Lehman water in bellhousing

[SIBERNUT]

Gawd, what DIDN'T the water get into ?
Water in bellhousing has made starter inoperable. I can fix that. But how do i get the ickycaca out ? Tried suction down starter hole , stuff too tight to get small hose down. No plug in bottom. Bottom bolts do not appear to open into bell. 3 choices, try to drill hole in bottom & hope water never gets that high again. 2) pull trans back enough to get suction in, or 3) drill hole on top of bell & go in front of flywheel.
Any other option or comments i haven't considered ?
Trying smaller hose now.
Just thought of #4
Fire up a torch & BOIL it out........

 

[C lectric]

A guess, but do you have a raw water cooler for the gearbox? Likely on the side of the engine. If so then check that it is not leaking. To me that is a likely source. Most engines/gearboxes have them.
The oil travels from the gearbox to the cooler and then back again.
Trouble can occur when and if one of the cooling passages corrodes from the seawater passing through

AND

the zincs not being replaced or not replaced often enough. On mine there are two zincs and they need replacement every few months or more often.
The best and , to me, the only way to figure the interval is to pull them for examination every month untill the changeout interval is determined. If good either reinstall or change them and go for the next interval. Keep track of the intervals. When the zincs show corrosion enough them note the time and use that as the change interval.

Failure to figure that interval, HOURS and TIME, can cause the tubes to leak as they then corrode and a hole may-likely appear.

But just a guess but I did this many years ago but after 35 or so years the tubes, actually the O rings and not the cooler itself. eventually leaked but at least it was to the exterior, not the gearbox. Luckily I carried spare O rings but it cost me a days work and we were tied up at an out of the way place. Nice but not friendly for getting spare parts quickly.

As a last comment check that the engine oil itself does not also have problems

 

[SIBERNUT]

You need to know the history. Water has been up to middle of engine twice, once on the hard & once in water.

 

[luna]

If this water in the bell housing is on the engine that was submerged about 6 months ago, I would think that you have problems, other than the starter, lurking inside.

What is your take on the present condition of the damper plate, flywheel, rear main oil seal, gearbox input shaft and its oil seal?
Are the bell housing and the gearbox cases made from steel or aluminum?

 

[SIBERNUT]

Iron. Guess ill find out condition soon.

 

[jleonard]

Its not my boat. But if it were I would remove the tranny and inspect everything for corrosion and replace as necessary.
I have experience with this from 3 friends’ boats and corrosion related problems persist and pop up for a couple of years after the water event occurs.
Best deal with it head on asap.

 

[SIBERNUT]

Im gonna unbolt the bell & trans,slide back as a unit. Having rebuilt trans put in as part of 1st water event, i know i can get 6" & clean it from there.
Problems showing up couple years later ? Screw it, I'm 80

 

[luna]

As you have stated in your other thread that after the soaking this engine has started and ran for half an hour, what is there to be accomplished by parting the bell housing/gearbox assembly from the block and through the narrow gap, cleaning out (how?) the bell housing cavity?

At your age you have indicated that you are not too concerned about long term reliability.

What is this ickycaca of which you speak?

 

[Bmarler]

I think I’d tape a chunk of garden hose to a shop vac hose and see what I could suck up while the starter is out. Maybe clean the shop vac first so you can see if there’s anything in there.
There’s no friction surfaces in there like a car would have, so you could spray something like fluid film in there while turning the crank by hand. That’ll keep things from getting rusty in there.

 

[SIBERNUT]

Due to access & lack of youthful flexibility on my behalf, i have opted to pull trans back instead. Apparently there is residue in there from the 10 yrs on the hard soaking. Never caught my eye when i pulled the trans for rebuild, no electric in yard = no light. Pulled it by Braille. When eng ran, it stirred it all up. Starter problems were due to bendix fouled & inop.
I have the trans back 6" now, will attack Caca monday. Give it an enema & suck everything out. Couple days to dry what I cant get with rags/sponge & spray lube it.
I have prescribed 2 Tylenol & long term pressure test on couch.

 

[Comodave]

Don’t you love boat yoga???

 

[SIBERNUT]

After my time in the Navy, i can get into some real small situations. Problem comes i trying to get muscles to get me back out.......

 

[BruceK]

Due to access & lack of youthful flexibility on my behalf, i have opted to pull trans back instead. Apparently there is residue in there from the 10 yrs on the hard soaking. Never caught my eye when i pulled the trans for rebuild, no electric in yard = no light. Pulled it by Braille. When eng ran, it stirred it all up. Starter problems were due to bendix fouled & inop.
I have the trans back 6" now, will attack Caca monday. Give it an enema & suck everything out. Couple days to dry what I cant get with rags/sponge & spray lube it.
I have prescribed 2 Tylenol & long term pressure test on couch.

Sounds a plan. Re the Tylenol, just don`t get pregnant, we don`t want to fan the flames of autism.

 

[SIBERNUT]

Ok, cleaned out bell.
SO - Whats the consensus ?
Drill a hole in the bell or not ?
(Do not even THINK about suggesting I tap it for a plug)

 

[SteveK]

Drill a hole for what/why. Water should not get in there. Have you put it together? I was about to suggest to change the damper.

 

[SIBERNUT]

Could not get bell off. But i could drill a hole w long bit thru trans opening
Youre right , but it DID ! Damn boat wants to be a submarine.