OMC King Cobra Bellows Question, head hanging in shame....

[puryersc]

Stupid question of the day: Although the manual tells me how to do stuff it doesn't explain why.
After removing the transom leg I noticed the bottom bellow was split. No worries I'll replace it, thought I. Then I got thinking as to what function the exhaust bellow provides within the context of my boat. I have a four winns 201 liberator with through the hull exhausts.

Looking at the leg I have the following pipe work:
1.) Drive shaft bellow - protects drive shaft and gimble bearing from water ingress, simple.
2.) Small gear linkage bellow - yep, I understand what that's doing also.
3.) Exhaust Bellow - At first I though this was the conduit for the cold water pumped up from the leg to cool the engine and exhaust which then exits through the hull exhaust swirl chamber. That was until I saw the pipe (below) which looks a much more likely candidate for this function.
4.) Water pipe, similar to car radiator pipe, hmmm - see above.

Can you folks clarify what the exhaust bellow and the other water pipe does on my boat? From other posts I've seen folks say ensure the holes in the exhaust bellow are pointing down. Mine didn't have any holes, just split / perished on the first concertina.

Thanks,

Sp.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: OMC King Cobra Bellows Question, head hanging in shame....

I noticed the bottom bellow was split. No worries I'll replace it, thought I. Then I got thinking as to what function the exhaust bellow provides within the context of my boat. I have a four winns 201 liberator with through the hull exhausts.

Howdy,

The "slits' in the bottom (exhaust) bellows is "normal".

I am surprised you have exhaust bellows. They're usually missing with thru-hulls unless you have "Capts-Call" or similar system for switching exhaust to "thru-prop"

I had Capts-Call on mine and there was no exhaust bellows at all. It ran that way for more than 15 years. Doesn't hurt a thing.

When I bought the transom "kit" that included both driveshaft and exhaust bellows, the lower one came with the slits. They evidently just improve the exhaust flow.

Water pipe, similar to car radiator pipe,

You didn't say what year this thing is.....but I'll assume it's a Dog-clutch Cobra. If it's a "Dog" the "pipe" is the raw water supply hose that goes to the engine for cooling. Your raw water impeller type pump is located in the drive.


If you haven't replaced it recently, or you don't know when it was replaced, NOW would be the right time to do it.

If your engine and drive is mid 90's (and you have a cone-clutch drive) , your raw water pump may be on the engine. Otherwise it's on the back of the drive under a plastic cover in it's own housing.


Cheers,


Rick

 

[Lou C]

Re: OMC King Cobra Bellows Question, head hanging in shame....

the exhaust bellows (#31 in this diagram) with the slits on the bottom of it is supposed to be that way, they put the slits in it to reduce exhaust backpressure. The small hose (#37) that goes from the back side of pivot housing to the transom mount is how the water gets pumped from the raw water impeller in the upper unit up to the thermostat housing on the engine.

http://www.dougrussell.com/partscat...3,544,545,546,547,548,549,550,551,552,553,554

Depending on the year of your engine, there is no bellows per se for the shift cable, other than the one inside the boat, where the shift cable comes out before it attaches to the engine bracket. Merc Alphas have shift bellows though.
What year is your power package?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: OMC King Cobra Bellows Question, head hanging in shame....

It's not necessary to replace if it's split.
The only time they need to be replaced is if they come loose and get bunched up and block the flow.
Since you have through hull they do nothing.J

 

[DBreskin]

Re: OMC King Cobra Bellows Question, head hanging in shame....

It's my understanding the slits in the exhaust bellows are there for drainage when the drive is raised. When the drive is down, the slits are mostly closed so they wouldn't do much for reducing backpressure.

 

[puryersc]

Re: OMC King Cobra Bellows Question, head hanging in shame....

Thanks for the response, and apologies for getting back to you so late. It's 1989 boat with a dog clutch, not that it makes much difference I suppose. As part of my winter lay-up I'll be cleaning and replacing the gaskets on my Rochester 4 barrel carb. Not sure how difficult this is going to be but if anybody had a link to a manual it would be much appreciated, thanks.

 

[Lou C]

Re: OMC King Cobra Bellows Question, head hanging in shame....

go over to www.boatered.com there is a sticky on Quadrajet rebuild vids there, the Q-Jet is a pretty complex carb so you have to think that through before pulling it apart.


http://www.boatered.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=133180