Auction special - 06 bayliner 175 3.0L merc / Alpha 1

First off thanks for all the great information I have come across on here!

I've had a few boats and been very fortunate compared to some stories I have read, and seen!

This boat was a spur of the moment purchase. Got it home yesterday, lifted engine cover, did a basic look over. Decided I would give it a crank and see where I stand. Engine fires right up, instantly I hear water.

I mean POURING water from somewhere in the back, first though, core plug, but here's my issue as the water poured in to the bilge I was trimming down the engine. Water stopped leaking as the motor went down????

Question - if bellows are trashed will it put THAT much water in the boat, I mean just in the 20 seconds or less the engine was on it had to have been a gallon or better. Is there anything else back there? Water looked to be on starter side, back either from flywheel area or behind it.

Any insight would be great, I've read hours of forums but cant seem to get what I'm looking for.

If it truly stopped when drive was trimmed down then bellows is only thing. Pull the drive and inspect the bellows should be a huge rip if that much water came in. Good opportunity to do the impeller in the drive since likely this hasn’t seen much maintenance.

do your basic maintenance engine and drive oil, impeller , fuel filter, inspect and replace ignition components as needed, insect gimbal bearing if bellows are leaking.

Dieter said:

If it truly stopped when drive was trimmed down then bellows is only thing. Pull the drive and inspect the bellows should be a huge rip if that much water came in. Good opportunity to do the impeller in the drive since likely this hasn’t seen much maintenance.

do your basic maintenance engine and drive oil, impeller , fuel filter, inspect and replace ignition components as needed, insect gimbal bearing if bellows are leaking.

Click to expand...

I appreciate the advise!

Pulled the drive off today and all the bellows look to be in decent shape, no rips or any other major issues showing.

Is there any way to look back behind the flywheel cover to see if that core plug is poped without actually pulling the engine, and I'm stumped as to when the water quit pouring out with the drive down, but it has to be something!

I may not want to rebuild this thing, I may just chalk it up as a loss or sell some parts as it was cheap enough, but I would like to diagnose the issue if possible without pulling the engine!

Dieter said:

If it truly stopped when drive was trimmed down then bellows is only thing. Pull the drive and inspect the bellows should be a huge rip if that much water came in. Good opportunity to do the impeller in the drive since likely this hasn’t seen much maintenance.

do your basic maintenance engine and drive oil, impeller , fuel filter, inspect and replace ignition components as needed, insect gimbal bearing if bellows are leaking.

Click to expand...

I appreciate the advise!

Pulled the drive off today and all the bellows look to be in decent shape, no rips or any other major issues showing.

Is there any way to look back behind the flywheel cover to see if that core plug is poped without actually pulling the engine, and I'm stumped as to when the water quit pouring out with the drive down, but it has to be something!

I may not want to rebuild this thing, I may just chalk it up as a loss or sell some parts as it was cheap enough, but I would like to diagnose the issue if possible without pulling the engine!

mirrors work - I have a big old truck mirror I lay in the bilge. Sometimes we pull the engine, and relaunch the boat.

If you in the water :
By lowering the drive you closed up the main bellow or the shift cable bellow, nothing else
Inspect caefully, by raising the gimbal housing to its ful upper limit, also watch the shift bellow the same way. Maybe a corroded away clamp?

If on land:

Suspect a core plug, or cracked block

Get a old hose from a washing machine, stick it in the water inlet and turn the water on , motor does not need to be running

Thank you guys for the information.

I was on the muffs when I originally found the water leak. I will use the mirror idea and old washing hose to check the block and will update sometime in the next couple of days!

Please do.

Jeff