Taking out Upper Bellow

[72Stinger]

I am not sure what kind of tools needed to take out the upper bellow on a 72 Penta AQ130/270T, my bellow is cracked and leaking water into the sterndrive. Is this an easy task?

 

[Don S]

Re: Taking out Upper Bellow

You can just remove the upper gear box to replace the bellows, and it's an easy job to me, but I do it for a living. But you probably have more problems than just the bellows. The ring on the ujoint yoke may be rusty and destroyed the input shaft seal in the drive, this would allow the gear lube to come out of the drive after you get the bellows fixed. That would need a Volvo tech to fix. The ujoints may also need replaced as they have been running in water also. You may also have water in the intermediat bearings (Engine Bellhousing) that could be full of water and also damaged. That requiers an engine pull.

 

[72Stinger]

Re: Taking out Upper Bellow

I pulled the upper box and found no water, of course it might've been a little leakage from the ring, because the only water visable was from the bellow itself, all the water was contained in the bellow, I was wondering if I could (safely) put back together without bellow and start up to see where the water was coming from; motor or stern. The bellow was cracked and old so it was obvious water was getting in, but when I hook up to earmuffs it shouldn't have water. It's not much water at all.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Taking out Upper Bellow

Reread Dons' post, he speaks from experience. It can become a can of worms, best to bite the bullet and dig deeper.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Don S]

Re: Taking out Upper Bellow

all the water was contained in the bellow,<br /> The bellow was cracked and old so it was obvious water was getting in

If you have water in the bellows, then that water will leak through the bellhousing bearings and into the engine compartment. <br />It's that simple.<br />Since "the bellows was cracked and old" as you stated, then when you pull the boat out of the water the water drains back out the cracks??? Right????<br />You need to get the water out of the intermediate bearings and grease in there ASAP, if the bearing is rough and rusty, it needs replaced that's all there is too it. It requieres an engine pull.<br />You were also getting water into the outdrive, if the input shaft steel seal ring is rusty, it probably ground out the seal also. Then there are the ujoints that have been running in water for who knows how long.

 

[72Stinger]

Re: Taking out Upper Bellow

thanks for you help, that is exactly what is going on, the only thing that is rusted is the joints(easy fix), I was thinking it was coming from the lower unit and leaking into the motor, but that is not the case. I really would hate to pull the motor, but if I have to. Thanks again.