Boat is going in tomorrow morning...what would you do about this bellows job?

J

Jmangus22

Member
Jul 1, 2020
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Boatless
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boatless
Mechanics where I am really have little experience with I/O's.. The guy I am using is honest, charges fair and always provides the old parts and detailed billing. He also doesn't charge as much as the other folks around here. He has a little kid and a wife and works till 9 or 10 every night.

I say this so you wont crucify the mechanic right off the bat. He's a good hardworking guy who is just trying to provide for his family. He has worked on my boat two years in a row and all has been great. (boat is in the water for 11 months at a time)... no it is not a sea ray, but I like coming here because you guys have a LOT of knowledge of the bravo 3/mercruiser.

While he is a good guy, I feel he may have gotten a little in over his head when taking on the yearly maintenance for this year. I get the bellows changed every 3 years, last time it was another place that did it and everything went smoothly. Honestly I wouldn't even have been able to take this picture except that he had an issue with the shift cable bellow and it was left like this for a couple days.

At this point the boat is supposed to go back in the water in the morning and the drive is back on. I can step in and call it all off, pay the marina another 1000 bucks and have them keep it on dry land for another month, tell the guy I don't like it and buy the correct tool for it. Just wondering what you would do in this situation..

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Look closely at the silver ring... he used a flat head to knock it in.. instead of the actual tool
 
That's pretty unfortunate. Although that ring is only there to support the bellow while in position and does not actually do the sealing, it is compromised enough that I would not be comfortable with it. 11 months is a long time in the water.
 
Personally I don’t like the cleanliness….. I don’t think he damaged it….. as long as it’s seated it should be fine but far from professional …… hard working or not

also, why every 3 years changing bellows?…. I have easly gone double that with inspection
 
Blueone said:
Personally I don’t like the cleanliness….. I don’t think he damaged it….. as long as it’s seated it should be fine but far from professional …… hard working or not

also, why every 3 years changing bellows?…. I have easly gone double that with inspection
Click to expand...
Just dont want to tempt fate...I semi liveaboard this boat so the idea was to keep it fresh against leaks or sinking.. again, if I had known he wouldn't buy or have the correct tool to do this job I would have not had him do it, and instead used someone else or not done it this year.
 
That job is so simple you don't need special tools.
Pull that old ring off.
Pull the bellows toward you an inch or so.
Put the new ring on and lube the area.
You can pretty much push the bellows the rest of the way in easily and if not a block of 2x4 works.
 
Are you using aftermarket bellows? My Sierra bellows was starting to crack after 3 years. Currently I have MerCruiser/Quicksilver and they were replaced in 2018. Shop said this spring they still look like new
 
Blueone said:
Personally I don’t like the cleanliness….. I don’t think he damaged it….. as long as it’s seated it should be fine but far from professional …… hard working or not

also, why every 3 years changing bellows?…. I have easly gone double that with inspection
Click to expand...
My BIII bellows are 15 years old. Getting replaced for the 1st time next week. I have had them inspected every year. A couple weeks ago I noticed an unusual amount of water in the bilge. So new bellows time.
 
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Like @scoflaw pointed out, it can be done with a block of wood, but, what concerns me more, is that an alignment tool would normally have both the gimbal and bellows ring install attachments with it. If he was using a screwdriver, I'd question if he checked the coupler's alignment. That should be done every time the drive is pulled. As mentioned by @skolbe, if you really like this guy, you could get him one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C3TXJKJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Well, she's dry as a bone. I would/will pick him up that tool, he just didn't ever say anything about how he was going to install it. Thank you all for your advice!
 
Yeah. you get him that tool, and guaran-damn-teed he'll do it right the next time.
 
Well SHE was not dry as a bone, months later... had to pull her out and have it all re-done. Sigh. Hopefully this new guy knows what he's doing.. he had it all replaced and fixed in about 5 hours today.

The result of the bellow job as posted in the OP, leaked all over the place inside, thank god it didn't get into the bilge:

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After the new mechanic addressed it today..
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Completely my fault. I knew it was wrong and even posted this thread. Still learning life lessons even as an adult. Next time I stop the work and have someone else do it that knows what he/she is doing.
 
Been there done that, never going to be there again. I will never own another I/O. 4-stroke outboards all the way.
 
Something else that I did not see mentioned earlier, but usually when the bellows are changed the gimble bearing is replaced. At that point another tool is used to press the new bearing in and seated, and another to check the alaignment of the bearing to the coupler on the engine. These are all special mercruiser tools and you friend probably doesn't have them. I made my own and I'm sure others here have improvised, but be glad someone with the right tools did it.
The alignment is quite important as it could ruin your day also....

When you get a minute maybe update your signature with your boat details too.

Edit - oops - I see Nater suggested that tool...
 
A can of Power-Tune and your hand is all you need to install the lock ring.
Once the bellow is sitting in its groove in the housing you install the ring
 
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