Mercruiser 470 - replace exhaust shutter with boat still in the engine?

[Blueghost924]

I've gotten a lot of my electrical problems straightened out on my project boat (21 foot Renken with Mercruiser 470 / 1.84 sterndrive) and will focus on exhaust and sterndrive soon. I'm sure I need to replace the exhaust pipe shutter. My engine is installed in the boat, but the sterndrive is not (neither is any of the bellows). I have a new exhaust elbow on order and will replace it this weekend, but want to work on the entire exhaust system. Is it possible to replace that exhaust shutter with the engine still installed if I pull the exhaust elbow and upper pipe assembly?

Lifting the engine up a couple of inches to shift it around a little is no problem since the sterndrive is not installed. I've read an article or post here about replacing that shutter with Quicksilver part number 45586.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

I did mine last year. Engine and exhaust components remained intact. Cut off the old rubber bellows to disassemble. Did not remove the exhaust elbow to replace the shutters. The new rubber bellows will be flexible enough to get back in leaving the elbow there. Since your replacing yours should not be any issues with just the engine there.

 

[Blueghost924]

Thanks Eric. I figured that since I have to replace the exhaust elbow anyway, now is the time to replace those critical parts in the entire exhaust system.

 

[Blueghost924]

Got the new exhaust elbow in along with the Quicksilver water shutter part 45586. On the water shutter - the part looks like it flexes in both directions - not what I expected??? Also, when I go to install it, should the smooth side be down (relative pointing towards the ground) or up?

 

[mr 88]

I installed mine with the smoooth side facing "down". The checkered side has metal on it which tells me it would be better facing the hot exhaust than the smooth side and it also seems to flex better that way as well.