Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Just had an interesting experience. I have a 1999 24 ft pocket cruiser with 379 hours on it. I have a merc 5.7 carb engine with a bravo 2 drive. The exhaust bellows hose broke off and everyone said no need to replace as water won't enter through it. Last season engine coupler was replaced and bellows, shift cables, seals replaced as well.

I've always had some water in the bilge but when docked on cayuga lake the other day 1 to 2 ft waves were pounding my transom pretty hard. My bilge pumps were kicking on every 10 min or so and when i opened the engine every time a big wave would hit I could here water splashing into the bilge. Could the waves strength push water into my exhaust bellow that has no hose on it??? When running the boat no probe and when I put her back in the slip no water as well. Thanks

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Could the waves strength push water into my exhaust bellow that has no hose on it??

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No. That exhaust bellows is attached to the exhaust Y. The water would go into the engine, not the bilge.

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Have to have the cover open and watch to see where it is coming in. Where are your air vents located?

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

The air vents are up high ala Bayliners etc. The boat is a Campion 787 Victoria.
I had an extended swim platform installed 3 years ago but thats the only change from the original boat. Like I stated earlier when the waves hit I could hear the water spray hard right into the back of the boat. engine stayed dry so it must be coming from below. The only thing that made sense was the open hosed exhaust bellows but I agree from what I've read it can't be that.

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Maybe a bilge pump thru-hull discharge?

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Seatrumpet said:

Like I stated earlier when the waves hit I could hear the water spray hard right into the back of the boat.

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Should be easy to spot, then. We can keep guessing... seal between hull sections, open fittings on your extended platform, a pulled out bolt, cleat, etc.

If it was coming in from exhaust, a hose is split, loose, etc, and you would be leaking exhaust gas into the bilge all the time.

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

I had this same phenomenon happen to me last week. Drove down one side of Canandaigua Lake (NY) and back up to the sand bar. Opened the hatch (threw an alternator belt). No water in bilge. Sat for a few hours on a rough wave day. Getting ready to leave, I opened the hatch to find a lot of lake water in bilge. Pumped it out and returned to boat launch. Bilge was "dry" with no apparent leaks. Found lower exhaust bellows split open while strapping up for trailering.

Guess I need to take another trip to determine where the water is entering? I thought it was related to the exhaust bellows. Never had this issue before.

P.S. I'm ready to dump this engine and repower. Any suggestions? 1987 Four Winns Horizon 190 w/ Mercruiser 165

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Don S said:

No. That exhaust bellows is attached to the exhaust Y. The water would go into the engine, not the bilge.

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as don mentioned....the hose is attached to the outside only.....on the inside its 4 bolts and a y pipe....even if the gsasket between the two was faulty....it would only be a drip.....not enough to cause major intrusion.......you need to investigate more

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Everyone says it can't be the exhaust bellows but I've checked everything and nothing else pans out. My bilge is dry and yesterday I blasted down the lake stopping fast and having the wave smack the transom hard with no water entering the bilge. When the waves kept hitting the back of the boat a few weeks ago I could hear a water splash hitting the bilge. When I pull the boat for the season I will check the swim platform and anything else that I can see but the only thing I know is broke is the busted, broken off exhaust bellows on my bravo 2 drive. My bilge hose holes are 9 inches above the water line but it may have been possible for the waves to enter there but doubt it. Other than that one wavy day this has never happened before.

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

the guy "dons" is a pro boat mechanic.....he is also one of the best diagnosticians i have ever seen......(this is one of the best features in a boat mechanic...bucause it will save you hunderds of dollars of people "guessing" at the cause.......i myself have taken more than a few apart and re assembled them.

possible place of water intrusion from gymbal housing/t plate only

1. bad seal around the t plate
2. bad shift bellows.
3. bad main bellows, water intrusion thru the gymbal bearing....
4. bad water hose exiting the t plate
5. bad seal from trim sensor wires.
6. disconnected or broken speedo pickup...(alpha bravo)
7. bad gasket around the exhaust y connection

thats it.

3.5.7. are small amounts of water

i would look at the remaining......if no intrusion is found in those areas.....then start checking bilge pump fittings...blower inletts, and any or all thru hull fittings.......another main cause of water intrusion in the bilge area. is water getting in under the rub rail cap/hull joint?.
this is common.

a good way to test....is at a car wash with a pressure washer......start hitting the boat....be careful around the inner workings of the bell.....you can blow off hoses or go thru them with a powerful washer .have someone sit in the boat with the tarp on.....and spray the boat from all angles....they will see the intrusion. pay attention when the spray up ward at the cap hull joint...under the rub rail

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Oops thanks alot! The black rubber insert on my rub rail pulled off during that trip around the side of the transom. I cut a 3ft piece off cause it was whiping around the back of the boat. When I put the boat on a work rack in a few weeks I will hit it with the hose and see what happens but it makes sense. I didn't think that seam could let in water but I guess it can! Thanks again for all of your advice along with Don who I did believe but I'm just so damn frustrated! I'll keep you posted when I know more!

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Great diagnostics, Thanks. I'm going to try the hose technique to see where the water may be entering.

Re: Water from waves entered bilge. Could it be from exhaust bellows?

Friendly reminder . . . let's keep technical threads to one boat and one problem. Too confusing any other way. Thanks