All,

I have noticed a slow internal water leak around the Bravo 1 outdrive on my 1988 242LS. Any guesses as to what this will most likely be from?

Peter

You are noticing the water where inside the boat looking through by the transom plate or did you pull the plug and see water in your drive oil?

could be the upper pin also

If water is leaking into the bilge while floating, check your drive and shift bellows.

The bellows is exactly where I was going, but it could be something as silly as the speedo hose has a pin hole. The guy never said where he noticed a leak from tho.

I saw water in the bilge. Drive oil is fine. Bilge needs to be run every 15 moniutes or so when on the water. I think it is leaking from the transom assembly itself, and not the tab arms or the ski eyes, etc. I can't really tell where specifically it is leaking into the boat since it is mostly behind the engine. This happens when I am floating BTW. Any advice?

It's most likely the drive shaft bellows or the shift cable bellows. If they've never been replaced, you're way overdue.

Raise the drive while on the trailer and inspect both bellows carefully, a small inspection mirror helps. Any signs of dryness or cracking are bad.

Another reason you should get after this is that the u-joints will be exposed to corrosion if the shaft bellows leaks.

you still need to isolate where its coming from lay on top of the engine when the boats in the water with a flashlight. Look down where there steering connects thru the transom sometimes it will leak through there and you will see a drip. But if you don't see anything back there you can check your cooling hoses... raw water pump... there's so many things you can look at. You really need to see where the water is entering to fix it.

Also check your coolers. Power steering and oil. I had a leak in my power steering cooler. On the hose it would not leak. There was not enough water pressure. Once in the water and running. There it was, the fitting that goes in was corroded and leaking pretty good.

all great suggestions. thanks!