Leaking Driveshaft bellows

[bspeth]

3.0 alpha 1 gen 2 I think.The skeg was busted but it did have a gear lube reservoir although the trim rams were attached far back like a gen 1.I can find out ser #s next weekend.He says its a 94.A friend of mine has a house boat and his bilge pump kept kicking on so I said we should have a look. Water was peeing at a good rate in the bilge through a hole above the drive shaft.I thought this was because the bellows were full of water so I am double checking with you guys.If so I assume the entire drive and transom have at least some damage and the only sure result will be a failure of major components.He just wanted some advice as it costs him 1k to have the boat pulled so he wants to know what hes looking at. I almost think he should have a replacement drive on hand for the repair since I assume the the drive has been filled with water when the bellows did.He says its been in the water since '94 and it only leaks when its beached but hes not there during the week when its not beached so I dunno.All advice welcome-Thanks-B

 

[tpenfield]

Who is 'he' ? Can you tell us more about the boat?

Leaking bellows is not the end of the world, but the boat could sink. Generally you are replacing the bellows, the U-joint and the gimbal bearing. $1k to pull the boat?

I would assume it is a bigger boat and that it covers both coming out and going back in? It certainly sounds like bellows, but a picture of the leak would help . . .

 

[Bt Doctur]

in the water and leaking since 1994, find a new friend. cant be bigger than a 19 footer, why so much to pull it?
drive most likely has water in it too. plan on a yoke and seal, U joints, gimbal bearing, shift cable, and a bellows kit.

 

[bspeth]

The house boat belongs to a friend of mine,its probably 40' or better.On those type of boats the engine and drive is mounted inside a separate compartment from the pontoons,so no great risk of sinking.My concern was how long the water has been in there and the stress from it on the major components.Cant get a pic,the boats 200 miles away.

 

[Bt Doctur]

you wont have an alpha with a 3.0 motor on a boat that big. wont even do 2 knots

 

[bspeth]

don't know how long its been leaking Doc, he just bought it last year for half the asking price.Its definitely an alpha with a 3.0.Its a houseboat so its not meant to set any speed records but a lot of those houseboats run that set up.