After my first time out this year, I noticed what looked like residue from melted grease in my bilge. It is not motor oil or outdrive oil. I followed the trail to the hole in my transom for my bravo 1 outdrive. I'm guessing my gimball bearing was low on grease and maybe got hot and melted the old grease and it ran out. Does that sound right?? I greased up the one fitiing on the outside of the outdrive housing. Will this send grease to the gimbal? It's not making any noise...YET??? Did I catch it in time or is something about to go?
thanks-

If its not making noise you probelly caught it in time. The fitting on the outside of the drive (stb. side) is for the bearing. Next time the drive is off stick your hand in there and spin it. You can tell when they are ready to go.

Maybe it didn't really melt. Maybe your bellows is leaking and just washing some grease out into the bilge.

I guess a leaking bellows would be better than a bad bearing. I did notice one more thing last night. The level of outdrive oil in my resevoir bottle actually increased a good bit. Although it didn't look foamy, I'm wondering if this means my outdrive is taking on water? Could this be connected to the black greasy substance in my bilge??

first there is a seal that keeps gimbal grease and water that may enter the bellow form getting into the boat, dive oil level going up could mean water in the drive, pull drain plug and check, and you may want to pull the drive and make sure everything is ok in the bellow, (water, oil, ect) and while you are there spin the gimbal bearing and check it.
larry

when that happens it is usually gear oil that leaked from the input yoke into the bellows area. a bad brg would be better than a leaky bellows. the water just wrecks everything. the bearing almost never fails unless water gets in the bellows. take the drive off & check.