Leaking transom shield

NY320

2006 320EC the boat was on land all of the 2015 season. Boat was prepped and went back in the water this week. Noticed the bilge filling up . Mechanic dried it up and explained the water was coming in through the port transom shield at the bottom. They will know more after they pull the motor and inspect the shield. (hopefully soon )  I'm looking for the cause if it is the shield gasket. This did not leak before. Would being out of water a year cause it ?. This is Volvo Penta with DP drives . (not the dreaded xdp drives) 
Any ideas? . oh we are in salt water. Thanks 

aero3113

Could it be the bellows leaking?

Handymans342

Could it be your transom bracket cracked like my Bravo2 did? 

Serenity

I had the same issue two years ago. I own a 2005 320. Boat went away in the Fall with a bone dry bilge and when I launched in the Spring--water was pouring in like I forgot to put the plug in. Had to pull the motor and drive. When the transom shield was taken off--the gasket was split along the bottom edge. My mechanic is a certified Mercruiser shop and has been in the business a long time--never saw it before. Looked like it was defective from the factory. We do not know. The shield was also torqued correctly--he checked before he took it off. Gremlins in the bilge I guess. I am still puzzled why it took 10 years for it to leak. Also no water in the transom.

Serenity

Forgot to mention I have Mercruiser Bravo 3 drives.

Handymans342

++++++++ On the factory

NY320

Serenity. Fyi I'm in the same marina as you. I'm still waiting for John to get the motor out and allow for better access to the shield and finding out the culprit. Aero not bellows. This crap frustrates me because I also treat my stuff with such care and I've owned it new since 2006. 10 year old motors , drives and shields should not fail like this. Low hours too. . 

NY320

I did not mention "it's the factorys fault" did I ?

Handymans342

What is a transom sheild

raybo3

I am not sure what they mean by transom shields either but I had a problem with a "high" spot on the transom and the outdrive plate broke. Handy I think had the same problem. Point is it took 11 years to break and leak. I had to have the inside portion of the stern ground down and the plate replaced to the tune of a little over $5000. 

craigswardmtb

Conspiracy theory. Both 320s of similar years, in the same marina with the same rare problem that occurs as they launch for the new season. I would be talking to others in the marina to see if they had similar issues. Just sayin...

Michael T

.....maybe not so conspiratorial at all! 

My wife's boss was told by his marina that his starboard drive needed re-building after they had tried to launch it in the Spring. He looked at it and thought something was wrong. It did not look like the same one that was on it in the Fall before Winter lay-up and asked me to investigate.

I looked at it and It looked a LOT older than the port one. I said do you still have your bill of sale? He did. I checked the serial numbers from the bill of sale with those on the drive. - guess what not even close!

Long battle with the marina. They never admitted anything. I called them some pretty harsh names. It had been under their care in a "secure" fenced area the whole time. I think an employee switched the drives.

The best I could get for him was free labor and dealer's cost for the drive. The Admiral's boss did not want to go to court. I was thinking of a baseball bat! LOL.

So, NOTHING would surprise me. Probably the only place I would trust in N.A. would my friend's marina and Al's yard.

Handymans342

And my lift. 

MarkB

How are these boats launched? Any shallow structure in the area.

Will hitting the drive potential cause a failure of the for instance transom shield?

NY320

Raybo3 the transom shield is considered the plates on the inside and outside of the transom that hold the drives on and connect it to the motor. Seems there is misc hoses brackets and interconnect stuff included with those parts. I'm hoping for the best case and they can just remove it clean it up replace the gaskets that keep out the sea water reassemble and be done. They did mention a.new shield alone is 5300.00. That is not something I had in the budget. 

I did check the drives . No visible damage . A friend of ours hit a log in the Connecticut river years ago and it damaged the drive and pulled the transom shield enough to cause the same type of leak. 

Does anyone think that these boat hulls twist or flex during the haul in and out process that could cause these shields to shift . I'm told.that 1/16 of an inch shift could break the seal. 

MarkB

No way the hull twist.  The force imposed by the engine is way more than what the lift could excerpt on the transom.

Handymans342

Sounds like a high spot on the fiberglass inside like everyone else. 

raybo3

NY320 that is what I thought. Mine happened about 5 years ago or so. I think mine cost $5000 could have been more. Mine was caused by a high spot on the inside of the transom. Good luck and keep us posted.

Serenity

NY320-speak to John about mine--he took a video of the water pouring out when he pulled the boat out right after launch. Rick did not even move the hoist yet. And that was with no issues the year before--never a drop of water in the bilge. Good luck. I know how you feel.