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Exhaust bellow replacement

M

myquest

Contributing Member
I am installing my 270 outdrive and am having a heck of a time re-attaching the exhaust bellows. Any tips for a rookie?
 
New bellows can be a b!tch to install because they want to remain in the retracted position.

With the bellows first attached to the exhaust tube flange and clamped, make yourself a wire harness that will fit around the next to the last accordian inset.
Attach to pull wires to this harness affair.

Lubricate the Intermediate housing bellows flange, and perhaps lube the bead just inside of the bellows.
Wtih the band clamp in position, pull the harness towards AFT and onto the flange.

It won't want to cooperate very well, but this does work.

I rarely see the AQ series exhaust bellows go bad. If this has the back flow prevention flapper, then I do see the flappers go bad.
If your 270 exhaust outlet flapper is good, there's no need for the internal bellows flapper, IMO.
In which case if your old bellows is OK, remove what's left of the internal flapper, and put it back on, and return the new bellows.


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Very good idea. I knew you'd have a bit of sage advise. I tried using one of my small bar clamps to hold it away from the transom a bit but had not thought of a wire harness. I am not replacing the bellows, just putting the drive back on after replacing the suspension fork. I ended up having one of the guys out in the shop turn me a tool on the lathe to help remove the pivot tube, thanks for the advise on that as well. I am slowly but surely getting back to this project with many distractions. Thanks for the advise.
Mike
 
Mike, that should have read "Attach two (2) pull wires to this harness affair", but you got the idea.

I use solid conductor thhn type electrical wiring, or romex with the outer plastic sleeve removed.

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~~~~Lubricate the Intermediate housing bellows flange, and perhaps lube the bead just inside of the bellows.~~~~

What do you use to lubricate the rubber?
 
Another trick,use a heat gun to soften the rubber and make it more pliable. I've replaced them in the winter and it helped and helped keep my arthritic finger pliable too!
 
Thanks Jerry, I considered the heat gun also. As far as ethanol goes I'm fortunate enough to have one gas station in town that has ethanol free gas. It's an agricultural supply store. use it whenever feasible.
 
A heat gun should not be necessary. The rubber on a brand new bellows should be very supple and easy to manipulate.
Just lube the inside and the flange.
Once the bead snaps into the groove, you'll have some holding power.
 
It is not a new bellows, it's the same old one, hard to say how old but in fine shape. I should get a chance to try the wire trick tomorrow.
 
Make sure that the small weep hole is aiming downwards, and is at the FWD area, not at the rear.

Another thought.
Since these do not need to be water tight, you can heat up a 1/8" wire and burn two new holes (one at 9:00 O'clock and at 3:00 O'clock positions) in the AFT section where you'd otherwise attach the wire harness.
Now just feed a wire completely through the bellows, and pull on the wire.
Does the same as a wrap around harness, but won't slip off on you.



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I am quite certain you can buy them directly from VP. Just design upwards your motor with the system data source (use S/N to get the correct revision). They experience the part numbers indeed there also, so you can simply get them and also call around to any sort of VP dealer as well as can get them for an individual, or perhaps any VP spot online can order them.marine components
 
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