Help with Outdrive Issue

MH9371B

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
148
Engine is 1995 Mercruiser 3.0LX - 0F365904
Drive is Alpha 1 2nd Gen - 0F384359

Recently I had a problem with my engine overheating. I found a hose in the back of engine block loose and re-clamped it, which solved that. I replaced the thermostat as well. The engine will run cool up to about 3000 rpm at which point it overheats.

After inspecting the outdrive in the full up position, I noticed that a large accordian-style hose has most likely burned off during overheat or is possibly rotten (i'm guessing burned). It is a large hose that goes straight into a large hole on the gimble housing.

Does anyone have a part number for this hose and know what it is called?

Does the entire outdrive have to be removed to replace it?

Thanks!
 

searay3

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 7, 2005
Messages
655
Re: Help with Outdrive Issue

There are three bellows in there. the first one you see looking up from under the drive is exhaust. It can be replced with a tube. Next above that is the ujoint bellows. If the history is not known, they need replaced as the boat can sink when they fail. Also water in there is bad for the drive and ujoints and gimble bearing. There is one more bellows on the shift cable. That too can sink a boat. The drive is easy to remove, trim ram ends and 6 bolts and off it comes. If you haven;t , you need to pull it and inspect. Manuals for both your engine and drive are in the adults only sticky at the top of the forum.
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
11
Re: Help with Outdrive Issue

I had the same problem when my impeller went bad. My exhaust bellow was completly burned because of the heat. It will sink your boat. you can go to any marina and they will have it in stock. Change your impeller as well. Good luck with the new bellow. it is a pain in the a
 

MTribe08

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
680
Re: Help with Outdrive Issue

I had the same problem when my impeller went bad. My exhaust bellow was completly burned because of the heat. It will sink your boat. you can go to any marina and they will have it in stock. Change your impeller as well. Good luck with the new bellow. it is a pain in the a

No..the exhaust bellow will not sink your boat. The U-Joint Bellow and the shift cable bellow will if they crack.

If you don't know the history of them, you need to pull the drive and figure it out. Also storing your boat with the drive down takes the stress off the bellows and will help prolong them. Don S recommends all of them be changed every 5 yrs or so regardless.
 
Top