Oily sheen on water and a chirping noise

[mvoellinger]

Need help deciding what to check here. Im getting an oily sheen on the water, its even noticeable while running on the hose. I stuck my fingers into it, and it didn't smell like gas, so I dont think Im missing on any cylinders. Im SLOWLY losing drive lube, but I only top it off every 15 hours or so, and then its still only halfway to the add line. Does gear lube leave a sheen on the water?

It also almost feels like my power steering isnt working - it seems harder to steer at low speeds than it used to be. So Im thinking it could be power steering fluid (would the PS cooler be leaking on an 8 year old mostly freshwater boat that has been flushed after use for at least the last 3 years?)

And then lastly, I am having a chirping noise coming from the engine. Im not sure what it could be, but its loud enough that at idle with the hatch shut I can hear it. Its not constant, it is every couple of seconds so its hard to pinpoint which rotating mass its connected to. Thoughts on what could make a chirping noise? I was wondering if it could be related to the PS issue (pump), but cant pinpoint it to that area. I could always try removing the belt for the PS and see if it goes away, and then work from there I guess.

 

[highslice]

Gear lube does leave a sheen on the water, I know from experience. But when my prop shaft seals were leaking (actually the shaft was scored and the seals couldn't seat right) I was losing 8oz every 2 -3 hours. Still it's a possibility.

 

[mvoellinger]

It may be drive lube, because the sheen appears to be getting worse. Before I only noticed it running on the hose and not in the water. Now Ive been noticing it on the water, so maybe I will notice the gear lube is dropping faster as well. Half of me hopes it does drop drastically so I know where my problem is, and I can call in the marine mechanic and not pay him to hunt around for something that may not occur for him. Although I feel like I should drain a bit of lube and make sure Im not getting water into the drive..

 

[Firerooster]

Also look at the rams that raise and lower the drive, trim oil full?

 

[Creekwood]

Get the drive pressure tested and checked for oil and fix that leak. If oil can get out, water can and will get in. A seal replacement is a lot less $$ than a new gear set.
I had a similar sporadic problem on a I/O boat a while back. That turned out to be a trim cylinder hose that was not quite sealing. Not enough was coming out to make the level go down, but there was enough for it to be visible on the surface periodically.

 

[mvoellinger]

Trim level hasnt changed, and I can see it when running on the hose when Im not operating the trim, so I dont think its the trim. It has to be either engine oil, gas, drive lube or PS. Im leaning towards drive lube. Ill go up this weekend and pull the drive.

 

[highslice]

Trim level hasnt changed, and I can see it when running on the hose when Im not operating the trim, so I dont think its the trim. It has to be either engine oil, gas, drive lube or PS. Im leaning towards drive lube. Ill go up this weekend and pull the drive.

Pull the prop first, and check the shaft. If you can't see anything obvious, then have the drive pressure checked. I noticed the sheen in the water before I noticed the drop in lube level.

But that still doesn't solve your chirp. Your description makes that sound like a pump or the alternator going bad, or one of the pulleys became misaligned.

 

[270SLX]

In my experience, the bird chirping noise is always the cooling water pump. And, it means CHANGE THE IMPELLER NOW. Before it completely implodes and little bits of impeller get stuck who knows where. That's my experience.

Dennis

 

[DaNinja]

I had a sheen from the bilge water in the Missouri boat that turned out to be a gas seep from a poorly sealed gas tank sending unit.

The other day I noticed milky bilge water when I popped the drain plug on the lil' Ray following its first lake test of the season. I think it's trim oil. It probably didn't help that I tried (repeatedly) to drive the lower unit down with the drive guards still in place.

 

[mvoellinger]

In my experience, the bird chirping noise is always the cooling water pump. And, it means CHANGE THE IMPELLER NOW. Before it completely implodes and little bits of impeller get stuck who knows where. That's my experience.

Dennis

Are you talking about the one on the engine? I have an alpha one so my impeller is in the drive, and I'm fairly certain the chirping is coming from the drive belt area.

It did seem to be from around the water pump.

 

[keokie]

For the chirping noise, take the belts off and spin each pulley by hand. Look for a noisy or rough one.

 

[tbirdvet]

My last boat had the chirping sound and it was the engine water pump.

 

[mvoellinger]

My last boat had the chirping sound and it was the engine water pump.

I really think that is where the sound is coming from. Any idea if a napa water pump is the same as the marine version? What engine would I look at to find a part number from NAPA?

 

[Firerooster]

Look up Sierra part cross reference. That is also the brand napa uses