Took drive off and found a few pieces?

I started winterizing the boat today and getting ready to replace all the bellows and check everything out.
I found a few extra pieces floating around and maybe someone can help identify them. I have a few pictures. The first two show a metal piece that is stuck next to the water pump.
The L/U is brand new replaced by the PO what ever the part is, it came from above.
The next picture shows the Plastic water connector, it is all deformed and melted, what could cause this?
I also had to remove my intake exhaust manifold to replace the gasket between the head and manifold and found that under the rubber connector that joins the riser to the exhaust down tube there looks to be parts missing ie the flapper, is this what the metal piece is? next photo. Should I replace the rubber connector while it is off?
I also found that what I think it is called the bell housing, the part the upper drive bolts too is very loose in the side bushings. Where would I find these parts and are they hard to change? Any help and advise would be appreciated.
Thanks
Glen

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

dozerII said:

The first two show a metal piece that is stuck next to the water pump.
......the flapper, is this what the metal piece is?

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Yes - that is your exhaust shutter. Or what is left of it.

dozerII said:

The next picture shows the Plastic water connector, it is all deformed and melted, what could cause this?

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Heat. Caused by a lack of water flow somewhere.

dozerII said:

I also found that what I think it is called the bell housing, the part the upper drive bolts too is very loose in the side bushings.

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Are they loose - as in, not very tight and simply need to be tightened? Or loose, as in worn out and sloppy?

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Thanks for the reply Fishermark
I have a couple more questions and some more photos.

quote "Yes - that is your exhaust shutter. Or what is left of it."
Does the exhast shutter go on top of the exhaust pipe shown in photo #4 ? There are four pop rivets in that tube holding something.

quote " Heat. Caused by a lack of water flow somewhere."
I understand it had to be heat but, the only thing possible would be exhaust, beacause the leg is in the water below that level and if it was the impeller it should not have pumped water. It has run fine all summer with the temp running in the low side of the gauge.

quote "Are they loose - as in, not very tight and simply need to be tightened? Or loose, as in worn out and sloppy? "

They are loose, the hinge pins are held in by what looked like a nail, I think it should have been a cotter pin. They can't be tightend because of the design. They have a grease fitting which pushes grease into the groove in the pin as shown in the photo. The pin on the starboard side has worn into the bell housing leaving a ridge where the groove is, as shown in the photos.
Would it be possible or feesable to have a machine shop intall a brass bushing to fit the pin and tighten things up?

Also how do you remove the shift cable from the bell housing? I got the whole thin out by removing the inboard end, but the cable will not pull through the outer sheath. The cable looks to be in good condition, I have a new one to put in but might keep it as a spare if possible.
Thanks again Glen

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Yes on the shutter - it goes as described in your photo 4.

Yes, the heat came from the exhaust, but the exhaust is water cooled. Whenever you have a restriction in the water flow you get the melted plastic tube.

On the hinge pins... if the helmet is worn out, I'm not sure what you can really do about that short of replacing it. MAYBE a machine shop could fashion a bushing, but by the time you spent the coin for that you could probably find a good used one.

By the way - you're right, it is a nail. On that is NLA (No longer available). If yours is in good shape, just straighten it out and reuse it. Bend it over in the back.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Thanks again Fishermark. I am trying to figure out where the blockage would have come from to cause the heat. It must have happened with the po as I have had no issues. I will put in a new tube and then check it after a couple of outings in the spring.
Any Idea on how to et the shift cable out?

Glen

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

hope you have checked impeller in the plastic housing and replace it.no water starting and this is the damage done to plastic tube.very suprised your cooling efficiently and impeller is what roasted your exhaust flapper too.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

The shift cable is a good idea to replace. When they wear, the engine will stall when shifting from either forward/reverse back to neutral,(only while in the water, not on muffs).

If you are not having a problem with it up to you to change or keep as spare. The older cables like what your drive probably came with, screwed in from the front side of the bellhousing.

The replacement and all newer cables now thread in to the bellhousing from the aft end. This requires the bellhousing to be tapped from the front end to extend the threads thru the other end. It is done with a special straight tap, not tapered.

Yours might have been replaced to the newer style already and you might not have to tap it. To remove will require a long 9/16" deep socket. I used a 1/2" drive deep socket and it worked to remove.

Here are instructions to replace it from the manual:
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6A4R3.PDF
Page 4A-14 covers the shift cable
Eric

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

dozerII said:

I am trying to figure out where the blockage would have come from to cause the heat. It must have happened with the po as I have had no issues. I will put in a new tube and then check it after a couple of outings in the spring.
Glen

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Wow! Hard to imagine how your engine was staying cool with that melted tube, especially on plane and higher rpms. Off plane, the engine circ pump might of had enough draw.

As pointed out, check that impeller and pump. May want to verify the temp gauge is working properly, as well.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

I have the seen the plastic tube melted before. On mine last year and it was caused by the impeller. Mine had come apart in pieces. Others advice to check yours is sound. Their cheap enough. You will find the replacement piece does not look anything like yours does now.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Thanks everyone for all the replys. I will check the impeller today and let you know with a pic.
Where can I get the exhaust shutter, is a neccessary part?
I am having trouble getting my head around ther cooling system melting the water tube and exhaust shutter, if the pump was not pumping it would do nothing and the engine would overheat. The engine ran fine all summer at least 20 hours of run time and the temp gauge will come up to the green and then hover there. Many times I opened the engine cover to check everything and even felt all the hoses and such with nothing real warm.
Glen

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Okay, I took the pump apart and this is what I found. The impeller is intact and in good shape, not perfect,( I have a complete new pump). So What does everyone think now?
When I went to look at the boat, we went for a test hop and after it had warmed up it developed a high pitched whistle that sounded like it was coming from the carb, my first thought was a vacum leak. When I got the boat home I did a complete tune up and rebuilt the carb, but the whistle was still there, it turned out to be the intake gasket between #1 and 2 cyl. I sealed it up with silicone to get me through till now. Could the leak prior to me sealing it caused a lean enough condition to create high exhaust temps to melt the tube and shutter?
Glen

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

You may never know what caused the tube to melt. Best to simply do what you are doing - replace the pump and enjoy the boat.

On your exhaust shutter - many do not replace them. I cannot tell you one way or another whether or not you should.... but I can tell you that there are many boats out there without them. Make your own decision - just understand the possible consequences of water intrusion.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Thanks Fishermark, any idea where to get one, I checked here on I boats but they don't list the right one.
Glen

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Truth be told... I'm one of those without any shutters, so I don't know where to suggest.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Try here:

Mercruiser Exhaust Shutter. Look at #7.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

try here;http://www.marineparts.com/sierra/sierra590.aspx

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Looks like the part number you need is 45586. If you Google "Mercruiser 45586" - you will find quite a few results.

Re: Took drive off and found a few pieces?

Thanks to everyone, The parts are ordered.
Glen