"Holy Bellows"...they're holey bellows

Back again...Unfortunately I don't work on boats much so I have a few questions when I get past the mechanical stuff not found in the automotive restoration world. <br /><br />Finally got this 1988 Cobra V8 running and tuned today on muffs. Water is just pouring out of from what appear to be uniformly shaped holes along the bottom side of the exhaust bellows.<br /><br />I don't recall water comming out of any of the old Mercruiser I/O's I used to own like that.(maybe they did and I just never had them on muffs?) Is this supposed to be that way....if so why? <br /><br />If it isn't supposed to be that way why the uniformly shaped holes on every rib of the bellows..<br /><br />Thanks.... Stan

Re: "Holy Bellows"...they're holey bellows

If you look at the exhaust bellows when the engine isn't running and the drive is up, it will actually look like someone planed off about 1/2" of the bottom of them. It's normal, and allows the water to drain out when the drive is up (as when the boat is on a trailer, or being put on a trailer. And NO, Merc didn't do that at all.

Re: "Holy Bellows"...they're holey bellows

Well.. thank you very much Don<br /><br />I'm sure glad that they are supposed to be that way and that Mercruisers were not that way.<br /><br /> I'm gettin' forgetful enough as it is and I sure didn't remember Mercruisers doing that, and I didn't really want to have to figure the easiest way to replace the bellows on the OMC.<br /><br />Alaska..your home state always?

Re: "Holy Bellows"...they're holey bellows

I have the exact same thing on my 1988 OMC 5.7. I though the bellow dried and cracked that way (alhtough each hole seemed to be there on purpose). I couldnt get anyone to tell me that they are supposed to be that way, however, I did see on a parts web site, that they had "perferated" exhaust bellows. I assume that what you and I have. <br /><br />-Dave