C-500 Oil Leak ?

[Tom Foolery]

I have disconnected my prop shaft on the Howard this weekend & I noticed that the v-drive unit appeared to be leaking oil. Since I'm new with v-drives & I don't have the v-drive breakdown in front of me I'll try to explain it the best I can.
Once I unbolt the prop shaft there is a nut and washer that holds on the flange that the prop shaft bolts up to. This flange slides over the spline coming out of the v-drive. It appears that oil is leaking out past the washer & nut that hold the flange on spline. It makes sense that the spline would have oil on it from the v-drive but it appears that the only means of sealing the oil in the unit is the washer. It looks like someone had tried to use silicone to seal around the washer in the past but I'm not sure if this was just a bandaid on a bigger problem.
There is another piece which bolts to the v-drive case that has a seal to keep oil from leaking & this seems to be sealing well.
Does this sound right?

[Big Mac]

Tom: If the V-drive is OVER FILLED it will leak there. Is the a dip stick on the vee drive? It doesn't hold alot of gear oil. Big Mac

[Tom Foolery]

That would be interesting if it was over filled & there is no dipstick.
I was going to change the oil in the unit last week. When I took the fill and drain plug out I was expecting oil to flow out of the drain plug, however nothing came out. I assumed that the v-drive had leaked and was now out of oil. Now the drain plug is not at the very bottom of the C-500 but it is fairly low.
If it is indeed overfilled then how do you drain the v-drive?

[Jordy]

Looking at the box from the back of the boat forward (looking at the shaft side of it) there is a plug on the right hand side 1/3 of the way up or so. This is the level indicator plug. You want to pull it out and pour the oil in until it runs out that hole (much like a CR250). As far as draining it, I'm not sure as mine drained itself. It seems to me that there are lip seals that run around the shafts because I got some back in my bag of destroyed bearings, gears and other parts and pieces. :D

[Tom Foolery]

Ok that level indicator plug is what I thought was a drain plug. :rolleyes: So I guess its a good thing if oil didn't come pouring out of it.
But on the front of the case on the left hand side (looking toward the back of the boat) there is a plug on the case that says "oil fill" or something of that nature. It is on the left side 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down. Whats up with that?

[Tom Foolery]

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1979MVC-014S_example.JPG
Ok I circled the plug that I thought was a drain plug. Is this the level Indicator plug you were talking about? ( I know its not the best picture.) If so It looks higher than the prop shaft which would still allow oil to leak out.

[Tom Foolery]

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1979MVC-018S_example.JPG
Ok the bulkhead is in the way but this is the approximate location of the area where I saw the plug marked oil fill.

[Tom Foolery]

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1979C-500_example.JPG
Location of where oil appears to be leaking from.

[Jordy]

I don't remember the level plug being that high up on mine. It seems to me (and I'm a little fuzzy still from the weekend) that it's down below the fins that stick out further and go to the mounts. Like mid prop shaft level. It's a 3/8 plug that is a square drive.
As far as the oil leak, it's coming out of the prop shaft flange or is it running down the shaft and getting on the bottom of the coupler and just being flung everywhere?

[DOHARA]

Tom, it's off the subject but you should of snapt a few shots of that power plant while you had the camera out :D

[Tom Foolery]

The oil is running down the spline and coming out THRU not AROUND the companion Flange and around the washer & nut & into the area where the prop shaft bolts to the companion flange. I haven't noticed it getting flug around yet but I haven't really used the boat yet.

[Tom Foolery]

Originally posted by DOHARA
Tom, it's off the subject but you should of snapt a few shots of that power plant while you had the camera out :D
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1979BBC_Turbo.JPG
Not to Change the subject :D

[Tom Foolery]

Originally posted by Tom Foolery
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1979MVC-014S_example.JPG
Ok I circled the plug that I thought was a drain plug. Is this the level Indicator plug you were talking about? ( I know its not the best picture.) If so It looks higher than the prop shaft which would still allow oil to leak out.
Ok I found some more Info on line & what I thought was the drain plug was actually the Magnetic Pipe Plug. So I guess I need to look a little lower for the oil fill or level check plug. :D
So that might be good news. Maybe my problem is too much oil as Big Mac said. Is there a seperate plug on the case to drain the oil?

[DOHARA]

Tom, the magnetic plug should be the fill hole and level plug too. Drain plug should be lower then the rest of the other plugs. I found this link that has fluid capacity for the casale's, hope this helps. The seal behind the coupler is probably bad.
Good luck Dano.
I liked that howard you bought. I actually called on it but you had bought it already :D
http://www.glen-l.com/inboard/8vdrive.html

[83nordic]

Tom, the v-drive has no drain plug, you have to aspirate the oil to get it out. The " fill " on the front of the v-drive is indeed for filling but you only fill until oil begins to come out of the lowest plug on the back { about center of the lower gear } . To stop the leak you need to take the nut and washer off then remove the flange at which point oil will go everywhere effectively draining your box. dry and clean everything up splines etc. then apply anarobic ( cant spell) gasket maker to the splines and reinstall also put the sealer on the washer etc. let it set than refill as described above. You might as well change the lower seal while you have it apart ( an extra five or six bolts ) do not overfill and check the vent on the front in the center of th top gear sometimes they stick closed.
Good luck

[Tom Foolery]

Thanks 83Nordic, that seems consistant with what I found when taking the lower compainion flange off.

[Tom Foolery]

Originally posted by 83nordic
then apply anarobic ( cant spell) gasket maker to the splines and reinstall also put the sealer on the washer etc. let it set than refill as described above.
Wait a minute. I just read your post again. I'm supposed to put sealant on the splines? :confused: Really?

[Rexone]

83nordic is right on the money to solve your problem. :)
If oil is leaking out the shaft it is going down the splines. If it was leaking outside the flange then it would be the seal.

[Tom Foolery]

Thank you again everyone for sharing your knowlege. It looks like I'll be one step closer to getting things done this weekend. :D

[83nordic]

I have the same set up and that is indeed the way to seal it up. Hope to see you on the water some time
John