85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

Fordiesel69

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
1,146
This is on an 85'. Someone installed a new set of bellows a 3 yrs ago and they look great. However they failed to change the water supply hose and it has some cracking. I was looking at it and assume it is not accessable without pulling the hinge pins and pulling it apart. Does anyone know of a way to cheat without pulling the entire thing apart.
 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

Does anyone know of a way to cheat without pulling the entire thing apart.
not me. imho, it's a miseable job and near impossible to do even with taking it apart... getting the hose on the nipple on the gimble housing is next to impossible. granted it's doable. but there really is zero room to work the hose onto the nipple...
also, imho, put the new hose on the gimble hosing side first, then route back to the bell housing (if i remember right, s/m says bell housing first, then gimble housing). i say this because it's easier, imho, to keep the kink out of the hose going fore to aft. problem being that ya gotta twist the hose on the gimble housing to match the bell housing if ya go from having the hose already on the bell housing and then putting it on the gimble housing. which is where ya can't get to. put it on the gimble housing first and ya can keep the kink out of the hose while attaching the hose to the bell housing..
on my second try for that hose (yep, i got to do it twice since i got kinked the first try)

IMG_4259.jpg
,

i heated it good + spread the hose out with a cone a few days prior to install. the heat was probably the best thing i did for getting the hose on the gimble housing. don't know if the heat degraded the hose, but it sure helped get it seated onto the nipple. also used dish soap to help the inside of the hose get slippery...

the oem hose is real thick and most uncooperative imho..

good luck fd, and have yer first aid kit handy. ya may need it... ;)
 

SSSuper83

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
132
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

Heres another option.....try this.

Take the freshwater intake hose loose from the transom assembly INSIDE the boat. There should be a tube running through the gimbal housing that can be removed with a couple small bolts, a plate, and a rubber seal. This attaches to the drive intake hose. Take the drive hose loose at the drive. If you take the tube out with the drive hose attached still, you may be able to get the hose through the transom without fighting it. That way you could change the hose out inside the boat and reinsert the hose and tube back through the transom and route it to the drive. May eliminate the kinking problem. Cant remember if the hose fits through the tube hole in the transom assembly but its worth a shot. It may make things easier.
 

SSSuper83

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
132
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

Oh yes and use plenty of dish soap on both ends. They are tight.
 

andyandy

Cadet
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
17
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

I have the exact same problem. I have an '84 Cobalt DV18 with an '85 MR outdrive and a '95 5.7 EFI Bravo engine.
The bellows are perfect, but the water hose is cracked to h***and leaking like a sieve toward the bell housing side.
The part of the hose toward the gimball housing is OK.
I would LOVE to replace this hose (or the cracked half towards the bell housing) without having to remove the bell housing and dealing with the bellows which are fine. Any ideas?
I can see and probably get to the clamp on the bell housing side with the outdrive turned all the way to the right.
I was thinking of maybe using a copper tube and two stainless cmamps and splicing the thing.......
 

Pete104

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,439
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

It can be done without pulling the drive. But, doing that will give a chance to see how things are! U-joints, gimbal brg, oil or not & water or not.
Long screw driver,you may find a swivel socket works better (5/16"), long hose pik. Maybe long needle nose. PowerTune helps alot.
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,283
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

I was thinking of maybe using a copper tube and two stainless cmamps and splicing the thing.......

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,... A copper tube don't flex like a hose.... Fix it Right....
 

makonnen

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
184
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

You're not going to like the answer.

Everything else in the bellhousing / gimbal area gets serviced ... shift cable, all bellows, gimbal bearing ... but not the raw water hose.

You're not going to be able to r+r the hose without removing the upper leg, hinge pins and bell housing. The gimbal side of the raw water hose secures to the gimbal bearing with a plastic retainer which can ONLY be accessed on from inside the engine compartment. Its is very tight and sometimes requires an engine removal to access it. On my boat, I can access the plate and remove the two bolts that secure the plate ... I could possible take the raw water hose out by breaking away the plastic insert but there is no way I would be able to swing a tool to install the new water hose. Therefore, my raw water hose never gets replaced. Its a poor design if you ask me.

My solution? When its time and the raw water hose is really starting to wear out, I will convert to a belt driven raw water pump (ie: a Jabsco unit) pulling water through a thru-hull. I will block off the raw water tube at the fitting area and leave the raw water pump in the Alpha leg to the leg while its in operation.
 

Pete104

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,439
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

You're not going to like the answer.

Everything else in the bellhousing / gimbal area gets serviced ... shift cable, all bellows, gimbal bearing ... but not the raw water hose.

You're not going to be able to r+r the hose without removing the upper leg, hinge pins and bell housing. The gimbal side of the raw water hose secures to the gimbal bearing with a plastic retainer which can ONLY be accessed on from inside the engine compartment. Its is very tight and sometimes requires an engine removal to access it. On my boat, I can access the plate and remove the two bolts that secure the plate ... I could possible take the raw water hose out by breaking away the plastic insert but there is no way I would be able to swing a tool to install the new water hose. Therefore, my raw water hose never gets replaced. Its a poor design if you ask me.

My solution? When its time and the raw water hose is really starting to wear out, I will convert to a belt driven raw water pump (ie: a Jabsco unit) pulling water through a thru-hull. I will block off the raw water tube at the fitting area and leave the raw water pump in the Alpha leg to the leg while its in operation.

:facepalm:
 

makonnen

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
184
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

Yes I would agree!

I should add that Mercruiser has a block-off kit just for this purpose. Its about $16 and its just a gasket and a metal plate that bolts in place of the housing that is located in the back of the gimbal ring accessed from inside of the transom / behind the engine.

This isn't a common fix for Alpha's but very common modification for Bravo's which already has an engine driving raw water pump.
 

Pete104

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,439
Re: 85' Alpha - Need to replace outer water supply hose

Yes I would agree!

I should add that Mercruiser has a block-off kit just for this purpose. Its about $16 and its just a gasket and a metal plate that bolts in place of the housing that is located in the back of the gimbal ring accessed from inside of the transom / behind the engine.

This isn't a common fix for Alpha's but very common modification for Bravo's which already has an engine driving raw water pump.

:confused:
 
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