Hole in Mercruiser gimbel housing

[WellcraftSportsman23]

I will start by saying I know this is not the right way to do this. I have a 1985 wellcraft and had the bellows don’t three seasons ago so I don’t want to pull the drive again. Trim senders need replacing and I know I should done when I did bellows. I am thinking of drilling a hole gimbal housing and then running thru hull above water line. I don’t care how it looks but is a hole in the housing a bad thing? Should I put 5400 around it?

 

[alldodge]

Need pics

 

[dubs283]

It's easier to replace the trim sender kit without pulling the drive.

Nonetheless, if you're considering drilling through either the gimbal housing or the transom to complete the job I guarantee you it won't turn out well

 

[Scott Danforth]

Drive should be pulled every year for the annual inspection

 

[1960 Starflite]

I ran my trim wires (4) up and thru engine vent exit to terminal blocks. Finished job correctly four years later doing shift cable and bellows replacement.

 

[dubs283]

Drive should be pulled every year for the annual inspection

Of couse

thru engine vent exit to terminal blocks

I understand the terminal block portion but engine vent exit has me vexed.

Appreciate work around fixes however considering trim sender replacement if absolutely necessary one should understand the importance of necessary instruments

 

[1960 Starflite]

Of couse


I understand the terminal block portion but engine vent exit has me vexed.

Appreciate work around fixes however considering trim sender replacement if absolutely necessary one should understand the importance of necessary instruments

My century has Blige blower that exits at top side of transom, (grill) guess there's another description for that area, so I ran temporary wiring thru grill. My wire insulation was cracking and didn't want to pull bell housing until needed to run wires . It's a real ***** replacing correctly.

 

[nola mike]

My trim senders have only occasionally worked over the years. Never got around to actually reconnecting them after the engine swap 3 years ago. Pretty useless IMHO, at best a "while you're in there" job. Not to mention a huge pita on a gen 1

 

[WellcraftSportsman23]

If I drill a hole in my gimbel housing will it rot? Or is it stainless steel

 

[Bondo]

If I drill a hole in my gimbel housing will it rot? Or is it stainless steel

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,...... It's aluminum,.....

 

[dubs283]

It's your boat and you can do what you like but my recommendation is to NOT drill a hole in the gimbal housing to complete this job.

Yeah it's not the easiest job to do correctly but it's worth it to do it right. If you feel the absolute need for proper working trim senders then it's best to take the bell housing off and do it right. Otherwise wait until a full bellows job is needed and do it then

 

[kenny nunez]

Those 2 1/4” 20 bolts that secure the harness flange in the housing are known to break. Trust me on that. It is bad enough that they are just about impossible to try to drill out. You might get by if only 1 breaks off.
Good luck

 

[WellcraftSportsman23]

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,...... It's aluminum,.....

So that means I can safley drill a hole. I know it is not the right thing but the boat is 40 years old and I don’t care how it looks.

 

[alldodge]

Being aluminum means it won't rot after drilling the hole, so no worries there.

 

[ROY WILLIAMS]

I will start by saying I know this is not the right way to do this. I have a 1985 wellcraft and had the bellows don’t three seasons ago so I don’t want to pull the drive again. Trim senders need replacing and I know I should done when I did bellows. I am thinking of drilling a hole gimbal housing and then running thru hull above water line. I don’t care how it looks but is a hole in the housing a bad thing? Should I put 5400 around it?

so you did the trim senders and change the wires ....so you did not take off the gimbal housing .... so did the boat of the back .. then use a upper of the water line around 12 inches or so .. in the drill hole ...did the wires in the hole of the boat rear .. then used the silicone sealer sealing it of the hole inside and the outside ....then working good ...
I did my WELLCRAFT BOUGHT IT 40 YRS NOW ..

 

[WellcraftSportsman23]

so you did the trim senders and change the wires ....so you did not take off the gimbal housing .... so did the boat of the back .. then use a upper of the water line around 12 inches or so .. in the drill hole ...did the wires in the hole of the boat rear .. then used the silicone sealer sealing it of the hole inside and the outside ....then working good ...
I did my WELLCRAFT BOUGHT IT 40 YRS NOW ..

You have done this?

 

[ROY WILLIAMS]

You have done this?

I did the wires of the sender and the switch then I did not take off the gimbal
drill the back of the boat hole , and it was great ...