www.iFourWinns.com

Can anyone (Maybe Lou ???) give me an estimated cost on having a shop replace my prop seal? The outdrive is a VP SX.
Last summer when I winterized the boat I noticed water in the outdrive oil creating a milkshake like mix. Since I didn't have time to investigate I refilled with outdrive oil and continued with my winterizing.
When I return to the boat soon I will perform a pressure test to hopefully locate the leak.
I bought this tester kit off Ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Outdrive-Lower- ... DW&vxp=mtr

If it is a simple o-ring from one of the three plugs that would be great but if not, it has to be either the prop seal or the input shaft seal.
The case has never been spilt so I would think it unlikely that it is leaking between the upper and lower unit.
If it is leaking at the prop or input shaft seal I will likely pull the outdrive and take it to a shop for seal replacement as I have been led to believe that the prop seal takes a special tool.
Any suggestions and expected cost estimates would be appreciated.
Rob

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Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing
2001 Horizon 180

I had mine replaced a few weeks ago, they charged me 3 hours labor @ $110/hour. Altogether with materials it was over $500.

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2004 Vista 298
Twin 5.7L Volvo Penta GXi-E

I had it done on a Bravo 3 a few years ago. I recall it being around $500 as well.

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2004 - 288 Vista
Twin - 5.0 Volvo Penta GXi DP

How are you going to tell how much pressure you created. I don't see a gauge. You need to get it to a certain pressure and it needs to hold that pressure for a certain amount of time.

Go here
http://boatinfo.no/lib/library.html
Manuals/Volvo Penta. Sx/DP by series
Start on bottom of page 219

There is a gauge in the kit... Look closer, you can't see the face is all.

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2004 - 288 Vista
Twin - 5.0 Volvo Penta GXi DP

The last time I had mine re-sealed was about 10 years ago, but those prices sound about right. You need special pullers to do prop shaft seals. When you change gear oil always change the o-ring or fiber gaskets.
BTW, just for the heck of it I did a Blackstone oil analysis on the Cobra outdrive oil when I changed it last fall. Zero water! It is also good to do a pressure test but be careful not to over pressurize. They aren't designed to hold much pressure.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks Everyone,
I can deal with $500. If it had been much more I would have attempted it myself.
The pressure tester I bought off Amazon does have a built in gauge that reads 0-30 psi. I also bought an adapter from the same guy that lets it hook up to the top oil level dipstick hole. So I can check from either of the 3 o-ringed plugs. I plan on checking it at no more than 15 psi. That should identify the source of the leak and I can go from there.
Take care
Rob

_________________
Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing
2001 Horizon 180

You didn't look up the link i posted for you,did you?
The repair manual says no more then 3-5 psi. Turn the prop shaft and universal joints to check for leakage .If pressure is not lost increase it to 16-18 psi.
Shouldn't loose more the 1psi in three minutes before doing a vacuum test.
The adapter weather it has to or not i am not sure but it's said to go in the overflow hole for whatever reason.

Thalasso,
Thanks for the link. That is my plan.
Take care Rob

_________________
Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing
2001 Horizon 180

Save that link for later use or look on www.iBoats.com for more problem solving things

maybe a bit late, but FYI you can re-use the metal screw in o-ring adapter from your gear lube quart pump to retrofit any air pump with a gauge to fit. 15psi is right, and if that doesn't reveal the leak, go and borrow a mityvac from autozone for free and use the same adapter. It will do negative pressure. I tested mine both ways years back when I installed a helicoil in the dipstick threads. Definitely test it before you waste 500 bucks, it might just be one of the o-rings on a bolt or you may have stripped the dipstick threads (easy to do with a volvo where steel bolt meets aluminum cover). If so the cover can be removed and helicoil added as I did to mine for 20 bucks or so at a shop, or you can DIY if you want to buy all the stuff.

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

Thanks Skidaddytn,
I will be at the lake in late June. I will post my findings and let you all know.
The kit I purchased has adapters for both the drain and inspection holes and the dipstick. That way I can eliminate all of the plugs as a source of the leak. I will be doing this myself and only take it to a shop if the prop or input shaft seals show a leak.
Unfortunately the boat is in Maine and I am in Florida. I'm really looking forward to Maine again this summer.
Thanks everyone for the help
Rob

_________________
Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing
2001 Horizon 180