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1997 wellcraft 4.6LX exhaust/water coming out below outdrive at hull, not prop. leaking in too.

joe g

New member
After de-winterizing the boat, I put it in the water and it started filling up with water. I pulled it out, drained it (it took over half an hour to drain), hooked a hose up to the outdrive and started the boat to see what was going on. The water and exhaust were coming out of the bottom of the bracket that attaches the outdrive to the hull. No water was coming out of the center of the prop and barely any exhaust at all. The large exhaust hose coming through the outdrive appears to be intact. I am a new to boat ownership. What the heck happened? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
there are only a few ways that water can get in on a alpha 1 o/d The drivesahft bellows , the lower shift cable bellows, the water intake hose, or you leave the drain plug out!!!!
 
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there are only a few ways that water can get in on a alpha 1 o/d The drivesahft bellows , the lower shift cable bellows, the water intake hose, or you leave the drain plug out!!!!

One of those is likely the culprit - though not the drain plug - it was in and secured.

Thanks for the tips.
Joe
 
I would say the same as the others are saying.Drive shaft Bellows are known to crack/tear at the top near the gimble.Trim up & down position is the most stretch for the bellows.Is why it's hard to find/see.Mirrors work the best to help locating the leak.Question is,how long has it been since your boat's bellows been replaced?Bellows are only good for 4-6 yr max.That's a big job for sure.I just completed my 1990 Welcraft 186 eclipse Mercruiser alpha 1.I've replaced all 3 bellows without removing the housing.You have a water pump hose,Drive shaft Bellows,Exhaust Bellows & a Shift Cable Bellows.I bought a upper unit kit,Star tool & complete bellows kit for $90.00 off ebay.My gimble bearing was in good shape.You will need to check yours.
How to remove your upper unit sterndrive,
(1)Place your throutle handle control all the way forward(full throutle).
(2)Remove your propeller for safty reasons.
(3)Located on the upper unit you will find your hydraulic cylinders with 2 black plastic caps.Most types unscrew & other type pop off.Remove those two plastic caps.Then remove the nut & washer from the right hand side from your hydraulic cylinders.Use a jack or a prop of some kind to support the unit in place.This is better as a two man job.Next,using a rubber hammer tap the long bolt out of the hydraulic cylinders.
(4)Locate the 6 bolts with 6 washers & the one philip screw.Remove them all & washers.
Your unit is now ready to pull off.A two man job it's heavy.

Removing all 3 Bellows,
(1)Locate the 5/8's water pump hose.Located/connected at the top of the gimble bearing area.The connection is plastic.Do not try to pull it or you will break the plastic elbow connection.Loosen the clamps using a long flexable 5/16th driver or swival.Using a razer blade make cuts in the hose prior of removing hose from both ends.
(2)The bottom flexable hose you see is the exhaust bellows.Using your flex driver loosen the two clamps.Simply pull off the bellows from both ends.May require cutting."Bellows connections are glued as well as clamped".
(3)Removing the Drive shaft bellows.First you must know if you have a round metal sleeve holding the bellows on or clamped on the housing?If a sleeve the sleeve must be broke/bent to be remove & replaced with new.If clamped simply loosen the clamps.
Next,The manual requires you to use a star tool to remove the housing.Doing this you will need to first remove the each two screws from the trim sincers.Under the trim sincers is the star bolts you will need to remove.They are very tight/Torched.After removing the star bolts save the 2 washers for reinstalling for later.Note,If you don't remove the housing the bellows still can be removed & installed but,tight area to work with.
(4)Without removing the housing/star bolts,Lift up the housing & push it to the right side.Take the drive shaft bellows thur the bottom opening of the housing.Note,this will be the same way to installing.
(5)Removing the Shift Cable Bellows,Loosen the clamp remove clip from smaller end of shift cable bellows.
Disconnect the shift cable from the engine.Disconnect & remove the black plastic sleeve also.Next,simply pull the shift cable out of the boat from the back.This step is hard to do without removing the housing but,can still be done.Be careful so you don't bend the cable to much & break it.Some people tie a string on the end of the cable as a snake prior of pulling out.So it's easier to install later.But,I've done it without doing that.Note,prior of disconnecting the cable from the engine.Mark the cable connection threads using a colored marker so there's no need of adjusting later.Most people just buy a new shift cable.After pulling the cable out of the boat.Simply slide off the old shift cable bellows.

Installing all 3 bellows ,
(1)Clean all connection areas with cleaner & wire brush.Apply Quick silver adhesive to all 3 bellows inside connections.Allow time to dry.First,install the new water pump 5/8's hose.Appling a little oil in the hose will help installing easier.Using a flex driver tighten the clamps.
(2)Installing the new shift cable bellows.Clean the areas.Greese/oil the outside of the cable.Starting from the small bellows end slide/push the bellows on the cable .It's tight but can be done.Then slide over the clamp.reinsert back into the boat.Reconnect the black plastic sleeve.Connect to carb/engine.Connect the bellows to the boat.Tighten clamp.Crimp the metal sleeve on the small end of bellows, the Shift cable is now installed.
(3)Installing the Drive shaft bellows,
You will see that the drive shaft bellows has flat spots near the clamp mounting areas.Make sure one of those flat spots are aimed at 11 o-clock for the water pump hose.With clamps on the bellows insert the bellows from the bottom as discribed before.By raising up the housing & pushing the housing to the right hang side.
First,install/pull the drive shaft bellows towards you to slide on first.Tighten clamp.Next,push the bellows towards the gimble bearing .Tighten clamp.This is not a easy job as it sounds to be.Takes time.Note,if you find that when you tighten the clamps the bellows slides off.Loosen all clamps push all bellows on nice & tight.Do not tighten any clamps.Let the boat set till the next day then they will tighten correctly.Drive shaft bellows is now installed.
(4)Installing the Exhaust bellows,
This bellows will require to be stretched over night.But,the simplest to install.So,simple no need to explain.Push them on tighten clamps.Make sure your plug is in your ready to boat dry as a bone.
Note,My trim sincer mounting screws was not coming loose.Since they wasn't coming loose.I'm sure the star bolts would be a problem for me as well.Is why,I had to replace all 3 bellows without removing the star bolts from the gimble housing.I strongly recommend you remove your gimble housing for this job.Remember to change you gear oil as well.After all of this,if you still have water leaking?Junk the boat.
Best, Dan
 
What happens if you remove the outdrive without putting it in the full throttle position? I am going to change all 3 of my bellows based on your post. Thanks
 
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