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as a refresher I found after my last trip that oil was leaking out of the top bellows on my outdrive and thought that a seal had gone bad and that I was getting water in my outdrive oil, but upon checking my oil today it was as perfect as the day I put it in, so I checked the engine oil and same thing. Upon further inspection I found that there was a crack in the side of the top bellows and that was where the oil was leaking out. So my questions are these 1 How big of a problem is this. Is water in the bellows going to be a big problem? My guess would be yes ,but not an immediate emergency type problem? Second is there some sort of slow oil pump that puts oil in there or am i just seeing bearing grease leaking out of there and I just need to replace the bellows and put more grease in there?
Jed Burton
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A small crack in the bellows can become a big crack, and that's a real problem. A lot of boats have sunk because of a big crack in the bellows, where water comes right into the boat, especially boats left moored in the water for an extended period. Some boat people even get so anal about it they replace the bellows once each year. The drive is quite easy to remove in most cases - - which makes it real easy for a thief to pull it off in just a few minutes. I haven't replaced a bellows myself but I've pulled drives off and it would probably be a fairly simple job to replace the bellows once the drive is off. It's recommended that you store the boat with the drive down, to relieve the tension on the bellows to help keep it from cracking.
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Sounds like your "oil" in there might just be liquified grease from previous bearing grease jobs then.
A hole in the bellows, even a little hole is no good. It will fill up with water (the bellows) and ruin your u-joints and your gimbal bearing. That volvo is an easy one to fix. Leave the outrive on, and just remove the upper housing. Grease the u-joints, grease the gimbal bearing and replace the bellows.
I know that the Mercruisers will weep into the bilge if the bellows is shot, but not sure on the Volvo.
That 280 drive is a really good design. The cone clutch makes it shift smoother than any other outdrive in its era, and it is designed very well. Unfortunately, rubber parts can and do go bad and they need to be changed every so often.
I like to inspect my bellows at the end of each year. Any water in it AT ALL and I replace it.
Somebody mentioned storing it with the drive DOWN. I agree 100%. Not only does it take the strain off the bellows, but it also keeps the shift cable straight instead of bent.
The only thing I don't like about those 280's is the electric tilt system. Seems problematic sometimes.
Hope this helps!
Randy
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I used to N.ot have E.nough T.ime O.ff to go fishing. Then I retired. Now I have less time than I had before. Sheesh.
