Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

erikgreen

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Well, I found the leak in my pre-alpha/reman 350/sea ray 210CC bellows. It's a small cut on the starboard side.

And I mean a cut... it looks like someone stuck a knife in there or something. The bellows were newly installed by the PO... transom probably has 5 hours of use with that rubber.

I realize the conventional wisdom would be to replace the bellows, but has anyone repaired a small hole? It's actually a slit about a half inch long. What sort of cement could I use for a patch? 5200?

I could go the new bellows route, but these are basically new - they still have some of that nasty powder on them in places.

Erik
 
J

Jerico

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
254
Re: Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

IMHO, first figure the price of gimbal bearing, U-Joints, etc. that will get ruined because water got to them. Throw in considering the cost of getting the boat off of the bottom of the lake to include all possibilities.

Next figure out what cut the bellows. Sharp edge, clamp, etc.

Third price the parts, say a few choice words, think of what a pain they are to change, etc.

Finally, replace the bellows if for nothing else the peace of mind factor. If I had patched mine instead of replacing I would have spent most of the summer wondering if it was leaking and was it going to leave me stranded or tear something up.
 
tommays

tommays

Admiral
Joined
Jul 4, 2004
Messages
6,768
Re: Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

1. hose clamp installed wrong way :confused: The manual really goes to great lenths about this with the water hose and all other clamps making holes in the bellows

2. motor run with drive trimed-up to high :confused:




Tommays
 
H

HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!


Just replace it!

It's absolutely required to have a bellows that doesn't leak. EVER. You could never trust a glue or cement to seal a cut or tear reliably.

Regards,

Rick







erikgreen said:
It's actually a slit about a half inch long. What sort of cement could I use for a patch? 5200?

I could go the new bellows route, but these are basically new - they still have some of that nasty powder on them in places.

Erik
Click to expand...
 
Scaaty

Scaaty

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 31, 2004
Messages
5,180
Re: Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

Yep, its only good as a doorstop now...
 
erikgreen

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Re: Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

/cry

Okay, I guess I'll pay for the bellows kit and tool.

Can anyone point me at a good on-line reference to replacing the thing? I never seem to get a clear picture of what to do from the manual.

Erik
 
a70eliminator

a70eliminator

Captain
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
3,762
Re: Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

C:\Documents and Settings\Windows XP User\My DI had a slit in my seawater intake hose caused by a grounding cable sawing away it it, It had been recently replaced by the PO who positioned the clamp wrong, against all advise I went ahead and hot patched it with a tire patch the type with the vulcanizing glue, no way it's comming off there I never even give it a second thought it's not like it has to hold back any extreme pressure, same witthe bellows but the accordian like mold would make it more difficult to patch.
 
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R

rebars1

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Messages
744
Re: Hole in new bellows.. thoughts?

If it is a hole/slit in the lower (exhaust) bellows it might have come new that way. Some do.

If it is in the large upper one, replace it.
 
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