Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

[hitest1024]

Hi All-
I have a 1985 Bayliner 1950 with an AQ125b and a volvo penta Aquamatic 270 outdrive. It's been taking on a good bit of water as I drive around (not so much when it's sitting, but definitely more than I'd like.) I just noticed that there was a 2 inch tear in the bottom of the exhaust bellows.

Does anyone know if a torn exhaust bellows can allow water into the boat? We're talking about maybe up to the bottom of the engine after an hour cruising. It takes about 12-15 hours sitting to take on the same amount when sitting at the dock.

Thanks all.

 

[sqbtr]

Re: Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

You need to get in there and lay eyes on the leak.

The exhaust bellows will not let water in the boat. If it leaks more when running I would suspect a raw water cooling leak, Pump, strainer housing, heat exchanger, exhaust coupling, exhaust tube to transom shield.

That is a lot of water, see if it happens when running it on muffs.

 

[Nickypoo]

Re: Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

This is a little extreme but check the transom. I have an 84 Bayliner 1950 that I'm doing a complete restore on, and one of the issues was the transom. The transom was so rotted that the lower two bolts bolting the drive to it sucked through the wood, leaving a nice gap between the drive and the fiberglass hull.

Although it sounds like maybe you could have a cooling system leak since it leaks faster when driving around.

You should definitely replace the bellows but as sqbtr said the exhaust bellows should not let water into the boat, since the tear is on the outside. Unless you meant the rubber boot that connects the exhaust manifold to the exhaust tube.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

You could remove the exhaust bellows entirely and it won't let water in the boat.

 

[Don S]

Re: Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

You might want to run the boat with the hatch open and get in there and look and see where the water is coming from. It may not even be from the engine. You could be getting water in through the vents or something.

 

[hitest1024]

Re: Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

Thanks all- I'm clear now that the bellows wasn't the source. (I was just hoping, against all logic, that I had found the problem.)

I haven't had any luck running on earmuffs- when I do it, I can't get any water to flow through- even when I duct tape the bottom hole. (Haven't tried it yet this year-Im sure I"m doing something wrong.) I just replaced the impeller though, and the temperature is rock steady on the water.

Also, I had run the boat for a good long while with the hatch off- and couldn't see anything dripping. (I had had some drips before from the freshwater cooling system, but I got them nailed down.) I was looking for any sign of water coming in the transom, but it looked dry (except for what was sloshing around after a couple minutes.

You might want to run the boat with the hatch open and get in there and look and see where the water is coming from. It may not even be from the engine. You could be getting water in through the vents or something.

 

[David Ferguson]

Re: Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

Thanks all- I'm clear now that the bellows wasn't the source. (I was just hoping, against all logic, that I had found the problem.)

I haven't had any luck running on earmuffs- when I do it, I can't get any water to flow through- even when I duct tape the bottom hole. (Haven't tried it yet this year-Im sure I"m doing something wrong.) I just replaced the impeller though, and the temperature is rock steady on the water.

Also, I had run the boat for a good long while with the hatch off- and couldn't see anything dripping. (I had had some drips before from the freshwater cooling system, but I got them nailed down.) I was looking for any sign of water coming in the transom, but it looked dry (except for what was sloshing around after a couple minutes.

Had same problem last year, after really studying where the dripping was coming from, determined it was from steering tiller arm. The O-ring was replaced between the arm and the gimbal ring. Water was coming in slowly through the transom plate opening, but while under-way, would fill up fast. O-ring solved the problem, but you need special pullers and installers for my DP-SM to pull the tiller arm away from the gimbal ring.

 

[Don S]

Re: Exhaust bellows allowing water into boat?

Completely different drive and transom shield Dave.