Exhaust Bellows. Please Help!

[Greenhead2012]

I replaced all the bellows and for the life of me cannot get the exhaust bellow to stay on the bell housing. I tried with bellows adhesive 3 times. The last time I sanded the boss to rough it up and it stayed on for about 1 hour trimmed up than worked itself off. Im about to lose my sh$t. Lol! Are there any secrets to this!? Please help!

 

[camalot]

Don't use anything on them ..glue wise, we just clean and use Mercury power tune. Clamp one end and then spray the inside of the other and slip it over the boss, leave for ten mins tighten clamp ........job done. We have used brake cleaner if we have run out of the Mercury stuff.

 

[thumpar]

What drive? On my Alpha (not gen 2) I used bellows adhesive and the $3 dollar home made tool. Did you let the adhesive setup for 10 minutes or more?

 

[Mercruiser420]

Alpha? I'm guessing you used the expansion tool and got the belloz on all the way. Make sure the clamp is sitting past the pins and that its tight. No bellows adhesive on the exhaust.

If all fails you can always replace the bellows with a tube. Its an OEM part that, as I was told by my Merc dealer, Mercury started making because of problems like this. It think its like 40 bucks as far as I can remember. Good luck

 

[Greenhead2012]

I tried adhesive first a few times with no luck. The last two times I sanded the boss and still no luck. Im about to just order the tube. Will it make it much louder? When I troll in shallow water I don't want it being super loud.

 

[Mercruiser420]

It will be underwater, it won't sound any different.

 

[Mercruiser420]

Also aftermarket bellows aren't always very precise in fitment. Not sure if your using OEM...

 

[Greenhead2012]

Will it make more noise underwater? Don't want to scare fish like crazy in 15fow.

 

[Mercruiser420]

Nope, you'll be fine. It may be a little tiny bit louder outside of the water though.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Also aftermarket bellows aren't always very precise in fitment. Not sure if your using OEM...

That is exactly what I would ask as well. OEM rubber parts are hands down better. I never had an OEM one come loose if I let the adhesive dry before installing.

Rick

 

[Benny67]

Try cleaning the surfaces with acetone after you cleaned all the old bull***t off. Make sure you get ALL of the old adhesive and whatever other nasty is left on the mating surfaces.

I would clean the surfaces with a 3m scotch pad. Then wipe both surfaces down with acetone,put adhesive on BOTH surfaces,install with those stupid scissor things and then just barely snug the clamps down and let it sit overnight ad then sock em down the next day.

I could stretch all those bellows down the street and around the corner after I did it that way.

Granted I was using OEM boots..

Good luck, you'll get it right

 

[Benny67]

Go with OEM boots...who wants the worry...especially when you are talking about one of those items failing on you.

In the long run the $50 or so you save initially could end up costing you Thousands in the end.

 

[tango13]

Tube is the way to go. Cant see it being any more noisier underwater then bellows, but above the surface is quite noticeable

 

[SDSeville]

I used the tube and it is not loud at all above the water. I haven't checked myself, but it must not be too bad under the water either -- it surely doesn't scare the fish away. What motor do you have?

 

[Greenhead2012]

What are the drawbacks of the tube? I have a 3.0 mercruiser and the manual states that under certain conditions the tube can allow water into the engine block. Something I need to worry about?

 

[SDSeville]

I have never heard of water entering the block. I have had mine on for 5 years and use it from skiing/tubing in local lakes to fishing 10+ miles out in the Pacific and have never had any problems with it. I asked what size motor you have because I assume it would make a bigger difference in noise if you had a big motor.

 

[thumpar]

I don't know how the tube would cause water and the bellows not cause it. The are both full of water either way.

 

[tango13]

Only draw backs IMHO are more noise and a little carbon splatter around the transom after a long haul. On my 5.7L the noise was noticeable, maybe not as much on a 3.0.. As for water traveling up the exhaust, the only was I could see that happening is if the drive was trimmed up all the way up with the open tube exposed and the boat was in a slip with strong waves hitting from behind.. even then, the elbows (and flappers if you have 'em) should stop that..... IMHO of course

Back to the noise, the transom on my boat hull is angled out in a way so the entire gimbal housing/drive are pretty exposed.. I think thats why I notice the increased noise more then others might with an extended swim deck or hull covering the whole unit