Exhaust bellows

[Fisherprice]

Hi there Boat lovers
Is the exhaust bellow required. I’m having a nightmare trying to fit it. As I get the gimbal bellow on the exhaust bellow pops off and vice versa. I’m going to try glue tomorrow. See if that helps
Regards Fisherprice

 

[alldodge]

No its not needed. They make a exhaust tube which just connects on the transom side

 

[Fisherprice]

Thanks for that info Alldodge I’m going to persevere to stick the little rascal on again, but if it pops off again, I take it my boat isn’t going to sink?
Best regards
Fisherprice

 

[alldodge]

No it won't sink. On Bravo 3 they only do Tubes instead of bellows

 

[Scott06]

Hi there Boat lovers
Is the exhaust bellow required. I’m having a nightmare trying to fit it. As I get the gimbal bellow on the exhaust bellow pops off and vice versa. I’m going to try glue tomorrow. See if that helps
Regards Fisherprice

Yeah was a pain but not required as it is full of water anyways.

Do you have the factory merc manual and the tool to expand them ?

I just did mine and there is some detail in the manual that was helpful- I glued it to the transom and let it fully set up overnight. Then used expander tool - but in the manual it has you use the tool on like the first rib in bellows, get the bellows over the lip on bellhousing, then reposition the tool deeper into bellow like 3rd rib to fully stretch bellows over. I did not use adhesive on the bellhousing side because I knew I would never be able to finagle it on before it set up. Also I knew if it came off I was no worse than the ripped bellow I was replacing.

Are you using OEM merc bellows? In the end a lot of guys just use the tube because this is a PITA.

 

[poconojoe]

Yeah that exhaust bellows is definitely a pain. Mine popped off and I just left it that way (4.3L alpha 1 gen 2) . It's basically acting like an exaust tube now.
Some say the exhaust is louder, but i don't think it's really much of a difference.

 

[dubs283]

On Bravo 3 they only do Tubes instead of bellows

On some bravo 3 it was necessary in the past as a service bulletin for sbc.

Prop vacuum and lack of decent exhaust flow was causing the bellows to collapse under load resulting in poor engine performance. Solution was for a tube in place of a full bellows connected to the exhaust flange on the bell housing. This eliminated the vacuum portion of the problem created from the counter rotating props and allowed exhaust gases to escape prior to the drive exhaust passage.

Now a common solution to the "problematic" exhaust bellows install. My theory is if it has a bellows and there hasn't been a runability issue due to it, install a bellows, its really not that difficult a job.

FYI, no alpha style sterndrive has been manufactured with a tube in place oem

 

[achris]

My theory is if it has a bellows and there hasn't been a runability issue due to it, install a bellows, its really not that difficult a job.

This ^^^

FYI, no alpha style sterndrive has been manufactured with a tube in place oem

Correct. And there's no reason not to put one back ...

Chris......

 

[Franco_boater]

So whats the trick to install all the bellows? Installation tools??

Im reading all the informations and there is a big PAIN in the ... to change it..
Probably I will need to do this next year and I am gathering all the informations but... Its so difficult?

 

[alldodge]

Special tool, buy or make one

 

[achris]

Only one 'special tool' is required, the exhaust bellows expander. I used the instructions here (on the forum) and built my own, for about $3. After that, just follow the manual and do EXACTLY as it says. Most people think they know better than the people who built the machine (and then wrote the manual for that machine!) and get all pissy when they have problems.

Chris......

 

[Scott06]

Only one 'special tool' is required, the exhaust bellows expander. I used the instructions here (on the forum) and built my own, for about $3. After that, just follow the manual and do EXACTLY as it says. Most people think they know better than the people who built the machine (and then wrote the manual for that machine!) and get all pissy when they have problems.

Chris......

Exactly get the tool, read the manual, and be patient. Its a two beer job… if you do the whole transom i was well over a 12 pk…

as said you can make the tool if you can do light fab work or buy a non oem tool for $35

 

[dubs283]

So whats the trick to install all the bellows? ... Its so difficult?

Experience...

Not difficult at all, but time consuming for a novice.

 

[poconojoe]

The Merc manual is absolutely necessity. No non-OEM manuals will suffice.