Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

[Newbie@boats]

Can I put it in the lake and run it?

Or as I back it into the lake water will rush into the bellow and Hydro lock the motor?

 

[cooter2506]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

YES you can run it that way. they actually make a tube to replace the bellows and it doesnt attatch to the drive just the exhaust on stern of boat. But I would check the others to make sure they are ok just to be safe. The other two if they leak WILL sink your boat.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

The exhaust bellows will be full of water with or without a hole in it, so no problem there. However, if it is deteriorated, the other probably are also. Shift cable and ujoint bellows can sink your boat if ruptured.

 

[Black as]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

If your exhaust bellow are gone I would say the others would be on the way out as well, if so have you ever watched the movie gone in 60 seconds, because that's how long it will take for your boat to sink I would get the others checked out

 

[Newbie@boats]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

The drive shaft bellow is fine, and the shift cable bellow is new....

So what you guys are telling me is I can back my boat into the water and run it with a hole in the bellow?

 

[Sparkinator]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Yes

 

[Newbie@boats]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Sorry, I just have to ask a few more questions about it.

What will happen if I did?

Whats a purpose of the exhaust bellow if you can run it w/o one?

I am going to bolt up the rest of the boat hopefully if its not raining out today, I just want to be able to put it in the water to test it, not a fan of muffs.

 

[Philster]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Ummm.... mine didn't sink yet! Big hole and no exhaust bellow! Should I be scared!!!

SERIOUSLY.... many boats that have their exhaust exit through the transom (you know... those high performance boats like Bajas, Scarabs, etc), have an open exhaust port down at the outdrive. Mine does.

No exhaust bellow. No worries. Go boating.

 

[83Evinrude]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Whats a purpose of the exhaust bellow if you can run it w/o one?

To get the exhaust below the water where its quieter. There are already holes in the bottom of most exhaust bellows. When the engine is running at low speed some of the exhaust and water will exit these holes.

 

[tev2229]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

From what I've read you have a 470 along with an alpha one?

Anyway, I just replaced my exhaust bellows with a simple screwdriver.

You do not need to take out the entire gimble housing to do this! Just raise up your outdrive, unscrew the clamps, put on your new bellow and go boating. You don't need to run, but just a thought. My exhaust bellow was torn and the others were fine.

 

[marcortez]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Man I just don't know about this......

I would no more put my boat in the water with a torn up bellows than I would without the drain plug being in.

Those bellows serve a purpose......from the exhaust outlet, coming from the engine, to the exhaust passage in the leg....to the water.

Maybe you might be alright with the engine running...as the exhaust gases will prevent any water intrusion.....but the moment you shut if off??....what is going to happen?......water will fill inside the bellows and make it's way into the risers and beyond.

Just install a new bellows with new hose clamps and grab a piece of mind.

Changing bellows periodically should be part of your routine maintenence, as is greasing U-joints, checking hose clamps ect.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Maybe you might be alright with the engine running...as the exhaust gases will prevent any water intrusion.....but the moment you shut if off??....what is going to happen?......water will fill inside the bellows

Stop trying to scare the guy, what do you think happens EVERY time you shut the engine off? every portion of the exhaust after the elbow that is below the water line is 100% full of water when the engine is not running. This is why the elbow is higher than the waterline and has a water shutter in it.

 

[scutly]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

man i just don't know about this......

I would no more put my boat in the water with a torn up bellows than i would without the drain plug being in.

Those bellows serve a purpose......from the exhaust outlet, coming from the engine, to the exhaust passage in the leg....to the water.

Maybe you might be alright with the engine running...as the exhaust gases will prevent any water intrusion.....but the moment you shut if off??....what is going to happen?......water will fill inside the bellows and make it's way into the risers and beyond.

Just install a new bellows with new hose clamps and grab a piece of mind.

Changing bellows periodically should be part of your routine maintenence, as is greasing u-joints, checking hose clamps ect.

100% wrong information!!

 

[marcortez]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Stop trying to scare the guy, what do you think happens EVERY time you shut the engine off? every portion of the exhaust after the elbow that is below the water line is 100% full of water when the engine is not running. This is why the elbow is higher than the waterline and has a water shutter in it.

You can do it your way.....but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The OP should not get in the habit of disregarding routine maintenence issues because of "it's ok to do it like that"

A guy can run his boat on the plane and not put in the drain plug either.

Better to change out the bellows and grab a piece of mind IMO.

 

[skargo]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

You can do it your way.....but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The OP should not get in the habit of disregarding routine maintenence issues because of "it's ok to do it like that"

A guy can run his boat on the plane and not put in the drain plug either.

Better to change out the bellows and grab a piece of mind IMO.

Sorry, but you are spreading misinformation. My boat doesn't even have a bellows, it has an exhaust tube and not a drop of water comes in. Please do some research on these forums before scaring a new boater.

 

[Philster]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

You drop 120,000 dollars on a high performance boat with a through-hull exhaust and it won't come with an exhaust bellows/hose. Raise the drive and look into the hole.

It's utterly meaningless. The drive has how many holes in it? Count 'em! No, maybe we should plug 'em all up so we don't sink!

.



Here is a link to Merc Parts. You can buy what is essentially an exhaust tip for the hole you want to cover with the bellows. You don't need to take exhaust from the exhaust hole and force it through the outdrive. You can get a nice tone (especially on plane - duh) by letting the exhaust out the hole (and can use this tip). Read the descriptions.

http://www.mercstuff.com/exhaustbellows.htm

 

[marcortez]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Sorry, but you are spreading misinformation. My boat doesn't even have a bellows, it has an exhaust tube and not a drop of water comes in. Please do some research on these forums before scaring a new boater.

In this instance, and in any instance, which involves a new to boating skipper, advice to follow recommended maintenence procedures....to wit: changing the torn up bellows would be a good thing.

To tell this new skipper "it's ok, just do it" sets up a potential pattern for disregarding repairs/maintenence items as they surface because someone on the internet told them "just do it"

I am pretty confident that everyone can agree on that.

 

[skargo]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

In this instance, and in any instance, which involves a new to boating skipper, advice to follow recommended maintenence procedures....to wit: changing the torn up bellows would be a good thing.

To tell this new skipper "it's ok, just do it" sets up a potential pattern for disregarding repairs/maintenence items as they surface because someone on the internet told them "just do it"

I am pretty confident that everyone can agree on that.

If you look at what the OP asked, his questions were answered, and correctly

Can I put it in the lake and run it?

Or as I back it into the lake water will rush into the bellow and Hydro lock the motor?

He can put it in and run it, and he will NOT get water in his motor. No one is trying to get him to form lackadaisical habits.

I agree 100% on maintenance, BUT providing him bad info and scaring him serves him no purpose either, right?

Many bellows have holes in the bottom anyway. And they are filled with water from your exhaust too. If you follow your exhaust flow, you'll see it's no different having water run into the center of your prop, vs water coming in at the bellows.

I will admit I had a hard time wrapping my head around it myself, but like I said earlier, I have an exhaust tube, it is only connected at the transom side, not connected to the drive at all, and if the drive is up, it isn't touching at all. When I stop to anchor, my drive is up, and there are no issues.

To sum it up, maintenance is paramount! It's a good idea to get a manual and follow it's recommendations.

Here's a pic of an exhaust tube, like I have on my boat,

 

[Philster]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

In this instance, and in any instance, which involves a new to boating skipper, advice to follow recommended maintenence procedures....to wit: changing the torn up bellows would be a good thing.

To tell this new skipper "it's ok, just do it" sets up a potential pattern for disregarding repairs/maintenence items as they surface because someone on the internet told them "just do it"

I am pretty confident that everyone can agree on that.

Ok, you asked for this.

Listen up.... First, you have to know the PURPOSE of the device in question. You are doing is what is known as "begging the question". You are under the assumption that an exhaust bellows is there to keep water out, when in fact it is there to push exhaust out via the outdrive and keep noise down a little bit. You never asked, "Hey, what is an exhaust bellows for?"

Now, we'll use a car as an example. If it comes with a chrome exhaust tip and it rusts out, and the owner jumps in and asks, "Hey do I need to spend time/money to replace this?", the answer would be, "NO, unless you like it and like the sound, it is NOT needed."

Same thing here. The exhaust bellows take exhaust and run it out the drive. They are not there to plug a hole. Are other bellows essential? YES. We, however, are NOT discussing maintenance on items that are essential. We are talking about an exhaust bellows.

Read my other posts. Many boats have rolled off the assembly line without an exhaust bellows, because.... drumroll please... they are not essential to navigation/floatation.

It is not fair to say that not replacing it is "deferring maintenance". Owners are free to choose what is deferring maintenance and what is not. ANOTHER EXAMPLE: If you don't like the miserable graphics on your boat, and you don't want to maintain or replace them when they fade, then DON'T. OMG!!! But wait, there is a whole friggin' chapter in the owners manual about maintaining the finish, and the do's and don'ts of how to care for graphics!! THE HORROR that this 'maintenance' would be ignored!

.

 

[Newbie@boats]

Re: Can I run my boat with a torn exhaust bellow?

Thanks guys! I think I got my questions throughly answered.