Hello fellow Maxum owners, I need to see if anyone out there can lend me some advice. I have a 1996 maxum 2300sr with the 7.4l merc and bravo3 drive. every time I put the boat up I am getting water coming out of the drain plug. Its a fair amount but not enough to trigger the bilge pump. Before I winterized the boat looked for this leak and saw it dripping in looked like from the gimbal area. So I figured its my bellows. Well went to check the bellows and they are brand new looks like the previous owner replaced them. I had the boat for one summer and its always been the same. Any suggestions on what to check or do
Many potential sources; steering swivel shaft seal, trim sendor/limit wire penetration, gear lube penetration, transom assembly gasket. Can you tell if it leaks at rest in the water or only when under way? If you can see the trickle post a picture.
Sounds like the swivel shaft seal to me. I have the same issue with my 94 2700scr.
I plan to use the external access rebuild kit to fix mine this spring (Guy in Illinois sells the Kit). Local boat shops want to pull engine, drop the outdrive, and remove the transom to replace the seals at $1500-$2000. The kit is less than $100.
Mine leaks ever so slightly about a drip every couple minutes. Much slower while at rest moored. On my boat the swivel shaft seats just above the waterline, so while underway I might take on a little more. My bilge pump always maintains.
The trick to finding this leak is the boat has to be in the water to find. Look behind the steering ram and follow the steering arm aft into a tight pocket in the transom. You will see a large nut on the swivel shaft which penetrates the transom and connects to the steering housing on the onside of the boat. There are seals and o-rings on the shaft.
If you are getting water in your bilge while on muffs it is most likely one of the other issues Mike suggested.
Typically at rest the swivel shaft seal is above the water line, is the top of the exterior transom assembly above the water? If so this is not the source of the leak.
Does the engine have to be on for it to leak? I suspect the answer is no.
These leaks can be very difficult to find. Had the same problem a few years ago with my 2400 SCR Bravo 2. It turned out to be a crack in the shift bellows on the right side.
I dont remember wether I saw the leak the engine was on or not. Its currently winterized and on its trailer so its going to be the first thing I fix this spring.
Water in boat
Linear Mode
