When drive is trimmed up, bellow not connected.

06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
edited April 2015 in Engine Discussions
Hey everyone,

When I was replacing anodes the other day I trimmed up the drive and saw a bellow(believe its the exhaust, underneath the shaft bellow) in the center that separates form the drive.  When I trim down it goes back into place.  Is this normal?   I wish I would have taken a picture but I believe some of you may know what I am referring to.  Picture below is a google picture that may help understand what I am referring too.  2006 Bravo 3.  Thank you


Patrick
06 Rinker 270

Comments

  • craigswardmtbcraigswardmtb Member Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭
    That's normal.
  • 06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
    water cant get in?
    Patrick
    06 Rinker 270
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I dont think thats normal myself.
  • craigswardmtbcraigswardmtb Member Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭
    Right. As I understand it Merc uses internal exhaust flappers that "helps" prevent water ingestion at low rpms. And more importantly there should be tall exhaust risers that help prevent water ingestion. At high rpms the exhaust pressure won't allow water to come in either.
  • frenchshipfrenchship Member Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭
    It all depends of the type of exhaust bellows that it on. Look at this picture.
    if it is the one on the left it is ok, if it is the on on the middle it should not come off.

  • craigswardmtbcraigswardmtb Member Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭
    Also good practice is to try not to ever come off plane abruptly from high speeds. This leads to a large wake that wants to push water up the exhaust of your low positioned engine and into your cylinders. Again tall exhaust risers help with this problem.
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It is called a cheater tube for the exhaust. In the picture that @frenchship posted, it is the one to the left of Michigan. The one above 'ch' is the full exhaust tube. The full one directs all of the exhaust thru the prop, where the cheater tube directs it thru the prop when the drive is trimmed down, but lets it out when the drive is trimmed up and on plane. Almost thru hulls. ;-)
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • 06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2015
    I will have to look again but I believe its the one on the left of Michigan in the picture.  Ill have a look tomorrow morning.  Appreciate it.  
    Patrick
    06 Rinker 270
  • youstolemybeeryoustolemybeer Member Posts: 246 ✭✭✭
    its normal. at idle with the outdrive down, the exhaust is routed under water, when running on plane the exhaust is routed out above the water for more power. 
  • Robyw1Robyw1 Member Posts: 56 ✭✭
    No that is not normal. The exhaust bellow should always be securly connected to the out drive. You can probably tighten it with the clamp and it doesn't require bellows adhesive like the driveshaft bellow. But it should always be secured to the drive. 
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I just read somewhere that on a B3 drive, Merc uses the "cheater tube" and not a full exhaust bellows. Unfortunately I can't find the link...
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    I saw the same thing and asked my mechanic. On my old boat with alphas the exhaust bellows was always connected.  But on my B3s they have the cheaters also.  

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

  • frenchshipfrenchship Member Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭
    Mine came from factory with a complete exhaust bellow not the cheater type and two other Rinker at our marina has the complete exhaust bellows. The cheater type is an option that give you a bit more power but more noise. In the Mercruiser service manual they show both 
    system. Your choice
  • JoeStangJoeStang Member Posts: 1,116 ✭✭✭✭
    Thats interesting. I definitely wouldnt like them open when trimmed up since I do a good amount of "skinny water" anchoring, so I have the drive trimmed up quite a bit. I'm gonna look at mine before it goes in the water and see if they're open or closed when trimmed up.
    2013 276 Cuddy ~ 350 MAG / B3
  • 06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
    Stodge said:
    I saw the same thing and asked my mechanic. On my old boat with alphas the exhaust bellows was always connected.  But on my B3s they have the cheaters also.  
    Stoge, yours is not connected either right? What did mechanic say?
    Patrick
    06 Rinker 270
  • rinker312rinker312 Member Posts: 255 ✭✭
    the exhaust bellows have a tendency to come off like that because they are on the bottom and when you raise the drive up they have a lot of pressure pulling on them.  I have pulled my boat out of the water on multiple occasions to find that they are off. I have replaced them with bellows adhesive but they still come off. I do not believe that there is any reason that they have to be on.  Whether they are on or not the exhaust is still wide open to the water there are no flappers inside the drive anywhere. Now if your drive shaft bellow came off then you've got a problem!  

    2004 Rinker 312, 5.0 Merc's, Bravo III, Lake Wheeler, AL

  • Mike_GMike_G Member Posts: 258 ✭✭✭
    Frenchship's post is the answer here. All Bravo 3s that I have seen have the "cheater" bellow. -=Mike G.

    2014 Rinker 260EC


  • rinker312rinker312 Member Posts: 255 ✭✭
    My bravo 3s do not have that cheater. Wonder if they started that after a certain year. 

    2004 Rinker 312, 5.0 Merc's, Bravo III, Lake Wheeler, AL

  • howardramshowardrams Member Posts: 223 ✭✭✭
    06Rinker270's answer is that his is normal if he has the rubber boot shown on the left in the picture Frenchship posted.  It's hard to see on his photo.  My new 2014 B3 has the 8" rubber boot clamped on the drive end and just slips over an oval shaped tube on the transom end when down.  If he has the much longer bellows that accordion out as the drive moves up and down, I would think those would be clamped on both ends.  Just can't tell from the original photo. 
Sign In or Register to comment.