Slow leak where steering lever goes thru transom.

Bob L.

New Member
Jun 6, 2013
27
Oswego, NY Lake Ontario
Boat Info
2002 280 Sundancer
Engines
Single engine MerCruiser 496 mag with Bravo III
2002 280 Sundancer. Last season I had small (annoying) drip coming from just above the steering lever that goes through transom. There are two locknuts and flat washer that bolt to transom just above the steering lever where I think water is coming from. I can see rust on steering lever. Is there a simple fix? Boat is at Sea Ray dealership for winter storage and I asked them to look into leak. Got a call and they are saying solution 1. Pull engine and put new kit in (not sure what kit, but take it as gaskets) at a tune of $7,000.00. 2. They told me there is a after market kit where they pull lower unit for about $2,000.00. My question is there a simpler fix or am I getting a line of B.S. from dealer? Hopefully, I explained properly.
 
Doing this right now on mine. Options;
1. Pull out drive and cut into transom assembly to replace corroded steering pin and seal. $2G sounds a bit high, as kit is about $90 to do this. But not unreasonable for BIII outdrive.
2. Pull motor and replace transom assembly-safer bet. On mine found Y-Pipe also needs replacement. Better to do while engine is out of boat than to go through all this again. My Total at marina=$6500 with some other small items done at same time. Engine is out-do all you can!
 
Oh my! How can this be prevented? Is there a maintenance process to prevent this? I'm moving to salt and I hate to go to an outboard motor style boat. Thanks
 
The common problem in that area is the upper steering pin as mentioned. Sounds like the repair your marina is talking about is replacing the entire assembly.
You say there is water dripping down from the 2 nuts above the arm? Those are the top mounting studs for the transom assembly and should not see any water. There is a large seal on the outside of the transom sealing the water out. Are you sure water is dripping onto the arm? That's a different problem.
If you replace the assembly, I would still replace the top pin with a stainless one. Helps to reduce the possibility of going through this again.
 
Oh my! How can this be prevented? Is there a maintenance process to prevent this? I'm moving to salt and I hate to go to an outboard motor style boat. Thanks
Look for BtDoctor's post about installing a grease zerk. I did that to mine, super easy, and effective.
 
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yep, it's a common thing. When I had my 300da I replaced both my transom assembly. I'm not sure there is much that can be done to prevent it. Needless to say I now have inboards on the Tiara and the scout cc has a yami 90hp.
 
Check out the JR Marine kit.

I have twin B III’s that I did 7 years ago and no runs, no drips and a dry bilge.

I did the re-fit myself and the first took about 5 hours and 3 for the second drive.
 
A second vote for the JR Marine kit. It takes some time but isn’t a difficult job to do yourself. The first photo is of the hole you create in the transom housing by drilling a LOT of small holes with a template and chiseling out the piece. That gives you sufficient access to release the steering arm from the swivel pin. Then you can drop the swivel pin, remove the gimbal ring, and replace the upper seal. Then you reassemble with a new SS pin. They give you a template to drill 4 perimeter holes that you use to mount a nicely polished SS plate and neoprene gasket to cover the hole. You can see that in the second photo. I sandblasted my transom assembly and refinished everything while I was doing my job.

Mine wasn’t leaking. I pulled it apart because the square hole in the top of the gimbal housing that the swivel pin is secured to got wallowed out so my steering was sloppy. JR Marine sells a reconditioned gimbal ring for a fraction of the Mercruiser cost which is what I used.
 

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Finished job. You can see the SS plate
 

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Agree with the use of the JR Marine kit and buying stainless steering pin if your transom assembly is in otherwise fine shape. No sense in replacing a perfectly good part. I did both of mine on my old boat and it was a cut and dry job. Its pretty annoying that a $5 seal is what makes us do this project. That and Mercruisers thoughtless design to use a steel steering pin that will most certainly rust in SW conditions, thus causing the seal to fail. I also recommend changing out your gimbal ring if you have any degree of slop in your steering. I thought mine wasn't bad, only to have to go back and change it out a year later. It's about an $800 part if i recall. Some people have reported a worn steering arm as well. Mine was fine with limited corrosion. Also make sure you clean out the seal cavity real good. It can get some corrosion in there if its been leaking for a long time.
 
The common problem in that area is the upper steering pin as mentioned. Sounds like the repair your marina is talking about is replacing the entire assembly.
You say there is water dripping down from the 2 nuts above the arm? Those are the top mounting studs for the transom assembly and should not see any water. There is a large seal on the outside of the transom sealing the water out. Are you sure water is dripping onto the arm? That's a different problem.
If you replace the assembly, I would still replace the top pin with a stainless one. Helps to reduce the possibility of going through this again.
Not 100% sure coming from the two nuts. Just when I put my hand on top of arm water would drip on it. Thanks for advice.
 

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