The curse continues - or maybe not if I'm lucky.

After dewinterizing, I get the boat fired up without issue. Water is pumping, everything looks good, warms right up. I gently ease it into gear and that's when it starts. High pitched squeal coming from the engine/tranny. I go into neutral, it stops. Into reverse - same high pitch squeal above the typical reverse humming tranny sound.

So I pop back into neutral and go back to inspect. Everything looks, feels fine. Good pressure, tempt. No leaks, nothing unconnected. Nothing low on fluid. Nothing hot. So I put it in gear and let it idle for about a min or so and it finally just stops squealing all of a sudden and seems normal. Quiet in and out of gear.

My suspicion is that the dripless seal was dry? Can't imagine the v-drive making that kind of noise.

I checked and the seal is getting water through the feed tube going to it. I don't see any water in the bilge.

Little nervous it may have torn and I'll have a steady leak once I drop the boat in the river/lake though...

???