Newbie to I/O

[Jpsfather]

So when i squeeze the larger hose on the upper side of the engine, a gurgling sound is heard from one of the bellows.
queation is, should this be happening? Pretty sure it's the shifter bellows, it's definitely one of the smaller ones.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Might need to tell us a bit more. Also what model of IO. Your description of hoses doesn't really give us any idea of which hoses. You say larger hose, then say shifter bellows, which doesn't connect to any hoses. In fact, none of the bellows connects to any hoses.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard

do all the maintenance that the PO didnt do.

with any new to you boat, remember, the guy that sold you the boat didnt do any maintenance for years

first order of business with your boat

• pull the drive
  • do a bellows kit
  • check the gimbal bearing
  • check the alignment
  • check the u-joints
• split the drive and install new raw water pump assembly
• re-install drive
• add gear oil
• change engine oil and filter
• change plugs
• inspect cap/rotor/wires
• clean every battery cable connection from the battery to the block, starter and solenoids. by clean, shiny enough your mother would eat off them clean.
• pull exhaust elbows, inspect gaskets (replace as needed), inspect rubber hoses and flappers
• re-pack trailer wheel bearings
• inspect trailer winch and rope
• service the trailer brakes.

 

[Jpsfather]

Yea, sorr, 1988 mercury 3.0 with mercruiser alpha 1, I presume.
upon further inspection, it is a sound from the exhaust bellows, which is split.
The hose im squeezing is a radiator type( 2.5 inch or so) hose, on the very top, looks like it goes into a housing, then exits with a 1 inch going around to the back
Boats drawing in a heck of a lot of water.
so I'm checking everything I know how to.
My most trusted repair shop is 3 weeks out just for diagnosis

 

[Scott Danforth]

usually when one bellows goes, the others are not far behind.

the exhaust bellows is not a big deal, however the shift bellows and the u-joint bellows usually lead to extra expenses

you do realize that for a shop to do all the work in post #3 would cost you more than you probably payed for a 1988 boat with a 3.0 in it.

for the list above, assume about $2200 with typical shop rates

or learn to do it yourself for about $300 in parts and tools and a weekend with the factory service manual.

In addition to the bellows which you found, you could have a rotten transom (very common on 32 year old boats) which would let in a bit of water.

 

[Jpsfather]

How have is the outdrive on this thing before I go involving stuff?

 

[Bondo]

How have is the outdrive on this thing before I go involving stuff?

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,.... I'm guessin' the underlined word is supposed to be Heavy,..??..??

'bout 80 lbs,.....

 

[Rick Stephens]

I would further stress that Scott's post gives you the correct path. This forum exists to help DIYers do it themselves.

If you are planning to pay someone to maintain a boat, you probably should start out with a boast that is in tip top condition. Boats aren't cheap and cheap boats are the most expensive. There are more descriptions of boats alluding to cost than there are of them being fun to own. Most common being a hole in the water that you, as owner, are dedicated to filling up with money. I don't want to scare you away, really. But if you are unwilling to do the maintenance and service yourself, you might as well just buy your mechanic that BMW he always wanted.

 

[Lou C]

before you start doing anything...how are your DIY backyard mechanic skills? Get a Merc shop manual, and learn the right way. People here know it all but you need to educate yourself.

 

[Jpsfather]

Im an excellent diy'er on anything I've ever touched, rebuilt some car engines, a few outboards but never owned or worked on an inboard outboard before.
I wish i would have waited to find an outboard powered bow rider....
but SHE loved it.

 

[Jpsfather]

Sooo.herez the latest, transom seal has gone kaput. I was recommended to put 5200 around the outdrive, which should hold for a couple of years, until the dreaded transom replacement.
I was hoping for a good 2-3 years before transom replacement, but alas, that may not happen after all.
Gonna get a bilge pump with automatic float.
If it gets me till winter of 2020 I will be happy to rebuild the transom, but may look at retrofitting an outboard, if i can find a shop willing and able to do this.

 

[JASinIL2006]

What leads you to believe that applying 5200 will make you boat safe and seaworthy?

 

[Jpsfather]

Came highly recommended by both mechanic and parts guy.
I know it's just a band-aid

 

[Rick Stephens]

 

[havoc_squad]

The world is full of people in denial about critical problems they don't want to face. The boat they own being rotten inside is just one to add to the pile in the list.

Discussion of retrofitting an outboard on it, you might as well dump money into a black hole if it is the typical fiberglass runabout full of wood.

For how much that would cost to do that, I could buy me a bargain priced aluminum deep V fish and ski boat with a 90 to 135 hp outboard on it that runs good.

Without pics, I might suggest selling the boat for parts/loss to cut your losses if the transom is compromised/rotten, and use the lesson/experience to focus you both to do your homework here on making a wise future boat purchase.

Let the marked experts here help train you on how to make the best choice for buying an old used boat and understand the possible additional work it may need.