Trapped air pocket in #6 wet sump drive???
07-13-2009 | 12:33 AM
#1
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From: Ham Lake, MN
Trapped air pocket in #6 wet sump drive???
So to try to make a long story short, I had to replace the hose that goes from the transom ay to the tilt housing on my old style #6 wetsump drive. I refilled it, ran it and had water in the drive. Turns out the gasket in my drain plug was junk and that appeared to be the entry point of the water since the "level" of fluid only rose when under way. I drained and replaced all 4 gallons of fluid and replaced the drain plug and gasket. I ran it again this weekend and the fluid level rose again by 4-5". It settled back to about 2" above the initial height by the time I got home (trailering). I run the revolution marine 42 oz. external reservoirs. So I figure I'm still taking in water. I crack the drain plug and nothing but clean, fresh gear lube comes out. So then I seal the drain plug back up and apply 10 psi to the top of my reservoir and it pushes ALL the fluid out of my reservoir into the drive. I look everywhere and there is no fluid leaking anywhere. After a few minutes, I look back at the reservoir and all the air pressure had leaked out and the fluid level had returned to it's original height. I applied air pressure again several times and the exact same thing happened. I fill my drives with one of the hand pumps on a 5 gallon bucket from the drain plug as you are supposed to do. How could an air pocket be trapped in the drive? Does anyone have any other ideas? Has anyone ever had this happen to them? If it is air how do you get it out? Thanks for any help.
Gary
Gary
07-13-2009 | 12:31 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,150
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From: Northport N.Y.
So to try to make a long story short, I had to replace the hose that goes from the transom ay to the tilt housing on my old style #6 wetsump drive. I refilled it, ran it and had water in the drive. Turns out the gasket in my drain plug was junk and that appeared to be the entry point of the water since the "level" of fluid only rose when under way. I drained and replaced all 4 gallons of fluid and replaced the drain plug and gasket. I ran it again this weekend and the fluid level rose again by 4-5". It settled back to about 2" above the initial height by the time I got home (trailering). I run the revolution marine 42 oz. external reservoirs. So I figure I'm still taking in water. I crack the drain plug and nothing but clean, fresh gear lube comes out. So then I seal the drain plug back up and apply 10 psi to the top of my reservoir and it pushes ALL the fluid out of my reservoir into the drive. I look everywhere and there is no fluid leaking anywhere. After a few minutes, I look back at the reservoir and all the air pressure had leaked out and the fluid level had returned to it's original height. I applied air pressure again several times and the exact same thing happened. I fill my drives with one of the hand pumps on a 5 gallon bucket from the drain plug as you are supposed to do. How could an air pocket be trapped in the drive? Does anyone have any other ideas? Has anyone ever had this happen to them? If it is air how do you get it out? Thanks for any help.
Gary
Gary
07-13-2009 | 04:57 PM
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 140
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From: Ham Lake, MN
Thx for the input...what I'm concerned with is that the "riser tube" might be cracked or broke off and that not enough lube is getting in the drive. Once the air bleeds out I wouldn't think it would return. The air pocket is still there after running 20+ miles at 70-100 mph. Doesn't the riser tube go up past the input shaft to nearly the top of the cavity? (I haven't had it apart yet) I was able to push 1/2 to 1 quarts of lube back into the drive with the 10 psi applied to the reservoir.
