ripped shift bellow

[findinghomer]

I need to replace a torn shift bellow , recently I'm taking on significant water. And yes I know its the bellow. Engine is 5.7 alpha gen 1. Thing is my boating summer is being cut short due to a newborn in July. So I will be using the boat a least one maybe two more times before I fix this. Bc ill have plenty time very soon to pull the drive. My bilge pumps have been handling water bailing , so my question is, besides sinking of course which won't happen bc I keep a close eye on it and no more overnights , what is the worse thing that can happen if I use it in this condition? I will replace shift cable along with bellows so not worried about that either. Pump drains bilge about three times per hour and I have plenty of emergency battery backup in case I drain battery from pump. I just need to knowwhat to look out for when in use and when I pull the drive, thanks!

 

[Bondo]

Re: ripped shift bellow

what is the worse thing that can happen if I use it in this condition?

Ayuh,... The cable will bind up, 'n it won't shift, leavin' ya to paddle home....and the boat sinks...

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Bind up from rust ? And boat won't sink I'm oh a busy lake with other boaters with me and plenty of battery power

 

[achris]

Re: ripped shift bellow

You don't need to pull the drive to replace the bellows... It can be done. I've done it a few times, and it's an hour, tops... Why mess around, putting yourself, your passengers and your boat at risk? And before you say you have insurance... They read this and find out you went to sea with a problem that you knew could sink the boat, not only will they not payout, but you could find yourself up on criminal charges...

Now bite the bullet, spend a few dollars and invest an hour... FIX IT!!!

Chris...

 

[achris]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Bind up from rust ? And boat won't sink I'm oh a busy lake with other boaters with me and plenty of battery power

:facepalm:

 

[Fishermark]

Re: ripped shift bellow

The cable will bind up, 'n it won't shift, leavin' ya to paddle home....and the boat sinks...

I think it is a bad idea to continue using it in its current condition.... but a torn shift bellows will not allow water into the shift cable - just the boat. At least not till the water gets up to the top of the shift cable - and then you have other problems!

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Lol come on guys you act like I'm goin on a voyage across the ocean solo. Cost is not an issue its time. If I can really do it in an hour I will do that. This just happened last outing can the cable rust that quick?

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

And chris, why is my bilge compartment filling to 2.5 inches of water putting anyone at risk? lol. i dont know about your boat but my bilge area is huge and 2.5 inches of water is not gonna sink my boat. i have a 24 ft cabin cruiser. now if i was planning a cruise, i get your point. however im not. I i take my boat out, anchor , swim and have fun. bilge kicks on every 20-25 minutes.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Well heck get ya some duct tape and wrap it up and ya should be good to go for another hundred miles........

Seriously! Float ur boat anyway you want too............Yer the captain!

 

[MarkSee]

Re: ripped shift bellow

And chris, why is my bilge compartment filling to 2.5 inches of water putting anyone at risk?

Seems to me that instead of asking THAT question to Chris, you'd ask something like:
What's the method you've used to get the job done in an hour without having to pull the drive like that manual shows?

Mark

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

I would like to know how to do just the shift bellow quickly , My manual has removing the drive. Which I think would be best to replace all the bellows , but all I need to know now is what else could go wrong by running it like this, besides sinking bc I know that won't happen lol.

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

All I was asking is, besides my battery dying and being unable to pump out water what risks am I taking running it like this? Rusted cable is only other answer Im hearing. I didnt come here to be judged on my decision. i have asked this to educate myself about what other damage this may cause, bc honestly dont know. but if the only risk im taking is killing my batteries and being stuck with no bilge pump and sinking im ok with that, i have 6 batteries. if the three on one side die (which is impossible lol) , i flip to the other three and go home . i have already spent an entire day on the lake like this , i just want to make sure that im not damaging anything before i do it again. If so then ill have to reconsider, if not then im ok with making one more trip like this as ill have all the time in the world mid july to pull the drive and replace everything. so will someone please tell me if this is damaging any other components?

 

[MarkSee]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Not sure why you think anyone's judging you but let's say your boat sinks which you might be ok with, are you ok with that gas, oil, obstruction you will be leaving in the lake or any cost you might incur having to remove that boat? Are those "components" or "damage" in your reply you might be looking for or only "components" in the boat?

I'll admit I'm not an electrician and though it may only be 12 volts, I do not think it would be safe for you or the electrical system should 3 of those batteries get drowned while hooked up.

Mark

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Lol mark. Please stop with the sinking. I will not sink , I'm positive of that and no I'm not ok with sinking. My question is what else am I risking? Are you even reading my posts?

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Lol mark. Please stop with the sinking. I will not sink , I'm positive of that and no I'm not ok with sinking. My question is what else am I risking? Are you even reading my posts?

i read the entire thread! giggling the whole time....what makes you think its not going to sink? the fact that your bilge ran fine last time out? i know... they last forever and never fail do you think the water will stop coming in once it reaches the 2 1/2" mark? ummm no, its gonna keep coming in. even if it requires pulling the outdrive(which is the easiest way in my opinion) whats a couple hours of your time compared to the full day or the week or however long it takes of trying to convince yourself its a good idea not to change it?

if your looking for someone to reinsure your theory that you will not sink... thats not going to happen.

 

[achris]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Lol mark. Please stop with the sinking. I will not sink , I'm positive of that and no I'm not ok with sinking. My question is what else am I risking? Are you even reading my posts?

Why on earth are you trying to justify not fixing the problem properly?

Just crank the steering wheel hard to port and tie it off. Remove all the stuff on the top end of the shift cable and tie a length of cord to it. Get down on the starboard side of the gimbal housing and carefully pull the cable out. Untie the cord, pull the old bellows off and slip a new bellows on. Tie the cord back on the cable and pull it back up into the boat. Reattach all the stuff on the top end and do the cable adjustment. Secure the bellows with the hose clamp on the forw'rd end and a cable tie on the aft end...

Go boat and stop all this procrastinating... The amount of time you've spent arguing the point here is more than the time it would have taken to fix the problem and be done with it!

I'm finished here....

Chris............

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Thanks Chris ill give it a shot. Cedar junk, no I don't need reassurance I won't sink. I know I won't, I told you multiple times! If my pumps did happen to break which you seem to assume it will, ill simply drive back to dock (not to mention I have two backup pumps on board), I don't have hole in my boat! It trickles in , it would take half a day of sitting unattended to sink. All I wanted to know is if I'm damaging anything which you obv don't know the answer so go stick your nose in the air and "help " someone else

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Also cedar , had you read my post you would see I plan on pulling the drive and doing a whole bellow / seal job. Not once did I say I just want to keep usng it like this bc I don't feel like doin it right . That was your arrogant assumption . I'll be pulling my boat out early July this year and will have all the time in the world to get this done , I do however don't have te time to do it by this sat, which is possibly my last outing till fall. Unless Chris 's trick works for me.

 

[findinghomer]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Also cedar , had you read my post you would see I plan on pulling the drive and doing a whole bellow / seal job. Not once did I say I just want to keep using it like this bc I don't feel like doin it right . That was your arrogant assumption . I'll be pulling my boat out early July this year and will have all the time in the world to get this done , I do however don't have te time to do it by this sat, which is possibly my last outing till fall. Unless Chris 's trick works for me.

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: ripped shift bellow

Also cedar , had you read my post you would see I plan on pulling the drive and doing a whole bellow / seal job. Not once did I say I just want to keep using it like this bc I don't feel like doin it right . That was your arrogant assumption . I'll be pulling my boat out early July this year and will have all the time in the world to get this done , I do however don't have te time to do it by this sat, which is possibly my last outing till fall. Unless Chris 's trick works for me.

no hole? really? is water getting in your boat? yes it is, therefore there is a hole! let it completely tear and see if its only a trickle....had it happen! honestly , im still giggling at the stupidity of asking if its ok to use a boat that is taking on water....what will it damage? all that nice dry foam will no longer be nice and dry! hows that? do you have those wood stingers below your feet like 99% of boats?... hmmmm does wood soak up water? how about that plywood deck? i may seem to be an ******* and i honestly do not care! if you do not want anyones opinion, do not ask on an open forum! its your choice to chance your own and or family/friends lives..to even ask a question as this tells me you, and others with the same questions alike should not own a boat.
never underestimate the chance of anything going wrong in a boat.

have fun