280 tilt motor - would someone have filled the mechanical system with oil??-gctid819834

[tdickenson]

It looks like there's oil spraying from my VP280 tilt motor onto my transom and into my bilge on my 2850 Contessa. The screws on the motor had loosened and when I tightened them (before they loosened again) it appeared to stop the spray. It's a mechanical system that shouldn't have oil in it! Would the original owner have put oil in the system? I've been told the screws seem to be stripped so I'm just having the motor disconnected in case it's activated on its own somehow.

I've got a new rebuilt Mercruiser 383 stroker and my mechanic says the oil in the bilge doesn't seem to be engine oil and that there it wouldn't be drive oil in the bilge.

Just thought I'd ask if there are any other known culprits that would spray oil on the transom (just to port of amidships behind the black cylindrical motor - the motor has a white smear of paint on it in the attached photo).

Thanks!


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[2850Bounty]

Would you please post more pictures of your engine, and from different angles?

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[tdickenson]

I don't have a lot of photos (the boat's up on Vancouver Island) but here are some broader shots, etc.


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[2850Bounty]

See attached image.

[2850Bounty]

See attached image.


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[tdickenson]

Rick,

Thanks for the feedback on the mechanical lift out unit and its electric motor. It's still a mystery where the oil spray and oil in the bilge is coming from.

I don't know the engine parts well - but you mentioned the AQ 260 exhaust. The engine is an eight month old factory rebuilt Mercruiser 383 Stroker that's freshwater cooled. I had just been educating myself about the previous Volvo-Penta engine and need to come up to speed on this one. Did you have a question or concern about my exhaust system based on what you saw in the photo?

[SKUA_28_Contessa]

Based on the pics, there are a couple of "anomalies", in the installation. An odd oil? line that is spliced together, and a home depot coupler in what looks like a water line.

The only thing that comes to mind is the hydraulic lines for the trim tabs, might have a leak. Possibly the oil pressure sender, or the gasket at the bottom of the distributor are other possibilities.

I will add that the top screw in the lift motor mount is backing out and should be screwed back in.