Guidance requested on Mercruiser/alpha leg

[Bathdave]

The exhaust bellows has popped off at the manifold end, resulting in lots of wooffling noise, and lots of exhaust fumes. Happened at end of seatrial when prospective purchaser wanted demonstration of trailer lift position as he wanted to keep on a drying mooring.

Only just discovered cause on drying rack yesterday, and i have been advised that the drive needs to come of to reinstall.

If I keep boat will have her lifted and serviced and so marginal cost of refixing this exhaust is negligible, but the cost of simply re-fixing a popped jubilee clip is disproportionate in view of work needed to be done to access it.

My normal service man says they have a tendency to pop off and they are a pain to refix and the drive needs to come off to do it.

So my question ...is this a 'he would say that wouldn't he moment' ? Do any of you have experience/know low to refix....it looks like it should be easy but it isn't because of stretching the bellows and impossibility (to me anyway) of getting screwdriver in to tighten jubilee clip.

In the end the purchaser bought a proper bottom sitter of a boat (no out drives) but have another seatrial for a serious purchaser and don't want an issue of a popped of jubilee clip to derail a sale or cost me £1,000 to fix

Any guidance welcome!!

 

[landlockedpirate]

This happended to mine just as we left for our summer holiday

I spent a couple of hours trying to refix without dropping the leg, eventually gave up and rang an engineer for advice. He suggested removing the leg end and trying again.

After a real struggle it worked. You will need a slim 1/4 socket with extension and flexi piece instead of a screwdriver. Fit the manifold end first (use some bostick round the inside of the bellow to lubricate it on then fix in place) then fit the leg side. Its a crappy and knuckle grazing job. It helps if you have a small child operating the trim to allow it to be moved in and out as needed. TBH, the easiest way is to drop the leg.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-AK7341-2pc-Flexible-Extension-Adaptor-Set-1-4-Sq-x-150mm-3-8-Sq-x-200mm-/151303738844?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item233a67d5dc

 

[rafiki_]

oGaryo and SteveDunstable of this forum have significant experience and expertise, so if they don't see this, then try a pm before you spend any money.

 

[dingdongs]

plenty to view on youtube with details and equipment used.diy is cheapest and after pulling leg gets rid of most of the weight.

 

[Bathdave]

Thanks all for responses..

A couple of US forums (fora?) suggested using an exhaust tube just attached to manifold and trailing, so the complex stretching and fitting both ends of bellows is avoided. Apparently there is a mercury part for this.

In the event I improvised something which seemed to mitigate issue, passed seatrial, and new owner plans to lift out and have beginning of season service, so all may be well if it ends well! Fingers crossed

 

[tinkicker0]

The exhaust bellows has popped off at the manifold end, resulting in lots of wooffling noise, and lots of exhaust fumes. Happened at end of seatrial when prospective purchaser wanted demonstration of trailer lift position as he wanted to keep on a drying mooring.

Only just discovered cause on drying rack yesterday, and i have been advised that the drive needs to come of to reinstall.

If I keep boat will have her lifted and serviced and so marginal cost of refixing this exhaust is negligible, but the cost of simply re-fixing a popped jubilee clip is disproportionate in view of work needed to be done to access it.

My normal service man says they have a tendency to pop off and they are a pain to refix and the drive needs to come off to do it.

So my question ...is this a 'he would say that wouldn't he moment' ? Do any of you have experience/know low to refix....it looks like it should be easy but it isn't because of stretching the bellows and impossibility (to me anyway) of getting screwdriver in to tighten jubilee clip.

In the end the purchaser bought a proper bottom sitter of a boat (no out drives) but have another seatrial for a serious purchaser and don't want an issue of a popped of jubilee clip to derail a sale or cost me £1,000 to fix

Any guidance welcome!!

Load of rollox. lift drive, take off bellows, buy a new one that is stiffer and is not designed to be attached to the drive end, lift leg and fit to transom plate end only. Job done. 10 mins