Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

[lakelivin]

1989 4.3L Cobra.<br /><br />If the drive has to be pulled anyways, can any of the mechanics here give me an approximation as to how long you'd expect it to take to replace the exhaust and input drive bellows on this drive? A real mechanics time (not me or a shadetree mechanic). Looking for time spent on the bellows only, not counting pulling or replacing the drive.<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[Don S]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

If the drive is already off and isn't going to be reinstalled, it will take about 30 to 45 minutes to replace them both.<br />All it takes is to remove the big plastic nut for the water hose, remove the 2 pivot pins, remove the snap ring on the exhaust bellows, 2 hose clamps and the bellows is off. Then put them back on. It really goes fairly quick.

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

Thanks Don,<br /><br />Yep, drive already off. It will be reinstalled, just didn't want that in the time estimate since it would need to be reinstalled even if the bellows weren't changed. Changing the bellows wouldn't increase the reinstallation time in any way, would it?

 

[P.V.]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

A real shop would charge you about......1 to 1.5 hrs, I would think. You do have to be careful about not buggering up the shift cable and assumming salt/corrosion does not hinder you! A mechanic who has done this job a time or two could actually do it in about... yes, 3/4 hour or so! Maybe slightly faster, but remember, you don't want a fast mechanic, you want a mechanic who treats your boat as if it were his own!! And does it right , the first time!!

 

[P.V.]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

P.S. It takes forever (with severe hand cramps) to do a Mercruiser!!!

 

[Don S]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

I think you have that wrong P.V., he wants a fast mechanic, not a half fast mechanic.....if you know what I mean. And you are right about how much a reputable mechanic would charge. But hey, he only ask how long it would take to change the bellows. Not including moving the boat, cleaning the boat, doing the paper work, getting the tools, getting the parts from the parts dept., dealing with corrosion, and all the other things that happen in the real world.<br />But to change the bellows, yea, 30 to 45 minutes.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

The 1 to 1.5 hour flat rate charge would be rightly due even if it only takes the tech 45 min. If you do any kind of labor profession as WE all know this exact same job tomorrow "could" take 2 to 2.5 hours, and guess who usually comes out ahead then. The CUSTOMER

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

P.V.: <br />"...you don't want a fast mechanic, you want a mechanic who treats your boat as if it were his own!! And does it right , the first time!!" <br /><br />You're right. And I've found one, unfortunately he's about 1.5 hours away. <br /><br />Don S:<br />"I think you have that wrong P.V., he wants a fast mechanic, not a half fast mechanic.....if you know what I mean. And you are right about how much a reputable mechanic would charge. But hey, he only ask how long it would take to change the bellows. Not including moving the boat, cleaning the boat, doing the paper work, getting the tools, getting the parts from the parts dept., dealing with corrosion, and all the other things that happen in the real world."<br /><br />Actually, that's not the case. This has to do with the local shop that gave me back my boat with the gear oil 26oz short and then claimed that the subsequent, immediate, damage to gears & bearings wasn't due to the low oil (that issue has been covered extensively in my original iBoats post). I thought we had something equitable worked out on fixing the drive, but that didn't quite turn out to be the case. Still working on the equitable part, but they did replace the upper drive with a rebuilt one.<br /><br />My question above was because when they put in the rebuilt upper, they also changed the bellows (not at my request or before getting my approval to do the work, but if new ones were needed I'm glad they did it). But they charged me $150 for the 2 bellows (their cost, supposedly) plus 3 hours labor for installing them. Almost all the other work you mentioned (moving the boat, pulling and replacing the drive, etc.) should have been included in the drive replacement; that's why I asked about an approximate time for just the bellows. <br /><br />I understand there's a possibility there might have been problems with replacing the bellows that took more time than normal, but have to weigh that against the the rest of my experience with this shop. (As far as 'cleaning' the boat, even though it had a cover, I got it back with algae covering all of the vinyl, dirty carpet, etc., so that one doesn't apply at all).

 

[Don S]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

Then the bellows change should have only increased the labor by 30 to 45 minutes (my estimate)not 3 hours. They really aren't that big a deal to change.

 

[rabidfish]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

If I were you... I would take my boat to Don S from now on...<br /><br />He'll do it "right" for a third of the cost!<br /><br />That's worth a little extra travel time.<br /><br />UDAMAN Don!

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Replacing exhaust and input drive bellows on a Cobra

Rabid- you can't imagine how much I wish Don or several other wrenches I've read and respect on here were close enough to take my boat to!<br /><br />(is that the correct use for the word 'wrenches'? hopefully I'm starting to pick up the lingo, lol)<br /><br />Obviously this shop is not OMC savvy. I'm wondering if maybe 3 hours is closer to a standard shop charge for replacing merc bellows (sounds like they're much more of a pain in the *ss).