bullhorn leaking at or near transom 7.4l bravo

[demaris]

wondering if there is a method to remove and replace the bullhorn on a 7.4l bravo 1 assembly without having to remove the engine completely?

 

[QBhoy]

Without thinking too much about it...and if the boat is out the water obviously..I think all you’d need to do is remove the risers to get the clearance you need. If you’re lucky...maybe even just the rubber joining sleeve...but not as easy. Perhaps someone will correct me. Not familiar with the big blocks so much.

 

[Bondo]

wondering if there is a method to remove and replace the bullhorn on a 7.4l bravo 1 assembly without having to remove the engine completely?

Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard,..... If yer talkin' about the y-pipe,..?? nope, no way in 'ell,.....

The motor has to come out to get to it, 'n remove or reinstall it,.....

 

[GA_Boater]

Is bullhorn the Y pipe? Never heard it called a bullhorn before, but a lot of other names because the motor almost always has to come out to replace it. You need a lot of room to swing it around to get it out and when it's all said and done moving the motor out of the way is faster. And easier. Plus with the drive off, you have the chance to do the other maintenance and checks.


Welcome aboard, demaris.

 

[demaris]

thanks for the welcome. all indications say remove the engine. i was wondering if just lifting or lifting and moving forward a bit would do it. most probably not, eh?

 

[GA_Boater]

If you have the room to move it forward and you can still get your hands down there to work. But at that point, you can lift and swing the motor out of the way.

 

[QBhoy]

Ok. Fair play. All above will know better than I on this engine. I honestly thought if you can get the risers out the way and you have room enough..there is nothing to stop you removing them.
Cow horns they are called where I am. Y pipe too.

 

[achris]

..there is nothing to stop you removing them.....

There's plenty to stop you removing them. The positions of the inner transom plate rear engine mounts for one. You need to remove the engine, completely, to get to the bolts holding the Y-pipe to the gimbal housing. You have absolutely zero, nil chance of doing that with the engine anywhere near the exhaust. Once the bolts are out, the Y-pipe needs to be pulled forward, about a foot, to clear the rear mounts. Here's a photo of the Y-pipe in place, with no engine in... Those pink circles and arrows indicate the securing bolts.



Chris.......

 

[demaris]

ok guys, the pic is the nail in the coffin. thanks for the good (?) info. i can see a crane in my future.

 

[Bt Doctur]

and wait until you try to remove the " elephant ears" too

 

[demaris]

yes, it's been a while but have returned to the boat.

engine finally out and on the ground.

found, to start with, looks like the transom on the lower left outside gimbal housing has either been over tightened or somehow dented allowing a seepage to occur at the bottom of the cutout of the transom for the outdrive. it also looks like the previous owner loved grease. there was a pile of grease on the bottom of this cutout from greasing the coupling assembly. that allowed the seepage to be in contact with the wye tube bottom. outcome was that the bottom of the wye tube was basically dissolved. two stainless 12pt bolts still in place but the lower housing was gone. since the wye tube was so damaged it only figured that the gimbal base was also damaged. another one on the way in.

i think if the grease hadn't formed a dam the seep would not have resulted in such damage and being salt water would not have had an impact on the wood of the transom.
​​​​​​​
this buy wasn't my greatest decision. a warning to newbies to i/o boats (i'm a former sailboater), if there is salt water in the bilge, run the other direction, don't pass go and don't collect $200. it's going to cost a lot more than that.

 

[GA_Boater]

Better check your transom wood. Denting is almost impossible without shearing bolts and studs.

 

[demaris]

from my experience with wood sailboats, that particular chore isn't as frightening ($$$$$$) as the engine and drive.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I agree with GA, your transom is soft

I suggest you start reading the links in the restoration sticky. specifically links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a and 4B

I see a transom and stringer job in your future.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Good news: drilling a number of test holes should quickly reveal if your transom is bad.
Bad news: it's hard to imagine how the wood would be dented unless (a) a lower grade of plywood was used in the transom and a void between plies collapsed or (b) the wood is rotting. Either way, some repair or replacement is in your future.

 

[demaris]

boy, you guys are doomsayers! inner and outer transom plates are out and the area in question is now visible. while the inner transom plate is perfect give or take a little cottage cheese the outer one that had the divot that was on the pic can't be trusted.. can't tell for sure but i think that the former mechanic just did some sort of fill on the dents.

there are actually two dents. one at the lower left outer transom bolt and a smaller one on the second from the bottom on the lower right side.

the only way i can see this happening is if someone removed the complete drive and used loose bolts to hold the inner plate while repairing the outdrive, maybe over tightening?

wood on the transom is in great shape. this from a wooden sailboat owner. just crushed at those two bolt locations. so the good news is actually that the transom is fine barring a little epoxy work on the dent. the bad news is that the wye tube and the gimbal housing are corroded and i can't chance a repeat of the exhaust water leak. $$$

 

[Scott Danforth]

transom wood can not crush due to the bolts, you would snap the bolts prior to that ever happening. I would seriously look at the shavings from the drill test.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... I agree,..... Good transoms don't dent,......

The bottom pushed in, is from the prop torque bendin' the driveline under,......