Shift cable bellows slides on cable oiter casing

[Boatrunner1]

I noticed when examining the gear oil resevoir hose (outdrive removed) that when the bell housing is lifted to its highest point the shift cable bellows expands and then slides on cable casing. When the housing is lowered the bellows contracts and slides back on the cable casing. The narrow end of the shift bellows is secured by a nylon wire tie.
I didn't have any water in the bilge last season. I am wondering if it is supposed to slide on the cable casing or should i secure it tighter with a ss clamp so that it doesn't slide on the cable when the bellow is expanded.
If the bellows shouldn't slide on the cable casing, I will tighten it with the clamp by gradually tightening the clamp until I reached the point where it doesn't doesn't slide on the cable casing when the bell housing is lifted to its highest highest level, as not to retrict movement of the inner shift cable.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[harringtondav]

Mixed reviews on this one. I say yes. The full tilt/trim travel exceeds the bellows' stretch length. A solid Merc mechanic showed me this, and slid the bellows with two fingers. I think that's why the Merc manual shows a fabbed up crimp tool to avoid over tightening the aft crimp clamp. When this happens, the bellows can pull off it's hub, or tear.

 

[rickasbury]

Ok so if I don't no nothing about nothing, I know a little about this. Mine came off like 3x. So, final solution, for me so far, was to it won't put it on dry. I leaned all the surfaces with acetone which made it tacky and I can't pull it off. Im told that the cable should slide through the end of the boot- mine does not seem to so I extended the dive all the way and them put a zip tie on it. So far, so good.

 

[scoflaw]

Apparently it doesn't seem to matter which method

 

[Boatrunner1]

Thanks for the input! Seems like hung jury on this matter... My thoughts about this predicament are that since the neck of the bellows that faces the outdrive where the cable enters it is secured by a nylon cable tie and not crimped as per the manufacturer's service proceedure, I fear that water cannot possibly be kept from seeping in through the sliding bellow's neck and that it will contue to to incresase with time until it becomes a problem in the bilge and with the cable.
Especially since the nylon cable tie was obviously installed by one of those cable tie guns that automtically cuts the nylon fastener's excess length very close and evenly (not by me). I purchased 2 of those "guns" thinking that I could use them to do my gear oil reservoir hose connections instead of hose clamps but found that these guns cut the nylon ties before they pull the nylon tie sufficiently tight. So I used ss hose clamps for that job. I was doing that job when I noticed the shift cable bellow sliding on the cable.
During the gear oil hose job I held the bell housing raised as far as it would go and I slid the shift bellows toward the outdrive until the shift bellows was fully extended. I examined the shift bellows in this position (fully extended ) for any defects and to make sure the other end was still securely connected. Everthing looked fine.
So here are my thoughts and plan. The bell housing with the outdrive attached would never reach the physical limit of the bell housing topping out on the gimbal ring like it did when I raised it by hand with the outdrive off. I had the shift bellows fully extended by hand and everything about it looked good. So with the bell housing fully raised by hand with the outdrive off, I will fully extend the shift bellows sliding it towards the outdrive and put a mark on the shift cable when it is fully extended. I will put another mark on the shift cable approximately one inch from the first mark in the transom direction. That second mark would represent where I would secure the shift bellow neck with a ss hose clamp so that the shift bellow would be extended less than its fully extended position of the first mark I made on the cable with the bell housing topping out on the gimbal ring.
With the outdrive installed, the rise of the bell housing when the outdrive is trimmed up, would be limited by the trim limit switch and never reach the height that I raised it by hand with the outdrive removed. Between the trim limiter switch and the second mark on the cable that is less than the fully extended shift bellow position, the shift cable bellow would remain safely stretched at all conditions if the bellow neck was attached at that second mark I made on the shift cable.
I would raised the bell housing to its maximum position and then use that second mark on the cable to secure the shift bellow neck to the cable by keeping the bell housing fully raised and tightening the the ss clamp little by little until the bellow just stops to slide towards the transom with the bell housing raised to is maimum height. With the outdrive attached the trim limit switch will always make sure that the bell housing rise and resulting shift bellow stretch, will always be less than the height I raised it to by hand when I determined a safe strecthing of the shift bellows (second mark made on cable towards transom side).
What are the thoughts about the plan?
Thanks again.

 

[harringtondav]

Just a clarification. The trim limit switch stops up trim movement at a specified location, but the drive will continue to travel to full up with your "trailer" button. It stops moving when the trim cylinders/rams bottom out, and the trim pump labors in relief.

Your plan sounds OK, but remember to not tighten the hose clamp excessively. The bellows should be able to slide on the cable. Also be careful with a hose clamp. Things are tight under the bell housing. If the clamp is in the wrong position, it could eventually wear on your lube monitor hose or the DS bellows.

As far a leaks - when I've replaced that bellows, it is a tight fit, fight fit getting the shift cable to thread through the bellows. I can't imagine any water leaking through this fit as is, without the SS clamp. So the cable tie should be good enough. Many high rank forum members recommend this. Again snug is good enough. The bellows needs to be able to slide on the bellows.

 

[Bondo]

What are the thoughts about the plan?

Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard,..... Yer makin' a mountain outa a mole hill,.....

The zip-tie is more than sufficient,....

 

[rickasbury]

lol...I thought I was the master of that!

Mine would not slide and pulled the darn thing off no matter what I did....

 

[Boatrunner1]

Ok!.The jury is not hung anymore! I believe in the saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it"... I will let it be and keep an eye on the situation.
Another issue. Trying to do engine alignment on 1995 Larson Escapade day cruiser with merc 5.7L engine (same boat). The schematics and service manual says the front engine mounts should have 3/4" nuts. My mounts have 1 1/8" nuts...
I got the starboard side locking nut loose. The port side locking nut when turned spins the adjusting nut below as well.
This indicates the entire bolt is turning. I thought that the bolt should not be able to turn and be stationary, locked in place it the mount base.
Is this mount broken? or should I just screw the locking nut in the clockwise direction (the adjustment nut turns clockwise as well) to lower the engine?
Also I'm confused. If the grease marks are heavy on the upperside of the alignment tool and faint on the lowerside it would indicate that the engine is too low and needs to be raised correct? So, to raise the back of the engine at the coupler the front engine mounts need to belowered? It works like a "see saw" playground equipment? Pushing the front mounts down will raise the engine at the coupler end?
Should I initiate a seperate post for this issue? I checked the engine mount posts and did't see an answer to either of my engine mount questions.
Thanks again!

 

[Bondo]

The port side locking nut when turned spins the adjusting nut below as well.
This indicates the entire bolt is turning. I thought that the bolt should not be able to turn and be stationary, locked in place it the mount base.
Is this mount broken? or should I just screw the locking nut in the clockwise direction (the adjustment nut turns clockwise as well) to lower the engine?

Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard,...... Hold the lower nut with 1 wrench, 'n turn the top nut with a 2nd wrench,.....

Once the top nut is loosened, adjust by turnin' the lower nut,....

 

[harringtondav]

The port side locking nut when turned spins the adjusting nut below as well.
This indicates the entire bolt is turning. I thought that the bolt should not be able to turn and be stationary, locked in place it the mount base.
Is this mount broken? or should I just screw the locking nut in the clockwise direction (the adjustment nut turns clockwise as well) to lower the engine?

First, try Bondo's tip and hope you can get the top locking nut to back off. Use panther pee penetrating juice - Liquid wrench - or torch heat if it's stubborn.

I had a similar or same problem with one of my mounts. The adjusting nut was hopelessly frozen to the stud. The stud is bonded into the rubber core in the mount body. I broke the bond loose trying to move the adj. nut and the stud spun. I tried installing a second jamb nut on the lock nut to lock the stud, But the adj nut wouldn't budge. This may work for you.

My alignment was spot on, so I walked away for many years until I had to pull the engine for broken mount studs on the other side. If your nuts are frozen you can easily (access wise) split the top nut with a multi function oscillating tool. Take care to avoid cutting into the stud threads too far.

Then remove the other lock nut and out drive, and attach a hoist to the engines front lifting eye or place a short bottle jack under a solid place on the front of the engine and raise it enough to spin up (with the jamb nuts on the stud), or split the lock nut. If you split it, you'll have to raise the engine clear of the mount stud to replace the nut. This means lowering the engine back to normal, and removing the two rear mount bolts to get enough engine lift.

 

[achris]

....If your nuts are frozen you can ...

move to a warmer climate...

(I couldn't resist)

Chris........

 

[harringtondav]

move to a warmer climate...

(I couldn't resist)

Chris........

Hoooray!! Chris is back.

 

[Boatrunner1]

Thanks for the info guys! I adjusted the port side front down between 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn. I left the starboard side front mount where it is. The alignment is basically dead on. I rotated the engine about a quater of a turn, it was still good. Rotated it about the same 2 more times and alignment was still good each rotation.
I'm gonna do like harringtondav did and worry about it if and when I have to lift the engine due to another issue!
Thanks guys!

 

[achris]

Are you saying that the port side is lower than starboard? If so, that will chew out the rear mounts. If the port side lower nut needs to be adjusted, and it's seize, fix it, or you'll be fixing it AND replacing the rear mounts.