I don't think it is years but rather run time and how you take care of the boat. Everyone is different if a bilge is filthy, gritty, and greasy then the seals will suffer....
Dripless shaft seal
- Thread starter Chris-380
- Start date
firecadet613
Well-Known Member
- May 10, 2007
- 5,253
- Boat Info
- SOLD - 2007 Four Winns V358
- Engines
- Twin VP 5.7GXi V-Drive / ZF63s
Why change it if it isn't broken? In the clean Lake Michigan waters, mine are 15 years old and one is now leaking...I have a feeling it is due to the bent shaft, but while it's out I may as well change it!
Chris-380
Well-Known Member
I live near stlouis, what kind of business would true and polish the shafts?
firecadet613
Well-Known Member
- May 10, 2007
- 5,253
- Boat Info
- SOLD - 2007 Four Winns V358
- Engines
- Twin VP 5.7GXi V-Drive / ZF63s
You'll need a prop shop. I went with Holland Propeller out of Holland Michigan. Look them up, they do work for all over. Another shop in Detroit was recommended to me, can't recall the name...but it wouldn't surprise me if you had to travel / ship them.
firecadet613
Well-Known Member
- May 10, 2007
- 5,253
- Boat Info
- SOLD - 2007 Four Winns V358
- Engines
- Twin VP 5.7GXi V-Drive / ZF63s
My marina started talking pulling the motors, etc. No thanks, I'll figure it out myself! Buying a Strutpro for myself as well to change out the cutlass bearings...no way do I want them to pull the other shaft just to change out the cutlass....
and all this after hearing how hard it has been for them to find help. I'd rather do the work myself while I can then let a tech with no experience practice on my boat...
firecadet613
Well-Known Member
- May 10, 2007
- 5,253
- Boat Info
- SOLD - 2007 Four Winns V358
- Engines
- Twin VP 5.7GXi V-Drive / ZF63s
@Chris-380 this was super easy to do. I had planned on changing out the entire assembly, but that is a separate story all in itself (shaft manufacturer fubar'd the part #s, leading me to buy the wrong cutlass bearings, StrutPro tool and shaft seal assembly! Thankfully, my shaft was able to be straightened or I'm sure they'd have sold me the wrong shaft).
I ended up swapping in a new seal, but had to remove the Tides assembly to get it accomplished. I'll be grabbing a new assembly to keep on board as a spare, in the correct size.
I ended up swapping in a new seal, but had to remove the Tides assembly to get it accomplished. I'll be grabbing a new assembly to keep on board as a spare, in the correct size.
Chris-380
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the update! The more I watch videos, I agree with the spare should be good, which several people have stated that opinion. I am in fresh water, that seal should be just like sitting in a shelf. I am going to try that (once I verify with someone driving and me laying down there) first. Hoping she does the job to avoid the haul out.
That is ridiculous, and one wrong part screws every part number! Glad yours went good, and it was straight forward!
That is ridiculous, and one wrong part screws every part number! Glad yours went good, and it was straight forward!
@Chris-380 this was super easy to do. I had planned on changing out the entire assembly, but that is a separate story all in itself (shaft manufacturer fubar'd the part #s, leading me to buy the wrong cutlass bearings, StrutPro tool and shaft seal assembly! Thankfully, my shaft was able to be straightened or I'm sure they'd have sold me the wrong shaft).
I ended up swapping in a new seal, but had to remove the Tides assembly to get it accomplished. I'll be grabbing a new assembly to keep on board as a spare, in the correct size.
Last edited:
Chris-380
Well-Known Member
Finally got a friend to drive my boat while I laid down and watched the shaft seal. No water at idle, went on plane, nothing. I was comfortable the water was coming only while the engine was running and from the starboard. So after looking, found it. On a hose leaving the impeller housing, there is a blue drain, that was loose, not barely, but it was spinning free. Dripping like crazy…. So that was good news. Also verified that the starboard oil filter hose feeding the filter was def dripping. Since I had wiped it all down before the inspection. So got that changed. Surprisingly, that hose had been changed before, looked to be years ago, but the PO had used the hose for outdrives instead of Vdrives…. So I am glad to change that out.
Good day tinkering on the boat, engine oils are changed, now to winterize in 3 weeks, sad time of year, but it’s been a great summer
Good day tinkering on the boat, engine oils are changed, now to winterize in 3 weeks, sad time of year, but it’s been a great summer
MWallaceGreatLakes
New Member
- Oct 3, 2021
- 1
- Boat Info
- 370 Sundancer 1995
- Engines
- 7.4L Bluewater 454
Chris - The end of the hose to my oil filter is also dripping.... as well as several other oil related hose-ends to and from the oil cooler and engine. Since my boat is 1995, I'm gong to replace all of the related oil hoses. Where did you find the hose to purchase? I could have them made once removed but would compare against purchasing already made parts. Did you have to do anything special to bleed the lines once the new hose was installed? Thank you.
Chris-380
Well-Known Member
I found the part number and googled it to find the best price.
https://www.partsvu.com/engine-vu/m...rce=PartsVu LLC&dm_i=4U05,FACD,6LZRIH,1M7XG,1
if you have a hydraulic shop near you, it’s a lit cheaper to have them made, and the stainless transition is where the issues come, so a shop would not have that part, so less likely to ever have an issue again…. With that said, I like stuff being oem, so I opened the wallet, besides my boat is 2 hours away, I don’t want to take the lines off, get them made and put it back together later. With oem, I had what I needed and changer the hose with the oil….
nothing special, just when I pumped the oil out to change the oil, I changed the line at the same time. Took longer than it should, starboard on the v drive makes it tough to get to
https://www.partsvu.com/engine-vu/m...rce=PartsVu LLC&dm_i=4U05,FACD,6LZRIH,1M7XG,1