Taking on Water

[RedDog]

Unfortunately, while doing the trailer swap at the ramp on Saturday 1/23 I discovered my bellows or shift cable boot or something has a hole in it. Took on a lot of water. My last outing in the Fall, I noticed a lot of water drained out when I pulled the plug. Thought it was odd but haven't thought about it since.

[Barry Eller]

Both are areas water can enter. I had the outdrive transom plate seal leak on my boat. Check that too. :yes:

[RedDog]

Guess I'll take it to the shop. Last time I was there I noticed they had a "pool" and ramp to water test boats

[Planetwarmer]

mine was leaking where the tabs were mounted on the transom

[VetteLT193]

Probably shift cable boot. I had a bad bellows and it barely leaked at all because the hole the shaft runs through is pretty snug.

Had tabs leak too. That was a super easy fix.

[MOP]

One thing you can bet on if it is the bellows left since last season the gimble bearing will be shot and possibly seized in the bore, any water leakage through the transom assy must be investigated and fixed immediately.

[Dr. David Fleming]

The bellows provides the water integrity for the whole sterndrive. A leak in the bellows can get catastrophic and sink the boat. You should store the sterndrive in a down position as the bellows can take a kink and then the driveshaft may rub against it and tear it. If you have to replace this you might as well do all the seals and do an engine alignment. Check the u-joints and gimble bearing.

Be sure to get water integrity on all the "thru hull' access points. The fiberglass core can soak up water and this will rot out the transom. Extra water weight also slows down the boat.

If the transom of the boat does go bad a good fiberglass builder can restore it. Talk to Larry Falk at Cat Composites in Port Huron, MI.

[RedDog]

it's the Y-Pipe :hangum:

[VetteLT193]

that sucks.

[Walt. H.]

it's the Y-Pipe :hangum:
When life hands you lemons they say make lemonade, I say get a bottle of vodka and have a party. :party: Or in other words as long as you have to pull the engine now is a good time to use that as a excuse to do those performance engine upgrades you've been wanting to do for years! :yes:

Now here is another way to fix your problem, since you have thru transom exh you don't need that Y-pipe so can also get away with just sealing the Y-pipe opening thru the outside exh bellow hole so that water doesn't enter the inside leaking Y-pipe flange anymore.
Use expanding foam followed with sealing the foam with JB weld followed with a coating of 3M-4200
Chances are that Y-pipe bolt flange is corroded anyway on the inside and you would have to do the exact same thing short of replacing the transom assembly?

[RedDog]

Would the Y-pipe fill with water from the Silent Choice diverters?

[Walt. H.]

Yes it would, and you would have to do away with the silent choice if you chose the quick fix I suggested.

[Ghost]

<hijack>


When life hands you lemons they say make lemonade, I say get a bottle of vodka and have a party. :party:

I like it. Or,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9meTP6L4S4


</hijack>

[VetteLT193]

but if you fill it from the outside with foam using the MOP method (search for it) you should be able to leave the Y pipe installed. All you have to do is take out the silent choice portion of the exhaust and replace with regular exhaust hose.

The Y will still be back there. when you pull the engine to fix it one day you can remove it.

Personally I wouldn't want to give up silent choice so I'd probably suck it up and yank the engine now.

[Walt. H.]

but if you fill it from the outside with foam using the MOP method (search for it) you should be able to leave the Y pipe installed. All you have to do is take out the silent choice portion of the exhaust and replace with regular exhaust hose.
The Y will still be back there. when you pull the engine to fix it one day you can remove it.
Personally I wouldn't want to give up silent choice so I'd probably suck it up and yank the engine now.
Thats exactly what I described above.

[mrfixxall]

I cant see the y pipe leaking unless its a 4.3,vary coming on those..What i have ran across in the past is the exhaust flapper falls into the y pipe and rubs a hole in it..this only happens if the impeller goes bad and the flapper gets melted from the exhaust then falls down in the y pipe. if your bellow has a tear in it it will look like the y is leaking..i would double check the bellows! also if you have the exhaust bellow it will rub on the ujoint bellow and also put a hole in it..i have also seen when the impeller goes out it will also melt the exhaust bellow along with the ujoint bellow..

I would pull the drive first and check the ujoint bellow,if its real soft their may be a hole in it..if you suspect the ypipe see it it is loose,you may be able to slightly move it..

[Walt. H.]

<hijack>



I like it. Or,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9meTP6L4S4


</hijack>
I think the guy on You Tube was describing suicide?Doh!:bonk:

[Ghost]

I think the guy on You Tube was describing suicide?Doh!:bonk:

Actually, he ditched his job and moved to Hawaii to teach surfing. You need to see this movie.

</okay I swear I will end my hijack now, honest>

[RedDog]

I..What i have ran across in the past is the exhaust flapper falls into the y pipe and rubs a hole in it..this only happens if the impeller goes bad and the flapper gets melted from the exhaust then falls down in the y pipe. ..


I have it at a Mercruiser shop (SeaRay - they do Mercruiser work). I asked the service manager why would it fail and he described the flapper rubbing a hole. I did have an impeller go bad about 4 years ago.

[mrfixxall]

I have it at a Mercruiser shop (SeaRay - they do Mercruiser work). I asked the service manager why would it fail and he described the flapper rubbing a hole. I did have an impeller go bad about 4 years ago.


Sound like you brought it to the rite guy! :) if the y is still in good shape just have the hole welded up! i have welded up a few with good results and no failures yet :crossfing:

[Barry Eller]

What is a "Y" pipe???....What is Silent Choice????....Questions from a Dry Pipe User...

It could be the Codine cough syrup I'm taking for my sinus infection & 100.8 fever...:bonk:

[Walt. H.]

I have it at a Mercruiser shop (SeaRay - they do Mercruiser work). I asked the service manager why would it fail and he described the flapper rubbing a hole. I did have an impeller go bad about 4 years ago.
I thought you needed advice to know how to fix it yourself, thats why I chimed in.:confused: :bonk:

[Walt. H.]

What is a "Y" pipe???....What is Silent Choice????....Questions from a Dry Pipe User...
It could be the Codine cough syrup I'm taking for my sinus infection & 100.8 fever...:bonk:
Y-pipe: Stock quiet route the exh takes to exit thru the sterndrive and out thru the prop under water.

Silent Choice aka Capt's call: Switchable system to change from loud thru transom exh to quiet thru-prop stock exh.

[Barry Eller]

Y-pipe: Stock quiet route the exh takes to exit thru the sterndrive and out thru the prop under water.
Silent Choice aka Capt's call: Switchable system to change from loud thru transom exh to quiet thru-prop stock exh.


I have none of those things...:kingme:

[RedDog]

Ya-hoo! Upon further checking, the service shop decided it wasn't the Y-pipe afterall. It was the shift cable boot. Still a rather pricey service call. New gimbal bellows, shift cable boot, shift cable assembly, and a couple of other fixes while you are there items - e.g., 1 of the the Bennett trim tab hydraulic line fittings had a crack...

All should be good now. Another 5 or 6 weeks until dewinterization and launching for the season.

[gcarter]

No matter what it cost, it was cheap compared to R&R the engine, and if they changed the bearing too (even if it was good), you shouldn't have to touch that area again for another 5-10 years.

[Tidbart]

Boat is 12 years old, I would pull the engine. You would then have the opportunity to replace the Y pipe and get a good look at the condition of the engine and accessories. Plus you can do a good cleaning.:)

Bob

[RedDog]

Boat is 12 years old, I would pull the engine. You would then have the opportunity to replace the Y pipe and get a good look at the condition of the engine and accessories. Plus you can do a good cleaning.:)

Bob

If the Y-pipe is not leaking, why would I replace it. It's clean and I have no facilities to pull the engine just for the heck of it.

[Tidbart]

If the Y-pipe is not leaking, why would I replace it. It's clean and I have no facilities to pull the engine just for the heck of it.


Please ignore my post. Haven't had coffee yet.:bonk: I didn't even see that there was two pages, never got past the y-pipe post. TGIF

Bob

[oledawg]

Had the same thing on my 22C, all good now, about $150 in parts, $280 in labor, but good to go for a while now! :pimp:

[mrfixxall]

If the Y-pipe is not leaking, why would I replace it. It's clean and I have no facilities to pull the engine just for the heck of it.


Reddog, for a piece of mind did they check out to seeif the exhaust flapper is still in tact? simple job,they just have to loosen the y pipe exhaust clamp,then slide the bellow down a tad and pry the rubber over a little and with a flashlight then can see them..

[RedDog]

Reddog, for a piece of mind did they check out to see if the exhaust flapper is still in tact? simple job,they just have to loosen the y pipe exhaust clamp,then slide the bellow down a tad and pry the rubber over a little and with a flashlight then can see them..

I don't know - I doubt they looked. Are you referring to the clamp on top at the silent choice diverter?

1) If it is gone, can it be replaced?
2) If it is gone, could it have passed all the way through and out the exhaust or would it hang up - could if be fished out from the transom or the top of the Y with a grabber?
3) If it is gone and did pass through, what is the down side of not having it - I almost alway run with the exhaust open?
4) If it is not gone, is this an item that should routinely be replaced?

I'll note, when running on the hose and the Silent Choice is engaged or not, it sure doesn't seem that there is any restriction in the water flow

[mrfixxall]

I don't know - I doubt they looked. Are you referring to the clamp on top at the silent choice diverter?

1) If it is gone, can it be replaced?
2) If it is gone, could it have passed all the way through and out the exhaust or would it hang up - could if be fished out from the transom or the top of the Y with a grabber?
3) If it is gone and did pass through, what is the down side of not having it - I almost alway run with the exhaust open?
4) If it is not gone, is this an item that should routinely be replaced?

I'll note, when running on the hose and the Silent Choice is engaged or not, it sure doesn't seem that there is any restriction in the water flow

yes it can be fished out, the flappers are a oval shape 3''x5'' so i doubt it could pass throught the exhaust bellow..if they remove the riser and the captains call diverter they can be replaced with out removing the engine..

they are their to keep the water from rushing back in when you come off plane and when your boat is sitting still off and waves crashing in the back of the boat..yes you can run with out them but you never know if you get that big wave that can get into your exhaust ports..