lower outdrive bellow?

[rock10]

im taking on a little water in bilge after inspection of my outdrive bellows i noticed that the lower one on my outdrive is worn on the bottom with a hole is this posibly where my leak is? omc cobra thanks

 

[Fishermark]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

I'm not that familiar with Cobras, but I know on a Mercruiser that the exhaust bellows cannot be a source for the leak. You can remove the bellows completely and it will not leak - it has to be something else.

 

[ryanorr280]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

on a cobra the lower bellows has holes/slots in it when new, so it shouldn't be the cause of your leak

 

[rock10]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

thanks for your replies,any ideas?the transom is solid ,plug was in, no cracked block,motor drains closed ,casting plugs in etc.

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

u-joint or shift bellow......

 

[rock10]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

thanks will check shift bellows,but have no idea how to check u joint didnt see in manual

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

thanks will check shift bellows,but have no idea how to check u joint didnt see in manual

dissassemble....and if its been a while, may as well replace with new since its apart. everyone says 5 years, give or take on the boots

 

[rock10]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

thanks if i put in water do you think i can visually tell which one ,or where the water coming in? its not much but just enough to run pump every so often

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

thanks if i put in water do you think i can visually tell which one ,or where the water coming in? its not much but just enough to run pump every so often

sure its possible to visually inspect that way.... but do you really want to pull the motor? i cant fit around in mine to get visual access and its a 1969 with alot less things in the way...

a complete bellows kit which includes a gimble bearing(which if your u-joint bellow is leaking then the bearing is getting washed out! and the lower unit may be sucking water in too) is only in the 140.00ish range. alot cheaper than those bellows coming apart and sinking the boat.

pull the outdrive and if theres water sitting inside the 'big one', or any sign of water on or in u-joints, then its bad...
if no water present suspect the shift bellow.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

u-joint or shift bellow......

No shift bellows on an OMC Cobra.

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

No shift bellows on an OMC Cobra.

since when??? every listing ive looked at shows one....

 

[bruceb58]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

since when??? every listing ive looked at shows one....

Please show where you saw that. You have worked on a Cobra before?

The Cobra is identical to the Volvo SX. The shift cable passes through a rubber tube with a fitting on the end that threads into the transom housing. There is no bellows between the transom housing and the drive.

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

Please show where you saw that. You have worked on a Cobra before?

The Cobra is identical to the Volvo SX. The shift cable passes through a rubber tube with a fitting on the end that threads into the transom housing. There is no bellows between the transom housing and the drive.

no i have never worked on one before thats why i said every listing i looked at showed one....

i really meant my reply to be more of a question not to sound like a smart ***

but there is a bellow on the shifter correct? even though its not between the transom housing and drive..(which i never stated it was)
this was the first that popped up in my search http://www.sterndrive.info/id10.html and i noticed the bellow was inside but if it does tear or crack doesnt it still allow water in???

 

[bruceb58]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

but there is a bellow on the shifter correct?

No shift bellows on a Cobra. You can look on the outside of the drive and see the cable. Basically goes through a hole in the transom housing and the cable is in the water.

If you are referring to item 16, that is way above the water line and is there to prevent any water from coming up the tube in case a wave hits the rear of the boat. On my last Cobra, I didn't even have one of those in place.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

I am also not saying where that tube that threads in can't leak. It possibly could if things were corroded enough down there. Equally as possible is the exhaust pipe corroding so really need to let the boat sit in the water and inspect with a mirror. But...there is no shift bellows to replace. Pull the drive to make sure you don't have a leak in the u-joint bellows. That is the easy thing to do first.

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

No shift bellows on a Cobra.
If you are referring to item 16, that is way above the water line and is there to prevent any water from coming up the tube in case a wave hits the rear of the boat. On my last Cobra, I didn't even have one of those in place.

yes i was talking about #16......."the shift cable bellows"

sorry about the confusion...
now im confused :/ how is the bellow in which is clamped to the housing and then over the tube going to prevent water from going up the cable tube?

it seems it still has the same purpose as it does on mercruiser, just inside the transom and higher up.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

how is the bellow in which is clamped to the housing and then over the tube going to prevent water from going up the cable tube?

It doesn't. There will be water in the tube up to the waterline. Doesn't matter that there is water in there. The little bellows up on top would only be for the rare instance if you were backing up real fast or a wave hits the back of the boat and water was forced up the tube. If you are just sitting in the water, it doesn't do anything then. The linkage where the end of the cable shifts the drive is all in water.

 

[rock10]

Re: lower outdrive bellow?

thanks you guys the link and the info were very helpful,keep them coming im learning alot thanks