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How Do I Get That O-ring on the Drive Shaft Past the Seal in the Drive Shaft Housing?

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  • How Do I Get That O-ring on the Drive Shaft Past the Seal in the Drive Shaft Housing?

    I've got a '79 228 Mercursier (I? I-Drive?) That needs a new seal on the Drive shaft. I took the Gear housing assembly off the Drive Shaft housing to replace the sea-water pump. That's done. Now, I have to put the two housings together. The Drive Shaft has a grove for an o-ring, so I bought the o-ring and replaced the seal. I put the o-ring on the Drive Shaft and tried to mate the two housings. That o-ring WILL NOT go past the seal. It always "bunches up", comes out of the grove, and refuses to to through the seal completely while staying in its grove; it winds up being, like, half in and half out. There's no way I can see to get that o-ring through the seal, intact and in the grove.

    Is that o-ring even required?? I suspect that the o-ring and grove for same are an artifact of an earlier design and on my drive it isn't required; the seal is all that is required to keep the oil in the drive. I can't find anything that tells me one way or the other. If the o-ring is required, I'm at a total loss on how to get it to stay in the grove as it passes through the seal without damaging the seal, the o-ring, or both. Am I mistaken, or am I doing something wrong?

    Could it be that I have the seal in upside down? I have it installed so that the spring "garter" is towards the Drive Shaft housing, not towards the Gear Housing. It seems counter-intuitive to install it the other direction, but maybe that's what it takes to get that @&#$ o-ring to stay in it's grove and go in past the seal. Maybe, but I just can't see how they designed that unit to require an assembly that requires that o-ring to be "forced" past that seal, stay intact, and do it's job of sealing - anything. I have to ask again, is that o-ring required on my unit? What if I don't use it, will the assembled unit leak? What am I missing?

    This problem is making me crazy...... I need help!

  • #2
    It sounds like you have the seal installed upside down. When the seal is installed the spring should be pointed up. When that seal is installed the right way you then should be able to install the O-ring correctly.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by JoeySEI View Post
      It sounds like you have the seal installed upside down. When the seal is installed the spring should be pointed up. When that seal is installed the right way you then should be able to install the O-ring correctly.
      OK, That's what I suspected. I have another seal (I bought two since I figured if I only bought one I'd screw it up and have to get another anyway so I save a trip to the parts place). I'll replace it as you describe and try again.

      Thanks!

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