Water coming in through exhaust

[Millarjon]

Hi, I am a new member and I'm not super great at terminology but I have a minor problem with my Volvo Penta 5.0FI. It's the original motor in a 1995 Wellcraft Eclipse 196S. There is water coming from a little hole in the middle of the exhaust piece just before it goes through the transom. I attached a little video I used to see where it was coming from. Is there a backflow valve that might be stuck a little open? Only leaks when the boat is in the water. Not on the muffs. It doesn't reach the engine or anything but I can't leave the boat in the water overnight for fear the bilge pump decides to quit. Any thoughts?

 

[Millarjon]

Hi, I am a new member and I'm not super great at terminology but I have a minor problem with my Volvo Penta 5.0FI. It's the original motor in a 1995 Wellcraft Eclipse 196S. There is water coming from a little hole in the middle of the exhaust piece just before it goes through the transom. I attached a little video I used to see where it was coming from. Is there a backflow valve that might be stuck a little open? Only leaks when the boat is in the water. Not on the muffs. It doesn't reach the engine or anything but I can't leave the boat in the water overnight for fear the bilge pump decides to quit. Any thoughts?

Sorry the video size was too big here's a photo.

 

[kenny nunez]

Unfortunately you will have to pull the engine to and the drive. The “Y” pipe probably has a hole in it. It may be possible to have it repaired at a welding shop. You will also have to remove the exhaust bellows to remove the “Y” pipe.

 

[Grub54891]

What Kenny said.

 

[Millarjon]

Thanks guys. I was planning to pull the leg and replace the drive shaft and bellows anyways. The u-joints are starting to clunk pretty good in the corners. Gonna do the gimbal and I have a couple seal kits too. I hope i don't have to pull the engine right out to get to the "Y" pipe. I almost wonder if there is supposed to be water in it for silencing and the backflow valves are above it ? Just hoping to get all the parts I'm going to need before canadian boat season starts... thanks again!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Only way to get the y-pipe out is to pull the motor

If you have water in the bellows, you may have to replace the u-joint shaft and reseal the input of the gear box

 

[Millarjon]

Yeah I noticed the water on the first trip last summer and I drained the oil out of the leg. It was clean, no water mixed in. I noticed the bellows for the shaft was cracking but wasn't taking on water. So I have all new ones, seals for the whole upper drive, shaft, gimbal bearing, alignment tool for gimbal to motor coupler.. think I'm all set for the outdrive. Just the water creeping in is annoying. It's just gotta be creeping in through the exhaust part of the leg. That's why I was wondering about a backflow check valve but the parts diagram don't go into detail. At least not for the y pipe.

 

[Bondo]

Yeah I noticed the water on the first trip last summer and I drained the oil out of the leg. It was clean, no water mixed in. I noticed the bellows for the shaft was cracking but wasn't taking on water. So I have all new ones, seals for the whole upper drive, shaft, gimbal bearing, alignment tool for gimbal to motor coupler.. think I'm all set for the outdrive. Just the water creeping in is annoying. It's just gotta be creeping in through the exhaust part of the leg. That's why I was wondering about a backflow check valve but the parts diagram don't go into detail. At least not for the y pipe.

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... At some point, Volvo deleted the exhaust shutters,......
I don't agree with such, but,......

If yer's had shutters, 'n they failed, they can fall down into the y-pipe, wearin' a hole through the casting,.....
Whatever caused the hole in yer's, it can Not be pulled from the boat, 'n repaired or replaced, without pullin' the motor 1st,....

 

[Millarjon]

Cool. Thanks everyone. At least we still have snow on the land and ice on the lakes so I got some time to prep. Thanks for the help! Guess I'll be pulling a motor and a leg! Yay! Really appreciate your help and expertise!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Cool. Thanks everyone. At least we still have snow on the land and ice on the lakes so I got some time to prep. Thanks for the help! Guess I'll be pulling a motor and a leg! Yay! Really appreciate your help and expertise!

you should be pulling the drive every year as standard PM service.

 

[Lou C]

VP removed those flappers in 1999 AFAIK so yours probably had em. However the way they were installed (they just used the original OMC Cobra design, same parts etc) there were 2 holes in the top of the Y pipe on each side. There were two grommets on the holes and a pin that the flapper rides on. Even if the flapper melted from an overheat it is unlikely for the pin to come out. The flapper itself is rubber coated plastic and can melt if the exhaust over heats. While the flapper is unlikely to wear a hole in the pipe the pin could. Other causes are just corrosion or a failed oring between the transom mount & the Y pipe, these can fail due to corrosion in either the Y pipe or transom mount o ring channels.
Normally when the boat is running on land the exhaust water flows thru the Y pipe to the idle relief holes in the transom mount. However when the boat is in the water the level of water in the Y pipe (called the static water line) is pretty high in the Y pipe, usually as high as the bottom edge of the exhaust manifolds. It would seem odd to me that it would not leak at all with the boat in the water yet it leaks in land running on the water hose. I would double check ALL the hose clamps on the exhaust hoses because if any of these are loose it can leak from the hoses. Also check the PS cooler and water inlet hose on the rear of the engine. You might get lucky. I’d specifically be looking for a running leak ABOVE the static water line level…
And yes you have an I/O the way to make them last is to pull the drive each fall and do ALL the maintenance & checks. I’ve done this with my 1988 Cobra moored in salt water 6 month season 15+ years and have had very little trouble with it.
Bellows I have done 2x
Gimble 1x
Trim hoses 1x
That’s it for the drive & transom mount.
To give you an idea how much of a problem corrosion is here my boat is on its 4th exhaust system all the replacements were before failure based on a 5-7 year replacement cycle in salt water.
Last thing I know some scoff at this but when winterizing I fill the engine & exhaust with PG antifreeze with corrosion inhibitors; it may be that this helps the joint between the Y pipe & transom mount from rotting out. I’ve been using Sierra PG antifreeze which is good enough to use as an engine coolant.