superdave

Here's one for ya. The trim pump reservoir on the port side of the boat, I believe it's for the outdrive trim cylinders, has recently been letting water into the oil reservoir. It still works fine, but I'm sure this can't be good for the pump or trim cylinders. No oil is leaking from the cylinders or hoses while on land. I don't leave the boat in the water, and rarely take it out for more than 7 hours in a day. I'm not sure where it is leaking from. Maybe I need to raise and lower the outdrive while on land to look for leaks. Any ideas?
Thanks for any help,
Dave

Iggy

You probably have either a leaking hose or the seals in one of the trim rams are shot. Try running thr trim up and down while on the trailer/land and watch for fluid leaking when at extreme end of travel. If it's a hose you'll see it right away. If it's a bad cylinder replace it or buy a rebuild kit if you feel adventurous.
I had a hose go bad last season and below is the procedure I used to flush mine.

Copied from an earlier post.

Man-O-man, are you in for a fun time.
I had a cylinder hose leak that allowed water into the system this spring. Flushing the system took me about 3 hours.

What you have to do is this:
1) pick up about 4 quarts of the proper fluid for your system and a gallon of mineral spirits. Stop at a home center and pick up two bolts, 3/8-24 (I think) by 1in long. Rig up a two way switch and attach it to the pump solenoids, so you can run the trim system from the ground, unless you're lucky enough to have a transom switch or else you'll need a helper to man the switch from the cockpit.

2) remove as much of the contaminated fluid from the reservoir as possible.

3) refill reservoir with a 25/75 mix of oil and mineral spirits (oil-25, spirits-75). Don't attempt to run straight solvent, pump will seize. I almost did that to mine.

4) starting with the drive all the way down, disconnect the two hydraulic lines that feed the far (aft end or trim in/down) end of the trim cylinders from the base of the drive system and install the two bolts finger tight. These bolts stop air from entering the system from the disconneced lines when you run the pump.

5) hold the two disconnected hoses over a drain pan and trim the drive all the way up, trailer height. The fluid should be forced out the hoses that you are holding.

6) when the drive is all the way up, stop, remove the two bolts, reconnect the two hoses, disconnect the other two, install the two bolts in those holes and run the trim all the way down, holding the hoses over the pan.

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THE OIL LEVEL!
Refill with 25/75 mix.

7) repeate this process until you flush out all the milky oil.

WATCH YOUR OIL LEVEL!

8) remove what oil and solvent you can from the reservoir and refill with straight oil and flush the cylinders as before until you are sure you have flushed out as much of the solvent as possible.

WATCH YOUR OIL LEVEL!

Check for leaks and you should be done. If you managed to get some air in the system, don't worry, it will bleed itself out.
I know it's messy, but this is the best way I could see to do it. I'll be damned if I'll pay someone to do this.
If someone else has a better idea, pass it on.

superdave

Iggy,
Thanks for the quick/informative reply. I'll be getting started tonight, I'll let you know how it goes.
Dave

Iggy

Good luck.

Let us know how you make out.

red racer

Just a thought....

I have the same problem with the milk...

My boat, though, has a low transom where I will consistently get water over the back from the skiiers. This is where I got water into the system through the cap.

I still have not got all of it out... I'll have to try your method.

Anyway, they make a non-leak cap that eliminates water in and oil from coming out. I know Eddie Marine and Teague Custom Marine sell them. It has worked for me for about a season.

Good luck

MrCIG

iTrader: (1)

Are you sure it's water and not air it will look cloudy if the oil is airated.

Just a thought

superdave

Red,
I washed my boat a few days previous to noticing the problem, with a high pressure sprayer at a car wash, engine compartment included. How can water get into the reservoir if the cap is on?

superdave

I took another look at it yesterday, I had a guy in the boat raise and lower the drive 5 or 6 times and couldn't find any leaks in the hoses or rams, any ideas?

Thanks,
Dave

Iggy

Maybe you did force the water into the reservoir somehow. Someone mentioned the seal between the pump and the reservoir tank?
Now that it's been cycled through the system it'll need to be flushed.