So... I have a water leak.
Can't tell for sure where it is coming from, looks like it is entering the bilge from a pretty low spot on the transom area, around the drive somewhere, I just can't see where.
Its a 1996 7.4L with a Bravo 3.
When I put the boat on the trailer and look from outside, I can see what appears to the exhaust bellows (large, oval and flared rubber tube that lines up with a similar oval connection on the drive when the drive is down, but doesn't connect when the drive is up). That looks pretty dry and cracked on the part "outside" the boat, I can't see the part under the engine cover, its buried. Above it, I can see what looks like is probably the drive shaft bellows, it looks pretty dry as well, but I haven't found any actual cracks. I can see caulking around the entire gimbal housing, that largely looks ok. From the engine compartment, I cannot see any water running into the area around or above the driveshaft. As well as I can see, I don't see anything running in from the perimeter either. So... I am suspecting the exhaust bellows... but it appears there is a shift bellows as well, I just haven't found it yet.
I started flipping through Service Manual 16 (which is the one that applies to my serial) on boatinfo, and is pretty cumbersome on their site, so I haven't found the appropriate section yet. But per the Seloc manual I have, it seems this can be done with the outdrive still on, just more difficult, but they rate the whole thing as difficult anyway. It looks like the part isn't too bad, so I am thinking of trying to replace it, especially if I can do it without pulling the drive. If I have to pull the drive, I'll probably wait for winter. At this point, the bilge pump runs every 5 to 10 minutes for 10 to 15 seconds, and I've never run into any issues with the pump (its new this year) or with water getting to be more than a few inches deep back there.
So, other than the tool (buy or make), the part, and the adhesive... what else would I need and how much am I biting off with this?
Or based on the information, could it be something else? Not sure if the bellows goes all the way through the housing or not, tough to tell from diagrams, etc.
Can't tell for sure where it is coming from, looks like it is entering the bilge from a pretty low spot on the transom area, around the drive somewhere, I just can't see where.
Its a 1996 7.4L with a Bravo 3.
When I put the boat on the trailer and look from outside, I can see what appears to the exhaust bellows (large, oval and flared rubber tube that lines up with a similar oval connection on the drive when the drive is down, but doesn't connect when the drive is up). That looks pretty dry and cracked on the part "outside" the boat, I can't see the part under the engine cover, its buried. Above it, I can see what looks like is probably the drive shaft bellows, it looks pretty dry as well, but I haven't found any actual cracks. I can see caulking around the entire gimbal housing, that largely looks ok. From the engine compartment, I cannot see any water running into the area around or above the driveshaft. As well as I can see, I don't see anything running in from the perimeter either. So... I am suspecting the exhaust bellows... but it appears there is a shift bellows as well, I just haven't found it yet.
I started flipping through Service Manual 16 (which is the one that applies to my serial) on boatinfo, and is pretty cumbersome on their site, so I haven't found the appropriate section yet. But per the Seloc manual I have, it seems this can be done with the outdrive still on, just more difficult, but they rate the whole thing as difficult anyway. It looks like the part isn't too bad, so I am thinking of trying to replace it, especially if I can do it without pulling the drive. If I have to pull the drive, I'll probably wait for winter. At this point, the bilge pump runs every 5 to 10 minutes for 10 to 15 seconds, and I've never run into any issues with the pump (its new this year) or with water getting to be more than a few inches deep back there.
So, other than the tool (buy or make), the part, and the adhesive... what else would I need and how much am I biting off with this?
Or based on the information, could it be something else? Not sure if the bellows goes all the way through the housing or not, tough to tell from diagrams, etc.
