wondering if anyone had any "tricks" on how to do this with the motor in the boat and if they had any ideas/I had overlooked something. I am going to go at it from the back I think...pull the gimbal ring. I would think the leak would come from a bad seal. It sits submerged with a low X, so water intrusion is more likely. If this was on a 26AO or something, it would be a non-issue.

I guess I just need to suck it up and start pulling apart some of the stuff I just finished putting back together...

As for the sealing the gimbal ring, I sealed with UV4000 the part face of the gimbal ring that mounts flush will the transom. It is sealed, no leaks there.

Thanks Sam.