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New Bilge Pump - Needs Bellows after 4 season already?

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demian5:
When I got the boat 4 years ago I did the bellows, the transom seal, new hoses at the rear, trim sensors and seal, new bilge pump, hose and stainless port, gimbal pin and seals, exhaust flapper, the whole shebang (except the gasket for the trim hoses at the bottom of the gimbal housing). I have the boot and not an exhaust bellow (seems to turn the drive white after w weekend of cruising). My driveway is angled nose down so I put the boat nose high on jack stands and have to leave drive in trailer position.

Had to replace my bilge pump a few weeks ago because the float in my all-in-one amazon brand pump failed (also had a leaky trim hose at the drive, so replaced all 4). Only had manual operation - and to me, that's not enough. Replaced with a rule 500 GPH auto (runs every 2.5 minutes). Thank goodness I did.

Went to the lower Colorado river last weekend (Yuma), was parked at a sand bar with the drive up. Noticed every 30 minutes or so, bilge would pump. Pushed on bellows, tried to look in bilge to see leak, figured it was doing its job, I would check it out later. After sand bar time, went cruising, floating down the river, grandkids jumping off the boat, sunsets, good times, etc... bilge ran once in those 3 hours.

Hmm

I had a slip, but put it on the trailer for the night and let it be. Figured, I wasn't fixing it over the weekend in the 116 degree heat... id pull it out each night. Deal with it later.

Next day, instead of raising drive at the sand bar, lets just park farther off and leave it down. Well, no water, no bilge pump running, nothing. All day, no water, nothing. Decided to leave in slip for the evening while we had dinner (could see boat and bilge port from where we sat in the restaurant), no bilge operation at all. Left overnight, no water, nothing.

I guess its one of the 2 bellows? I mean, what else would bring water in with the drive up?

I had the drive off about a month before to get resealed and there was no signs of water intrusion in the gimbal bellows, I checked and poked around.

Ill do both bellows for the shift cable and gimbal of course, gimbal is smooth as snot (at least last month it was) and I grease before I leave and when I get home after washing.

Any additional insight? And enjoy the pictures. I love this boat.

Plugcheck:
The bellows do stretch when drive is up, compress when down, maybe just a small split in the bellows?     You mentioned having a slip, around here we leave drives down when in a slip to keep critters from chewing the bellows.   I bought a cheapo sewer inspection camera for about $25.   It has a USB on about 40' of cable, and I use my laptop for the monitor.  I find myself using it for all kinds of stuff now.  Maybe you could find one and use it in the bilge to pinpoint where the water is coming in.   It has its own LEDs for light.   

carlsoncvx18:
You should store with the drive down.  There was a guy at the meet this year with the same problem.  Also I think you get what you pay for in terms of parts.

thedeuceman:
Nice pictures, looks like that was a great trip !
What brand of parts did you use the first time? I just did the bravo in our V249, I ended up with the wrong sierra kit and I really needed to get it on the water so I got a off brand one from Amazon next day. It fits just fine, but the rubber wasn?t very heavy duty, I assume I?ll be replacing it next year.


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demian5:
Thanks all. I'm going to chance it one last trip out.

I actually sprayed some flex seal on the bellows (a couple coats), lets see what happens. I tested it on another accordion type rubber thing I had (and put a hole in) and amazingly it sealed it up and was flexible. I keep a couple cans in my trailer in case there i a roof leak or something. I may keep one with me when I take the boat out (in the truck as a CVX 16 has such limited room). I bought a new QS bellows and QS drive gasket and ordered the Sierra shift cable "snake" tool (as the marine shop recommended) that will allow me to pull and install the cable in 1/4 of the time and by myself.

I wont be leaving the boat in a slip overnight unless I get 0 water in the bilge all-day. As before, with the drive down, there was no leak.

I have learned that I should leave the drive down as much as possible, and I believe when I installed the original shift cable bellows, I didn't have the drive in the all the way up position before I secured it. So as a result, it was being pulled on every time I raised the rive. Rookie mistake, lesson learned. Ill be replacing the bellows next weekend, and with the fish tool, should only take a couple hours.

The shop said it was OK to use a zip-tie on the small end of the bellows... Ill use the metal ring.

Figured Id let you all know what i'm doing, I know some will say "don't chance it" do it right, but ill be on sand bars all day and under way when its not. And only a mile from the dock when I'm my furthest out. And if the pump starts running a bunch, ill get it out of the water.

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