Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

[dkorzun21]

I have a 1989 all american I/o and looking for somthing white to seal 2 small hole in the back of the boat by the ladder. When I bought the boat there was a crack in the back left but dont think it leaks, There is 2 screw holes around where the rubb gard was pulled down a little bit.

Its weird because sometimes my boat will take on water and sometimes it wont so im not sure if that what it is. ITs above the water line of the boat.
Somtimes when I dock my boat over night I have to check it every 4 hours and it usally pumps out water for about a minute but cant figure out where its comming from. I check the bellow and it looks good but was thinking of see if it was tight later with a screw drive. Its feel tight but without a screw drive im unsure. WHAT CAN THIS LEAK BE? The speedo works so im not sure if its that, speedo does move but not sure if its on point.

IM GOING TO POST PICS LATER OF THE HOLES

 

[nlain]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

If you have to pump water out every 4 hours when in the water you need to open the engine compartment and spen some quality time finding that leak, wag, probably one of the bellows, if Merc you have 3, big one for the drive, 1 exhaust and 1 for shift cable. I would not leave the boat unattended in the water until you find and repair the leak.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

If you have to pump water out every 4 hours when in the water you need to open the engine compartment and spen some quality time finding that leak, wag, probably one of the bellows, if Merc you have 3, big one for the drive, 1 exhaust and 1 for shift cable. I would not leave the boat unattended in the water until you find and repair the leak.

Ok, whats a wag??? Also i looked at the bellow im not sure which one it was but it was like behind the lower unit kinda tucked away above it. Which one is that? Where would the one others one be. And how tight should i tighted the bellows metal clamp thats on there snug or tight dont want to crack and break anything

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

NEW PICS do you guys think this can be cause me to take on water. I was going to try and have my gf stick a flash light in the back where the whole is and have me pop my head in the engine area to see if I can see the light. Later tonight after I clean her up from a long weekend.
Also I was thinking about fixing the crack its not through or anything but doesnt look that great was going to use marine tex . Its like a clay materails that sands like woods but hards like steel. Has anyone ever tried it?

 

[southtexas]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Had a buddy use Marinetex, it's good stuff but sets HARD AS A ROCK. Make sure you get it right the first time bc if you try and remove it, you're gonna take off more material than you used.

3m 5200 marine sealant 24 hour cure could also work for the screw holes; it's available in white.

And be careful where you ask your gf to stick that flashlight

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Had a buddy use Marinetex, it's good stuff but sets HARD AS A ROCK. Make sure you get it right the first time bc if you try and remove it, you're gonna take off more material than you used.

3m 5200 marine sealant 24 hour cure could also work for the screw holes; it's available in white.

And be careful where you ask your gf to stick that flashlight

Ok nice cant you sand the marinetex after it sets? I thought you put it on almost like puddy and then when it hardens sand off?

Ok Ill have to get that 5200 later I think that might be whats causing my leak because I went to a lake 2 weekends ago and got a lake house and my boat was parked sideways on the dock and i only had some water then went to another lake and parked the boat at the dock for the weekend with the bow toward the shore and waves hitting the backend and there was alot of water. So think that might be it.

That flashlight your not kinding I had to warn her a couple times already...hahahah j/k

 

[nlain]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

WAG= wild ***** guess.

The largest one of the bellows, the top one, is the one for the drive shaft, next size down is exhaust, the smallest is the shift cable.

Yes you can sand Marine Tex, I have used it on my skeg to make the welding look better where I broke it off. Sanded, primed and painted.

 

[nlain]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Just looked at the pictures, that is all above the rub rail, I would not think a lot of water would get in the boat from those places. I do know that waves hitting the stern can splash into the boat but still not a lot, not going to say it did not happen either. Was the out drive trimmed all the way in or was it trimmed out in the two dockings you mention? I am thinking about bellows again, if trimmed in cracks in the bottom of the bellows could be closed up, trimmed out cracks in the bellows could be opened up. Just putting some things out here for you to think about, hope this does help.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Do you think thoses 2 screw holes by the rail guards could be the cause of my leak?

 

[nlain]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

There could be some splash coming in there, maybe a coffee cup full in a day or two, but those holes are above the water line so I do not see the pump having to run about a minute every 4 hours from that. What you describe almost has to be something below the water line to let that much water in every 4 hours which is why I keep talking bellows. On that vintage boat the bellows probably needs changing unless you know they have recently been changed. If that is the case then I would be checking to see if they are installed properly and not leaking at the sealing points.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

There could be some splash coming in there, maybe a coffee cup full in a day or two, but those holes are above the water line so I do not see the pump having to run about a minute every 4 hours from that. What you describe almost has to be something below the water line to let that much water in every 4 hours which is why I keep talking bellows. On that vintage boat the bellows probably needs changing unless you know they have recently been changed. If that is the case then I would be checking to see if they are installed properly and not leaking at the sealing points.

Ok, I looked a the bellow I could only see one though it was behing the lowerunit tucked away at the top kinda where it connects to the transom. And the bellow looks brand new. I was going to try and tightin the clamps to see if maybe they are lose and def adding a auto bildge pump in the upcoming month I have a new pump and i just connect a swith to that?

 

[southtexas]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Yes, as others have mentioned, it will sand fine. with enough touch-up work, no one will ever know you repaired it

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Yes, as others have mentioned, it will sand fine. with enough touch-up work, no one will ever know you repaired it

OK great just wanted to make sure that when I put it on a hards it will sand and not be all lumpy and uneven. thats going to be my next project on the boat after I find this leak How is the color compared to a white boat because the stuff you mix together kinkda looks darker then the white I have? And is this easy to use?

 

[MRS]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

I had a merc 120 and the shift cable boot had crack in it every time I would trim the motor up to a certin point the water would flow in like a river. If it was down would let very little water in but it did still come in I finally found it by tilting the drive all the way up and looking at all the bellows with a flash light.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

I had a merc 120 and the shift cable boot had crack in it every time I would trim the motor up to a certin point the water would flow in like a river. If it was down would let very little water in but it did still come in I finally found it by tilting the drive all the way up and looking at all the bellows with a flash light.

Ok i will check that out. When I use the trailer button and bring the engine all the way up a can only see one bellow almost the size of a 20 oz plastic bottle, Where can I find the other ones.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Ok i will check that out. When I use the trailer button and bring the engine all the way up a can only see one bellow almost the size of a 20 oz plastic bottle, Where can I find the other ones.

??????

 

[nlain]

Re: Would you think this would cause a leak? What to use to repair a leak?

Look at this:

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...0065.png&inbr=2203&bnbr=60&bdesc=BELL+HOUSING

and this:

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...BAL+HOUSING+SQUARE/SPLINED+UPPER+SWIVEL+SHAFT

The first link is the driveshaft bellows and the exhaust bellows, the second is the shift bellows. The big one is the high one then the exhaust is to the right and down, the shift is below, you should see all three with the drive in trailer position. Hope this helps