Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

[Tufan]

I am a new boater. Had a great deal for a 23 footer CCabin Mariah I/O few months ago. It is 94, kept very well. Interior is in superb condition, engine runs fine (Merc 5.0 - V8). Two months ago stern bellow was broken on the sea, caused a major damage on the upper drive unit and I almost sank! Must say got scared a bit. <br />My mechanic fixed the problem, now there is a water leak which we just cant find where it is coming from. Auto bilge pump is pumping the water out like every five minutes in amount of more than a gallon. So this can't be normal.<br /><br />Mechanic and I practically tried EVERYTHINK, uninstall & install the out drive maybe six times, each time we went on the water do a test drive... No solution. LEAK IS STILL THERE...<br />All the parts are brand new - OMC parts.. (a lot of $$$s too). <br /><br />Mechanic has an excellent reputation and he specializes on Merc I/O drives. I asked around everybody speaks very highly of him and he seems very skilled and knows what he is doing. <br /><br />Any tip? I will appreciate it deeply - before I make a bun fire out of the boat?<br /><br />"tufantabak@yahoo.com"

 

[loadnet]

Re: Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

Clarify please..<br /><br />Is this a Mercruiser Alpha 1 or an OMC outdrive?<br /><br />Did the leak start AFTER the outdrive was repaird and re-installed?<br /><br />Where are you seeing the water come in from?<br /><br />Are you looking behind the engine inside the boat?<br />If so, where abouts are you seeing the water leak develop? like what area?<br /><br />PB

 

[Tufan]

Re: Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

I am sorry, It is a Merc Alpha one.<br />I wanted to mean 'original Merc parts' when I said OMC... (forgive me as a new boater)<br /><br />Yes it started after the repairs.<br />It is very hard to say, it seems like it is coming from where engine and outdrive connects, from the lower-back side. Very tight area. It is not coming in during cruising, it starts coming in when engine is shut off.

 

[Wellcraft 89]

Re: Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

when the mechanic replaced the bellows ,did he chk the 3 other things that can bring water into that area?<br />1)exhaust bellows<br />2)raw water intake hose <br />3)shift cable bellows <br /><br />also new bellows go bad very quickly if not installed right <br /> <br />Rich

 

[Tufan]

Re: Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

Yes, we have replaced all the bellows. Not only bellows, we had to replace everythink there. The main shaft, bushings, intake hose, and what ever else was there that I dont know how do you call them... <br /><br />I have never beed this much frustrated. <br /><br />I even thought about getting rid of the whole engine and stern drive, get a bracket and buy an outboard engine. Contacted with this people from Florida to get pricing for a bracket. That stainless steel piece alone is $ 1000 bucks. However it is too much $$$ and a friend of mine suggested not to go for it becasue he said I will have to get the back of the boat re-built since it was not designed for an outboard, he said back construction may not be strong enough. Which made sense.

 

[gio@sprynet.com]

Re: Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

I may be having the same water leak problem on my 1994 Alpha outdrive (4.3 V6 engine). When boat is put in water, engine off, 1/2 gallon or more a minute pours into the boat center of gimble. When boat was pulled from the water, I noticed water seemed to pour out through the RH exhaust port? 1" hole in outdrive. Saw a small, black, round "door" inside this opening, and also could not locate this same door on LH side. <br />Could we be having the same problem? Any suggestion? Jim

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

With that big a leak, you should be able to back the boat into the water and find exactly where it's coming in at. Use mirrors and flashlights if necessary, or even feel the leak.<br />If the engine compartment is so small that it's impossible to do, I have actually had to pull the engine out, then put the drive back on and put the boat back into the water to find the leak.<br />It could be the fitting for the drive oil reservoir, exhaust tube, where the wires for the senders come through, where the tube for the water pickup comes through the transom sheild, or even a bad transom shield main seal or cracked transom shield.

 

[tommays]

Re: Mercruiser/Alpha one - Water Leak Problem

i think the easy thing you can do right know is remove the engine cover and leave it on land<br /><br />a leak this fast should be easy to see at that point<br /><br />i would be suprized if it is not one of the three bellows it is easy to leave a littel dirt and not reseal them correctly or damage them on install<br /><br /><br />by the way orginal parts are OEM<br /><br />tommays