Bellows fell off and t stat

[oldjeep]

Last friday we took off for our yearly week long ski/wakeboard trip and I noticed that the bellows was disconnected from the drive when I put the plug in.

Kind of odd - checked the bellows and it was still soft and pliable, loosened up the hose clamp and put it back on. Never had another problem with it all week. Wasn't aware that could happen but I guess I'll be checking it from now on.

Only other issue was wed the boat started running around 120 F instead of its normal 175 - figure that the tstat has failed open.

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Last friday we took off for our yearly week long ski/wakeboard trip and I noticed that the bellows was disconnected from the drive when I put the plug in.

Kind of odd - checked the bellows and it was still soft and pliable, loosened up the hose clamp and put it back on. Never had another problem with it all week. Wasn't aware that could happen but I guess I'll be checking it from now on.

Only other issue was wed the boat started running around 120 F instead of its normal 175 - figure that the tstat has failed open.

T-stat stuck open.

Bellows shouldn't be that soft and pliable, should be firm. Theres a ring on the drive where the bellows connects, make sure the lip on the bellows boot isnt soft or degrading, bet thats your problem. I'd say you're in for a bellows change. I wouldn't take it out anymore, if a bellows comes off, you sink almost instantly, its a way bigger hole than a drain plug.

When you put in new bellows, not only is there a ring/lip lock, but you put bellows cement on them. Near impossible to fall off.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Last friday we took off for our yearly week long ski/wakeboard trip and I noticed that the bellows was disconnected from the drive when I put the plug in.

Kind of odd - checked the bellows and it was still soft and pliable, loosened up the hose clamp and put it back on. Never had another problem with it all week. Wasn't aware that could happen but I guess I'll be checking it from now on.

Only other issue was wed the boat started running around 120 F instead of its normal 175 - figure that the tstat has failed open.

Bellows cement is supposed to be used during assembly, and you may see this happening again...keep a watch. Good thing is that the exhaust bellows will not cause you to sink....

Your engine staying around 120F could be the opposite: your thermostat may have stuck full opened. I would tap the gauge face first...my gauge started to 'hang up', and I ended up putting a new one in place. (I first sprayed some WD-40 in a small access hole at the back of the gauge, and the gauge was fine...but I overdid the spray and some of the WD-40 made it to the face of the dial, and that was enough for me to get a new one!)

Happy boating!

Sorry Ryan...we were answereing at the same time! But...you can actually run without an exhaust bellows, since the water path will not enter the bilge.

 

[johnatwork]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Gotta ask, am new to boating with I/O's .... IF the bellows came loos from the transom, and you headed for shore, would the boat necessarily completly fill with water or would the forward motion sort of work like a self bailer?

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Gotta ask, am new to boating with I/O's .... IF the bellows came loos from the transom, and you headed for shore, would the boat necessarily completly fill with water or would the forward motion sort of work like a self bailer?

Edit. NO IT WOULD NOT SELF BAIL. The water would be in the bilge, and unless the water reached where the bellows came in, it wouldn't self bail.... BUT then you have other problems.

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Sorry Ryan...we were answereing at the same time! But...you can actually run without an exhaust bellows, since the water path will not enter the bilge.

Yeah he never said which bellows, should've assumed it was the exhaust bellows since he put it back on lol.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Gotta ask, am new to boating with I/O's .... IF the bellows came loos from the transom, and you headed for shore, would the boat necessarily completly fill with water or would the forward motion sort of work like a self bailer?

Ryan's got it right...you can sink if the drive (upper) bellows develops a leak, or the shift cable (small) bellows gets worn. No forward motion will drain your bilge in this situation.

That is why many of us add a float switch to our bilge pumps. A drive bellows issue will go unnoticed while you are tooling along, and the float switch can save your day (and boat)!

Happy boating!

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Yeah he never said which bellows, should've assumed it was the exhaust bellows since he put it back on lol.

Maybe I was the one to 'assume'...since most of us only get a glance at the exhaust bellows while doing the drain plug! And you are right: few of us could simply slip the drive bellows back on while sitting on the launch ramp....

Let's see if he comes back to read the answers, and makes it more clear.

Happy boating!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Its the big exhaust bellows. (3.0L w alpha 1) The drive side is easy to put on and off - the side closer to the boat would be a pain. No glue on it, but there is a small clip that digs into the drive when the hose clamp is tightened.

By soft and pliable I mean the way it should be rather than stiff and cracking.

Tapped on the guage first and checked all the connections. Motor was acting like it was running cold so pretty sure its just a failed tstat. Luckily it looks like a 10 minute job on the 3.0

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Its the big exhaust bellows. (3.0L w alpha 1) The drive side is easy to put on and off - the side closer to the boat would be a pain. No glue on it, but there is a small clip that digs into the drive when the hose clamp is tightened.

By soft and pliable I mean the way it should be rather than stiff and cracking.

Tapped on the guage first and checked all the connections. Motor was acting like it was running cold so pretty sure its just a failed tstat. Luckily it looks like a 10 minute job on the 3.0

Then you are not in too bad of shape!

You can test the gauge by turning the key to 'RUN', and grounding the wire from the temp sender to the engine. A good gauge will peg full right (HOT). If it pegs, then it will probably be the sender (rare), or the thermostat stuck open.

As for your bellows, just keep your eye on it. If it refuses to stay put, I would go to the tube design that only attaches to the transom side and 'slips' over the drive side when you are not in trailering height. These are sold here, and would probably be the last exhaust bellows that you ever purchase. Either way, you are not risking anything by using your boat....

Keep us informed!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

If it refuses to stay put, I would go to the tube design that only attaches to the transom side and 'slips' over the drive side when you are not in trailering height. These are sold here, and would probably be the last exhaust bellows that you ever purchase. Either way, you are not risking anything by using your boat....

Keep us informed!

Yup, I'll be checking it when I put the plug in but didn't really see it as being an issue if it fell off - the exhaust would just be venting around the drive instead of through the prop. I'm assuming I'd be able to hear it if it happened. The replacement style you are describing sounds like a good idea if it does come to replacing it.

 

[johnatwork]

Re: Bellows fell off and t stat

Thank you guys for the information. It was the "drive bellows" I was referring to. The auto switch is for sure the way to go. My bilge switch has a light on it when the pump is running so it would take just a glance at the dash to see if something was happening. Thanks again to all ... this is an incredible forum !!