kidturbo

While waiting on the last piece needed to put the gearbox together, a new output shaft, I decided to clean up the transom hose routing. With the gearbox oil reservoirs now mounted inboard, the return lines needed a bit more drop in the run to match our lower drive height. So did something I'd been chicken to do at start of this project, cut a notch in the transom.

After a bit of measuring, it was clear cutting a 1" notch wouldn't impact going back to a stock #6 setup in the future. Plus it gave me a good reason to inspect the almost 20 year old transom condition that had been in question since we started. So I grabbed the jigsaw and a fresh sharpie, then without hesitation, sunk that blade into the 2" thick transom and pulled the trigger.. Glad I did, because the core proved to be in much better condition than all the skeptics had told me it was...

Here is the results. Had a local shop here waterjet and brake a little SS cover plate, wrap those trim lines in some rubber mat, and call it clean and done.

kidturbo

One of my other upgrades of the week goes back to a statement I made a few posts above, that came back to bite me. Recall saying I'd fixed all the water intrusion issues, and only thing left was to fix the oil leaks. Well the statement was a bit premature.

Upon removing the externally fine appearing Port side gearbox from the extension box, we noticed water drained from inside the bellows through the output shaft yoke. Further inspection found a small tear in the bellows under a hose clamp. Luckily the lower unit section has a double lip seal on the input shaft side, so very little water ever made it's way into that case. And probably why we never noticed the leaking bellows. But damage to the U-Joints and carrier bearings was done all the same..

So to resolve this latest issue, and offer some sort of alert to a leaking bellows, I took the simplest approach possible. Drilled a small weep hole through the carrier bearing housing behind the gearbox. Now if a bellows spring a leak, at least it will drain into the extension box where ya might notice it. Hopefully before it takes out the 2 U-Joints and bearings again.

kidturbo

Wrapping up my attempt at idiot proofing of the oil system on both gear reduction boxes last night. Which was no easy task. Just finding all the pieces required took some serious online digging. So I'm posting all the pics and part numbers here, just in case anyone else out there has idiot issues in the future.

Following The KISS Principle. [Keep It Simple Stupid] so please let me know if I missed anything.

• One ground activated idiot light in the dash per drive, triggered by multiple sensors.
  
  
  
  
  
• Doubled up on oil capacity, and took a key from Mercury by using a fluid level float switch from Amazon. Easily reversible between NO to NC by flipping the float. Available in several height options.
  
  
  
  
  
• WT428 - 1/8 NPT Single Wire Temp Switch. 250F trigger temp.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• S4164 - 1/8 NPT 6psi or above Normally Open single wire pressure switch. Fitted Inline between lift pump and and the mechanical pump on gearbox. Wire connected to an inline flasher [pictured in post above] to indicate a low pressure situation by slowly flashing the dash light. Which could happen if system springs a leak, pump fails, or the mechanical pump just overtakes the electric pump supply capacity at the higher shaft speeds.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Swagelok-724994001 B8CPA23 - 1/2NPT - 3-50psi Adjustable Inline Cracker Valve. This is a bypass valve to dump excess oil from lift pump back into the main reservoir tank. The electric scavenger pumps can produce up to 50psi pressure, however if operated in a deadhead situation, the motor life is greatly reduced. So these valves go between lift pump and mechanical pumps, and are currently set at 20psi opening pressure. When transmissions are in reverse, the "directional" mechanical pumps are actually spinning backwards..
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Last piece of puzzle - MOCAL 2gpm Electric Fluid Circulation Pumps with 200micron screens. From Sarasota based BRITISH AMERICAN TRANSFER https://www.batinc.net/
  This shop has about any oiling system related hardware you can imagine. Including hard anodized AN fittings for marine environments. And they will even make up all those custom braided lines to go with.
  
  
  
  
  
  

outonsafari

Real nice job rigging that up, had to be tough working around all the other parts engines rigging etc.

payuppsucker

Whose ass would a guy have to kiss to get the lettering applied to some switches and/or lights as shown in the photographs?

pasquesi

This is what Kid is actually building.....

kidturbo

That's what I'm trying to avoid.. My goal was a bit simpler design...

kidturbo

The LED push button switches and lights came from a shop in Australia. https://billetautomotivebuttons.com

hogie roll

Any more FL trips? Im done working till the 4th and can give you a hand. Tried to PM you, full.

kidturbo

I've been down here last few weeks. Just spent the morning bolting extension boxes on at Innovation. Wanted to get drives one today but ran outa time. So looks like I'll be here till Tuesday now, then run north for Xmas and come back on the 27th.

I'll PM ya my #