alpha 1 lower unit noob question

[noizmaker]

Sorry for the dumb noob question. During our Sea Trail I'd felt some listing during moderate cruising speed that made be soil myself.
I immediately headed back to the ramp and promptly removed the boat from the water. Lots of water poured out when plug was removed. Based on the pic what is the black rubber accordian looking piece that's disconnected with lower unit up? What's the function of the boot for lack of better description?
thanks in advance...

 

[picklenjim]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

If I understand correctly what you are talking about is the drive shaft bellows which should never be disconnected from either end with the drive up or down!! It keeps the drive shaft and u-joints dry. Don't that thing have a bildge pump ?

 

[Alpheus]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

That's a quick way to sink a boat.

 

[Don S]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

Assuming you are talking about the bellows circled in the pic below, that is the exhaust bellows, and WILL NOT allow water to get in the boat. The ujoint bellow and the shift cable bellows are the two that will allow water in the boat. But you have to get back there and look to see where the water is comming in at. There are many other places that could be the problem also.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

Like I said, noob..
Yes, it has bildge pump. But, none of the seasoned boaters noticed the hose that's supposed to be connected to the thru-hull fitting wasn't even connected. There was some remodeling going on.
We had 7 adults on board, (not my idea to bring the women folk) and had trouble getting to plane. So we spent some time trimming and not sure if that's when the exhaust bellow separated.
With the comment that water would not enter at this location has me perplexed. Now we need to rethink our approach and identify where the waters coming from.
Thanks for the help all...

 

[Don S]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

Put the back end of the boat in the water (leave it on the trailer) and get back there with a flashlight and mirrors and your digital camara and look for the leak. Then when you find the leak. post a picture of where it's coming from.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

From the looks of the pictures those bellows are really old.
If the exhaust bellow is torn then the other two are not far behind.
The drive needs to be pulled and everything inspected.

 

[Don S]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

I don't think it's torn Gary, looks more like it came off.
If I was selling the boat, there isn't a perspective buyer out there that would be allowed to pull my outdrive and look at the bellows.
If they want to look, they would hire a certified Merc dealer (if it was a Merc) to pull the drive, inspect, and reinstall with new gaskets at their expense, not mine, and the dealer would be expected to warrant any leaks if it was dry when they pulled it off. They call it a mechanical survey, and done by a qualified dealer.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

Put the back end of the boat in the water (leave it on the trailer) and get back there with a flashlight and mirrors and your digital camara and look for the leak. Then when you find the leak. post a picture of where it's coming from.

Great idea.
It will be a few months. The boat is located 100 miles away and locked up inside. We were dealing with the end of season and took boat to storage lot. The boat Mechanic has it in his garage but closed for the off season before I could retrieve the boat and tow back home. I believe this is the beginning of my school of hard knocks as I enter the boating world.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

I don't think it's torn Gary, looks more like it came off.
If I was selling the boat, there isn't a perspective buyer out there that would be allowed to pull my outdrive and look at the bellows.
If they want to look, they would hire a certified Merc dealer (if it was a Merc) to pull the drive, inspect, and reinstall with new gaskets at their expense, not mine, and the dealer would be expected to warrant any leaks if it was dry when they pulled it off. They call it a mechanical survey, and done by a qualified dealer.

Don S,
this boat was blessed by a certified boat mechanic. I'm guessing he was blind.. Lesson learned.
After reading/learning from everyone on iboats I'm a much more educated boating consumer and will not be making the same poor decisions going forward.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

Assuming you are talking about the bellows circled in the pic below, that is the exhaust bellows, and WILL NOT allow water to get in the boat. The ujoint bellow and the shift cable bellows are the two that will allow water in the boat. But you have to get back there and look to see where the water is comming in at. There are many other places that could be the problem also.

Don S, you mention, "There are many other places that could be the problem also". What would the other "places" be?

Would it be something I'd replace when we replace the exhaust bellows along w/ ujoint bellow and the shift cable bellow?

Do these repairs require removal of the lower unit?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[URL=http://s939.photobucket.com/albums/ad237/noizmaker2pb/?action=view&current=DSC_0804-1.jpg] [/URL]

 

[cr2k]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

You did drain the block before you put it up? If it's where it get below freezing you need to do a little winterizing. If its indoors you may be ok if its an insulated building.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

You did drain the block before you put it up? If it's where it get below freezing you need to do a little winterizing. If its indoors you may be ok if its an insulated building.

cr2k, the boat mechanic assured me he'd get it winterized before the weather got bad. And yes we are where it gets cold... Problem is, the mechanic closed up his shop for the winter while my boat was still inside. My intention was to tow it home and work on it through the winter but we just missed each other and it's inside. I guess that's a good thing since I didn't have inside storage at my house. I''ll be several months behind on work come April/June.
Thanks

 

[achris]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

For a few year Mercruiser ran an exhaust tube instead of a bellows. You didn't say what engine you have. From memory it was only the V8s that had the tube, but I could be wrong.

Chris........

 

[rbh]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

As Chris said there are a couple of different bellows offered, I know that mine is the accordian style (ribbed) but the other is a hose style that is supposed to mate up with the exhaust port on the drive, when you drop the drive.
As for the leak, it can come from a pin hole/slash in any of the rubber bellows or the transom seal AINT sealing, any of the hoses going to the engine or out to the drive, crack in the block or the manifolds.
my take on the situation, test on the muffs first to see if its a engine/internal plumbing thing, then as Don suggested, back it in and look to see were the waters entering from.

 

[Don S]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

The tube was never OEM on an Alpha I, even if one was put on in place of the bellows, it would stick out more that it shows in his picture.

As for the leak, it can come from a pin hole/slash in any of the rubber bellows

Wrong, it could leak through the ujoint and shift cable bellows, NOT the exhaust bellows. It always has water in it when the boat is in the water.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

For a few year Mercruiser ran an exhaust tube instead of a bellows. You didn't say what engine you have. From memory it was only the V8s that had the tube, but I could be wrong.

Chris........

Yes Sir, running the 350 Mercruiser/ Alpha 1 combo.
RDH and achris, thanks for the input. Once I get access to the boat I'll start the troubleshooting.

Thanks again

 

[rbh]

Re: alpha 1 lower unit noob question

The tube was never OEM on an Alpha I, even if one was put on in place of the bellows, it would stick out more that it shows in his picture.



Wrong, it could leak through the ujoint and shift cable bellows, NOT the exhaust bellows. It always has water in it when the boat is in the water.

"Yes, Should have made point more clear" (thought some one had already discussed the exhaust bellows thing???) not exhaust bellows, but the rest of the rubber bellows, and transom seal.