Re: [omc-boats] ball gear int. housing

Hi Tom,

Great job, Tom! What year was this intermediate housing? I think in the early seventies OMC changed the shaft bearing over to a tapered roller bearing design. I've heard one major weakness is moisture getting inside the housing and rust causing the shaft splines to weaken. When that happens you get "instant neutral." That when you hope there's a friendly boater nearby to tow you back in. So did you bite the bullet and do an engine pull or were you able to do it with everything in place? (So how's dumb I am!)

How's the wear on the ball gears looking?

Lee

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Thomas Klauber
  To: omc-boats@...
  Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 8:57 PM
  Subject: [omc-boats] ball gear int. housing

  I finally did it. I could not stand the small oil drip at the ball gear at the intermediate housing so I replaced the seal in the bearing retainer. You pull the ball gear and shaft from the intermediate housing and there is a small clip which you remove which allows you to remove 2 bearings from the shaft. You have a bearing inner race pressed on the shaft that you have to remove prior to removing the bearing retainer. I have a press and a press tool to remove the race which I did and it came off easily. I slipped the bearing retainer off and replaced the seal. I think the leak was from the seal. The rubber part of the seal looked warped like it had been soaked in solvent and I speculate that the previous mechanic that installed the replacement ball gear soaked the parts in solvent prior to reassembly and didn't notice the bad seal - anyway the seal presses out easily and the new one went in nicely. Put the retainer back on the shaft and install the outer bearing race then the 2 bearings and clip and you are done. Time will tell if I am correct. Just thought I would pass this on. TK
Received on Saturday, 12 March 2005