I bought a new to me boat 1987 Carver Montego 2557 double cabin. The boat runs well but I purchased it out of the water. When I put it in, it was leaking from the transom on the starbord side. Not a lot, but enough for me to pull it after a week of worrying about it sinking if the bilge failed..
Anyway, I pulled the drive on the transom where I saw the leak and found some water in the u joint bellow ( 2 days after it was out of the water)
I also noticed that the o ring on the passage for the water pump wasn't there...or was missing when the drive was pulled away. I do not know if it fell off when I pulled it or the previous owner left it on the shift lever where I later found it (it was looped around the shift shaft like someone put it there so they wouldn?t loose it before installing the drive and forgot to install it. I cant see how it would have fell off and landed perfectly around the shift foot but hell it's possible)
Anyhow, my concern is I need to be positive where this leak originated so I don't have the same issue next year. My plan is to change all the bellows even though I cannot see a hole in any of them...they look almost perfect but was actually wondering if it's possible that the exaust manifold is leaking.
I sent an inspection borescope into the pipe just past the exaust bellow and can see some small black dots that almost look like pinholes. Is it possible for that pipe to get small holes like that in it? I would think a 1/4" aluminum pipe would fail in large holes especially with hot exhaust and pressure created by the motor.
My gas sensor gives me a green light when the motor is running and the compartment is closed so I do not think it's leaking exhaust. My next route of action is to pour some water into the pipe and see if it leaks into the bilge.
Anybody have any other ideas to confirm where this leak is? I feel if it was the exhaust how would the water get into the u joint bellows?
I can see completely how it would get into the u joint bellow with the o ring missing but I need to be positive before I launch next year..it cost's $450 a pop to move this beast. I need to be positive that I find the leak and fix it.
The leak ran down the center of the back of the transom like a slow waterfall about 2" wide my estimate of volume was around 3-4 gallons/hour
Anyway, I pulled the drive on the transom where I saw the leak and found some water in the u joint bellow ( 2 days after it was out of the water)
I also noticed that the o ring on the passage for the water pump wasn't there...or was missing when the drive was pulled away. I do not know if it fell off when I pulled it or the previous owner left it on the shift lever where I later found it (it was looped around the shift shaft like someone put it there so they wouldn?t loose it before installing the drive and forgot to install it. I cant see how it would have fell off and landed perfectly around the shift foot but hell it's possible)
Anyhow, my concern is I need to be positive where this leak originated so I don't have the same issue next year. My plan is to change all the bellows even though I cannot see a hole in any of them...they look almost perfect but was actually wondering if it's possible that the exaust manifold is leaking.
I sent an inspection borescope into the pipe just past the exaust bellow and can see some small black dots that almost look like pinholes. Is it possible for that pipe to get small holes like that in it? I would think a 1/4" aluminum pipe would fail in large holes especially with hot exhaust and pressure created by the motor.
My gas sensor gives me a green light when the motor is running and the compartment is closed so I do not think it's leaking exhaust. My next route of action is to pour some water into the pipe and see if it leaks into the bilge.
Anybody have any other ideas to confirm where this leak is? I feel if it was the exhaust how would the water get into the u joint bellows?
I can see completely how it would get into the u joint bellow with the o ring missing but I need to be positive before I launch next year..it cost's $450 a pop to move this beast. I need to be positive that I find the leak and fix it.
The leak ran down the center of the back of the transom like a slow waterfall about 2" wide my estimate of volume was around 3-4 gallons/hour
