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Good videos. I’ll try that approach! Hopefully I don’t break anything! Lol.
Tinman
I agree with you for the most part…..If there is no water present during routine gear lube changes, don’t go looking for trouble…. And yes, removing some of the seals/shift rod orings can be difficult, you run the risk of damaging castings by prying with inappropriate tools or using too much force.
A pressure tester can surely be “home made”, but again, it is easy to get fooled by testers that have their own leakage problems….In other words, you may go looking for “gearcase leaks” that are really just faulty/leaky testers.
It is always a great idea to submerge the gearcase in water during a pressure test so you can see exactly where the leak is coming from. Never just disassemble a leaky gearcase before trying to pinpoint the actual leak(s) using a pressure tester.
Generally speaking, vacuum tests are usually only done on later style gearcases with “back to back” lip seals.
What type of engine/gearcase are you concerned about? The old style OMC two piece “clam shell” gearcases are relatively easy to work on, but not all that easy to seal up properly.
So again, I agree with you, don’t go looking for problems if your gear lube appears to be free of water. The best idea is to check/change gear lube frequently to catch little leaks before they become major and damage/destroy your gearcase.