Mercruiser 165 shift cable bellows

[gregg_a_g]

So I have a free boat that is actually looking to be not too bad. I have a running
engine on a pallet that is almost ready to install. The last owner told me the
leg was recently rebuilt before he left the boat sitting because of what turned
out to be carburetor problems.

I just removed the gimbal/bell housing and am not quite sure how to proceed. I have
an OEM manual for the outdrive, so I think I can puzzle through it. The transom looks
to be 100% - no rot or damage at all. I'm relieved - a lot of people said "good look" with
the stringers and transom when you get the transom assy removed"! Anyway, the last
owner said he was picking up a small to medium amount of water. A boat place told
him "you need some bellows", and that it would cost about $3,000 (yikes)! Most
everything looks water-tight, EXCEPT the cable shift bellows. It's torn all the way through. So at minimum, I need to replace the cable shift bellows, gaskets and o-rings.

I would rather not take more apart than necessary, because the bearing and everything else was supposedly replaced a very few run hours previous. Also, I tend to break things...

Anyway, could anyone weigh in on how to replace the shift cable bellows with minimal
impact to the rest of the transom assy? Or tell me I'm an idiot, and that there are other
things that I should do as well. I'm not easily offended and want to do it right. I'm just
getting really excited because it looks like the boat could be in the water fairly soon if
I don't screw it up!

 

[nola mike]

So I have a free boat that is actually looking to be not too bad. I have a running
engine on a pallet that is almost ready to install. The last owner told me the
leg was recently rebuilt before he left the boat sitting because of what turned
out to be carburetor problems.

I just removed the gimbal/bell housing and am not quite sure how to proceed. I have
an OEM manual for the outdrive, so I think I can puzzle through it. The transom looks
to be 100% - no rot or damage at all. I'm relieved - a lot of people said "good look" with
the stringers and transom when you get the transom assy removed"! Anyway, the last
owner said he was picking up a small to medium amount of water. A boat place told
him "you need some bellows", and that it would cost about $3,000 (yikes)! Most
everything looks water-tight, EXCEPT the cable shift bellows. It's torn all the way through. So at minimum, I need to replace the cable shift bellows, gaskets and o-rings.

I would rather not take more apart than necessary, because the bearing and everything else was supposedly replaced a very few run hours previous. Also, I tend to break things...

Anyway, could anyone weigh in on how to replace the shift cable bellows with minimal
impact to the rest of the transom assy? Or tell me I'm an idiot, and that there are other
things that I should do as well. I'm not easily offended and want to do it right. I'm just
getting really excited because it looks like the boat could be in the water fairly soon if
I don't screw it up!

If the shift cable bellows is bad, the others probably are as well. Water in the bellows means water got to gimbal and u joints. Doesn't matter if they were brand new. Check and make sure it's smooth. Same with u joints, grease everything well and take a chance if you'd like. Shift cable should probably be replaced as well. Disconnect it from the plate inside the boat and see that it moves smoothly with almost zero effort. You should for sure check alignment (buy the tool +/- bearing tool in a kit on eBay). You should also for sure change your water pump impeller.

 

[gregg_a_g]

Ah, okay. If the shift cable bellows let water into the boat, it also let water into the rest of the outdrive. So it sounds like the first task is to remove the hinge pins and separate the gimbal completely from the bell housing. Do I need to buy the special puller for the hinge pins, or can I use a regular slide hammer? The drive is pre-alpha, so I think it has the pin with a thread on the inside that you need to put in a 1/4-28 and slide hammer. Does that sound right?

 

[kenny nunez]

Before you pull the stainless hinge pins you must first pull the small “nails” out that keep the pins in place. They cannot be drilled out, they have to be pulled. You might have to use heat to remove them. If you shear them off in the gimbal ring you will never be able to keep the hinge pins in place.

 

[poconojoe]

A new to you boat should be thoroughly gone through.

You need to create a benchmark with certain components. This is the only way to tell the current condition of things. You can't go by what the previous owner told you, even if he/she seemed trustworthy, they could be misinformed or mistaken.

Definitely, no question, the impeller needs replacement. Dont take a chance, overheating a boat engine is way more detrimental than with our land vehicles.

The drive needs to be pulled and everything needs to be inspected.

Just so you know, that little shift cable bellows can sink your boat. Same thing with the u-joint bellows.
If that shift cable bellows had failed, water may have ruined the cable itself.

 

[Bt Doctur]

FIRST, tell us exactly what your working on
If you dont know what your working on post some pics and we can figure it out
165 says nothing but a 4 or 6 cylinder MC1, R/MR, Alpha1 /Alpha GEN II?
You mention SS pins and SS hinge pins, that would be the MC1 .

Shift bellows will only let water into the boat not into the outdrive and is replaced by just removing the shift cable R/R the bellow and reinsert the shift cable

 

[gregg_a_g]

Thanks, everyone. It's a Chevy inline 6, 250 cu in, 165 hp. The outdrive is a 165, from the S/N around 1974 like the boat. The u-joint had lots of grease, very smooth bearing. The only place with a bit of saltwater powder is right around the torn shift bellows.

I've looked at a lot of old threads and it seems some think it's almost impossible or not worth it to try and replace the shift bellows without separating the gimbal.
Others say, definitely separate and do a better inspection. So I was trying to get updated input!

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... Whenever I have to pull the gimbell housing, I replace All the rubber parts while it's apart,.....
That should give ya 'bout 8 years of trouble free boatin', as those rubber parts rarely last longer than 8 years,.....

 

[gregg_a_g]

Thanks again, everyone. So the rainy weather is coming here in the Pacific NW. Since my garage is a mess with boat stuff, I had to change the timing belt on the 2008 Kia outside. Nice day, but I hate doing that job. It's my wife's daily driver, so she's happy!
I can see the aluminum nails in the hinges, so it sounds like the majority vote for disassembling and doing a good inspection/maintenance.
I'm going to try and start on this tomorrow.

So here is my list of parts, let me know if I'm missing anything you would recommend.

1) Shift cable rubber bellows
2) Exhaust rubber bellows
3) Universal joint rubber bellows
4) Gasket & O-rings for bell housing to leg
5) Gasket & something like 3M 5200 sealant for transom
(Do you recommend the 3M 5200 with the transom gasket?)
6) Gimbal/bell housing water tube

Kind regards,
Gregg G.

 

[SavinRaven]

I am going through the exact same engine and outdrive from a 1973 even bought a donor engine like you for the exhaust manifold. Mine had a torn exhaust bellows I opted to replace them all along with gimbal bearing and shift cable also in the outdrive i'd check the impeller. 14$ that can keep the boat from overheating again.

 

[Bt Doctur]

It can be changed if your replacing the shift cable with the newer rear entry type without disassembly. Cut the old cable remove the front entry retap with the straight tap, Before removing old core , remove the cable and insert a control cable solid core to the bellow area. remove old bellow, insert core thru new bellow and glue in place and clamp. push more core thru to go thru the new cable core and clamp at the white plastic end. clamp only the core wire. One pulling ,one pushing gets the new core in . Finish the cable install, and adjust , then test shift operation

 

[SavinRaven]

It can be changed if your replacing the shift cable with the newer rear entry type without disassembly. Cut the old cable remove the front entry retap with the straight tap, Before removing old core , remove the cable and insert a control cable solid core to the bellow area. remove old bellow, insert core thru new bellow and glue in place and clamp. push more core thru to go thru the new cable core and clamp at the white plastic end. clamp only the core wire. One pulling ,one pushing gets the new core in . Finish the cable install, and adjust , then test shift operation

The Pre alpha #1's used forward shift cable entry and are tapped all the way through. The OEM Part 73723A1 Or sierra Part 18-2248 for the assembly he is talking about.

However I have seen guys use rear and forward facing shift cables on these older units probably becasue they initially ordered wrong.. But the OEM and aftermarket part is forward facing shift cable.

The only thing I am unsure of and tried to do research on is if the alpha one would have 3 or 4 bolt exhaust. I think it is a 4 bolt exhaust if memory serves me correctly. But in that case I would think the original exhaust boot would still slip over it and you could get enough bite on the worm gear to make it work.

Gregg Since your going through all that replace the oil seal and gimbal bearing to. Trust me!