I will try to keep this short while still providing all the details. The Boat is a 92 Bayliner capri with a mercruiser 4.3 alpha 1 gen 2. I have owned it for 4 years now. Ill start with last summer as this was the first season I did any preventative maintenance. I Started the season replacing all of the bellows along with the trim sending unit, shift cable, and impeller. I did these repairs initially on my own. I didn't want to break the seal for the trim sending unit so I cut and spliced the wires and heat shrunk the wires to prevent corrosion as best I could (I know this was not the best idea). The units aren't terribly expensive so when it goes bad again ill replace it and do it right.
I had trouble keeping the exhaust bellow on. after a few days it would keep popping off. At the time I wasnt aware that its not a big deal and there was an alternative to the old style exhaust bellow. After it coming off 3 times on me I decided to take it to a shop and have it put on. The boat sat at the marine mechanic waiting for the bellows to be replaced for a couple of weeks and it was already late in the season. This marine mechanic I took it to was highly recommended from several people. While doing the bellows he discovered the "main seal" in the outdrive needed replaced and I also replaced the u joints while he was in there. Im wanting to say he did a few more things to the outdrive while he was in there. anyway, it was to late in the season by the time I got the boat back so I winterized it and stuck it in the warehouse.
This summer I got it out (about 3 weeks ago), noticed the exhaust bellow was off again. I went to take the boat out anyway and replace it later. As I only got it out once last summer and it was already halfway through our short boating season. The wife, kids and I were all eager to get on the water. I went to launch the boat and noticed it took on a fair amount of water in a short amount of time. about a gallon in 20min still sitting on the trailer. This is my first boat so im paranoid about everything lol. so we decided not to launch because I couldn't tell where it was coming from at the time. I took it back to the marine mechanic, explained the bellow issue and that it was taking on water. It wasn't taking on water before the initial bellow install last summer. He changed the exhaust bellow to the newer style and told me there was no water in the bellows but he didn't have time to stick it in the water to investigate unless I wanted to leave it there for another 10 days till he could get it in. He informed me of the play in the drive from the steering pin. That possibly the seals were worn out and could be leaking there.
So I decided to take it on home and try to investigate on my own until it gets a little closer to my appt date. I took the boat down this morning and found that if I stick the boat in the water without starting it, it stays dry. I can see water creeping in up on top of the steering arm. its minimal though. its no where near the amount of water I noticed initially. I let the boat sit maybe 10mins. raising and lowering the outdrive. turning the steering wheel back and forth. No real leak until I start the boat. once started it takes less than 2 min for the leak to show. I can see it on the port side of the boat leaking under the y pipe. where it connects to the transom plate. Its kind of tight in there. I cant really get my hands back in there to feel around to much. The little bit I can, there seems to be no water leaking down from the water inlet hose. which is where I thought it was coming from since it only leaked once i started the boat(but nothing seems to leak while running on muffs). No other hoses seem to be leaking anywhere. There is a small steady stream of water about a half inch from the port side corner, bottom of the y pipe where it meets the transom. Also about a 1/4" away from the small stream, closer to the port-bottom corner of the y pipe theres a larger bead that forms right in the seam and runs down the transom. im leaning towards the y pipe being the main cause of the leak. I can run it back down to the dock and get a picture of the what I think to be the leak. Im sure a picture would be better than a description. I also just ordered a borescope. itll be here in 2 days. I should be able to get a little better look at what is going on. Hoping to get a second opinion on what may be the cause or where else to look.
I had trouble keeping the exhaust bellow on. after a few days it would keep popping off. At the time I wasnt aware that its not a big deal and there was an alternative to the old style exhaust bellow. After it coming off 3 times on me I decided to take it to a shop and have it put on. The boat sat at the marine mechanic waiting for the bellows to be replaced for a couple of weeks and it was already late in the season. This marine mechanic I took it to was highly recommended from several people. While doing the bellows he discovered the "main seal" in the outdrive needed replaced and I also replaced the u joints while he was in there. Im wanting to say he did a few more things to the outdrive while he was in there. anyway, it was to late in the season by the time I got the boat back so I winterized it and stuck it in the warehouse.
This summer I got it out (about 3 weeks ago), noticed the exhaust bellow was off again. I went to take the boat out anyway and replace it later. As I only got it out once last summer and it was already halfway through our short boating season. The wife, kids and I were all eager to get on the water. I went to launch the boat and noticed it took on a fair amount of water in a short amount of time. about a gallon in 20min still sitting on the trailer. This is my first boat so im paranoid about everything lol. so we decided not to launch because I couldn't tell where it was coming from at the time. I took it back to the marine mechanic, explained the bellow issue and that it was taking on water. It wasn't taking on water before the initial bellow install last summer. He changed the exhaust bellow to the newer style and told me there was no water in the bellows but he didn't have time to stick it in the water to investigate unless I wanted to leave it there for another 10 days till he could get it in. He informed me of the play in the drive from the steering pin. That possibly the seals were worn out and could be leaking there.
So I decided to take it on home and try to investigate on my own until it gets a little closer to my appt date. I took the boat down this morning and found that if I stick the boat in the water without starting it, it stays dry. I can see water creeping in up on top of the steering arm. its minimal though. its no where near the amount of water I noticed initially. I let the boat sit maybe 10mins. raising and lowering the outdrive. turning the steering wheel back and forth. No real leak until I start the boat. once started it takes less than 2 min for the leak to show. I can see it on the port side of the boat leaking under the y pipe. where it connects to the transom plate. Its kind of tight in there. I cant really get my hands back in there to feel around to much. The little bit I can, there seems to be no water leaking down from the water inlet hose. which is where I thought it was coming from since it only leaked once i started the boat(but nothing seems to leak while running on muffs). No other hoses seem to be leaking anywhere. There is a small steady stream of water about a half inch from the port side corner, bottom of the y pipe where it meets the transom. Also about a 1/4" away from the small stream, closer to the port-bottom corner of the y pipe theres a larger bead that forms right in the seam and runs down the transom. im leaning towards the y pipe being the main cause of the leak. I can run it back down to the dock and get a picture of the what I think to be the leak. Im sure a picture would be better than a description. I also just ordered a borescope. itll be here in 2 days. I should be able to get a little better look at what is going on. Hoping to get a second opinion on what may be the cause or where else to look.
