5.7 Mercruiser sterndrive, Help!

[SeaRayer220]

I've recently tried to put my 1995 Sea Ray in the water and discovered a water leak in the stern. I've checked my two piece brass plug and it seems to be good, but I've noticed a cracked/ broken hose ( looks like a shaft inside it ) beside my bellows. Would this be the leak problem? See pictures.

 

[alldodge]

Would this be the leak problem? See pictures.

Howdy

Yes, that is your shift cable boot and it will let water into the boat

 

[SeaRayer220]

Many thanks! Do you know if I need to take the sterndrive off to replace it? Or is it an easier fix ( hopefully )

 

[Scott Danforth]

yes, you need to take the outdrive off. replace all the bellows

 

[SeaRayer220]

Replacing all the bellows because of the one cracked boot? That seems excessive, I'm not very mechanically inclined, but you'd think I would just need to replace that one boot?

 

[R055]

Replacing all the bellows because of the one cracked boot? That seems excessive, I'm not very mechanically inclined, but you'd think I would just need to replace that one boot?

Unless all your others were replaced recently.(Last 5 years) otherwise they'll suffer the same fate as this hose.

 

[SeaRayer220]

Understandable! I'll check the service records on the boat. The main bellows look like newer shape, but I just purchased it last fall.

Thanks everyone for the feedback, greatly appreciated.

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Its true -- You only to need to replace the shift cable bellows to fix the leak in the picture.

However -- Preventive maintenance is the key these keeping these out-drives running well. The collateral damage seen from lack of scheduled maintenance on this sort of boat can be quite expensive.

All 3 bellows have a 5 recommended year life span.

If the main shaft bellows leaks it can damage your out-drive by forcing water into the drive during operation. That can cause wear problems in the out-drive itself.

The exhaust bellows is unlikely to cause collateral damage if torn

The shift bellows allows water to enter your boat when torn -- This can sink a boat if the battery runs dead and the bilge pump can't keep up.

--And while doing the work -- How about your impeller -- 2-3 year life span -- When that fails your engine can overheat and continued operation will damage that as well.

Trim sender, Limit switch and shift cables should be looked at as well.

Good Luck

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Its true -- You only to need to replace the shift cable bellows to fix the leak in the picture.

However -- Preventive maintenance is the key these keeping these out-drives running well. The collateral damage seen from lack of scheduled maintenance on this sort of boat can be quite expensive.

All 3 bellows have a 5 recommended year life span.

If the main shaft bellows leaks it can damage your out-drive by forcing water into the drive during operation. That can cause wear problems in the out-drive itself.

The exhaust bellows is unlikely to cause collateral damage if torn

The shift bellows allows water to enter your boat when torn -- This can sink a boat if the battery runs dead and the bilge pump can't keep up.

--And while doing the work -- How about your impeller -- 2-3 year life span -- When that fails your engine can overheat and continued operation will damage that as well.

Trim sender, Limit switch and shift cables should be looked at as well.

Good Luck

 

[nola mike]

Your lower shift cable may be toast as well. It at least needs to be pulled and dried out. Pull the drive to make sure your gimbel bearing, ujoints aren't damaged

 

[Scott Danforth]

Replacing all the bellows because of the one cracked boot? That seems excessive, I'm not very mechanically inclined, but you'd think I would just need to replace that one boot?

buying a new to you boat and not going thru all the drive preventive maintenance such as bellows, raw water pump, gear oil changes, drive alignment, gimble bearing check and u-joint check is simply foolish. its called preventative maintenance since that little torn shift boot can sink your boat. the main bellows can toast your drive, gimble bearing and input shaft. sagging isolator bushings can cause misalignment which will tear out your engine coupler.

I am assuming you did the engine maintenance as well

excessive - not really, its whats required to keep your boat floating and running without costing you thousands in toasted drives or salvaging your boat from the bottom. welcome to boat ownership the most expensive hobby short of owning race horses and airplanes

there are two types of boaters, those that do their own maintenance and those that pay other people to do their own maintenance