changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

marvinjansen

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I am trying to change the 3 bellows on my 1973 Aristocraft with a MC 165. I am at the point where I need to remove the shift slide or do something because it is evident that slide won't fit thru the shift bellows. I have read the manual but can't beleive you have to remove the cable from the inside. Any advice?
ps I got an axle puller set and slide hammer from Autozone and hope to remove the gimbal bearing after I get that snap ring out.
 

Don S

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

Look at the manual I gave you a link to earlier on another of your posts. You have to disconnect the shift cable from the engine side and take it apart, then pull the shift slide out from the outdrive side.
 

marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

thank you Don. I have registered with 4 Share but it seems I need to join an $5 a month to get the file. I have one on cd, just thot there had to be a better way.
 
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dn010

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

Yes you need to disassemble from the inside. I cut my cable off at the housing so I didn't have to deal with it-new cables aren't that pricey and mine needed to be replaced anyway... if your cable is old you may want to get a new one. Slide hammer should work unless its a small one, I'd recommend spraying some WD or PB on the gimbal brg before hand, and scraping the crud off from around the bearing.
 

dn010

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

4 shared will let you download but makes you wait a few minutes before you can start, the fee takes away the wait time. Try to download it again.
 

Don S

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

thank you Don. I have registered with 4 Share but it seems I need to join an $5 a month to get the file. I have one on cd, just thot there had to be a better way.

You don't have to join, and you don't have to pay money. It's free. you may have to wait 20 seconds. Make sure you are clicking on the right download button. It's the blue one you need.
 

ziggy

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

take all this stuff off from inside the boat. get it down to where there is only the cable left..

IMG_3006.jpg


then go to the drive side..

IMG_2438.jpg


kinda hard to see in my filthy dirty shift slide. but there's a wire (single strand of stainless steel wire) that goes through an hex drive set screw. cut (or untwist and remove) this wire and unscrew the set screw till if falls out. then, you can pull the cable out of the shift slide. the cable has a solid end at the shift slide. the end inside the boat is free to be pulled out..

edit. just added a pic of the slide. maybe it's better. ya can just see the wire that locks the set screw in place.
 

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marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

Downloaded the manual and it is better than the one I had, thanks for help. I need more patience. I understand now and will follow instructions and pull cable tomorrow and hopefully R n R gimbal bearing, n change bellows.
See there is a seal in front of the gimbal bearing, I will look at it and replace if necessary. Haven't heard much about that seal.
The snap ring, do you guys put it back or forget it?
 

Don S

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

The snap ring gets thrown away, no longer used.
The seal in front of the bearing is only a dust shield. If the rubber part of the seal is not cracked or torn, the seal should be fine.
 

marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

I like the Manual 1. It say to use a special driver to install the gimbal bearing. Any suggestions on doing it without the special tool?
 

marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

Forget saving old cable, cut and pulled it out and wire cable looked ok, but when I pulled bellhousing found the cable housing to be frayed and badly in need of replacement. Now, I read on another thread about tapping out a hole somewhere with special threads etc, what am I into next? Waiting on the wife to stick a screwdriver under the snap ring while I squeeze the snap ring pliers, then the gimbal bearing will come out with the help of the axle puller set from Auto Zone (loaner). Will need to order a lower cable, any suggestions on which one I need?
 

Don S

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

Get the new Mercruiser OEM cable, they only cost a bit more than the cheap aftermaket cables. The OEM cables are now teflon coated and the end with the slide moves a lot easier.
You will also need the special tap to install the new type cables, OEM or aftermarket.

attachment.php
 

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marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

thanks Don, now I understand and will get the better cable and tap.
 

marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

While I have the bellhousing out there is this switch or something at the top of the part that swivels side to side. there is a stainless plate that the bellhousing slides on and some kind of switch above it with nuts on top that are impossible to get to without pulling that swivel. What is it?
 

marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

Not really sure which cable I need. Is this Mercruiser the replacement for my drive or a newer one that I adapt? Is it the Mercruiser 73723A1 or Sierry 18-2248? The pictures look like they would still screw in from the front side of the bellhousing and not the rear like I want.
 

ziggy

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

sorry i can't tell ya what part number ya need. it does seem confusing when looking at bam. myself, i went to my local dealer and told them what i wanted, a new mercruiser shift cable. they just gave me one off the shelf. didn't keep the part number around to help others. my fault.
The pictures look like they would still screw in from the front side of the bell housing and not the rear like I want.
from the ft. of the bell housing would be what you want. but, best i understand, there is a new number that supersedes that old style cable. which best i get is nla (the old style cable), hence the reason folks like us with old drives have tap the back side of the bell housing with that straight tap. to accommodate the new style cable which does in fact screw in from the aft side of the bell housing. least that's what i had to do with mine. maybe the pics aren't correct, or perhaps i'm miss informed.... my new cable did thread in from the aft side though..

edit, i think ya want item #17 or 18 (pn 865436A02), which are the same part number. http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...74&bnbr=0&bdesc=TRANSOM+PLATE+AND+SHIFT+CABLE

edit again. just looked again at the link. there's three #17's... bummer, i don't know which one ya need... one looks like a cable only, the two others the shift cable and assy. (slide, etc..) ?????

best i can do for ya... got a local dealer ya work with? ;)
 
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Don S

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

I don't know what the new numbers are, but you need to get the OEM merc cable, not that junky Sierra thing. You aren't going to find it here, you will have to find a Merc dealer to get the OEM part. You also need to get one for an Alpha I, not the One drive like you have. Tell your Merc dealer what you want, and he can get it for you. But make sure you are getting the OEM cable, and not aftermarket.
 

marvinjansen

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

Thanks for the input. Tried on dealer today and no luck. Will try a second dealer tomorrow. If anyone comes up with the right MC part number please share it.
 

ziggy

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Re: changing bellows on Mercruiser 165

i'll speculate that one of the #17 is correct. the link is from here. http://www.go-fast.com/ in looking at it again. there's 3 s/n ranges for the 3 different 17's. where your s/n falls within whatever range will be your right part number.. :)

that's what i think anyways.
 
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