Bravo 1 Question - with pics

[Tonka Boater]

I pulled my prop tonight to get some dings repaired and I noticed something in the driveshaft housing that I can't identify and wondering if anyone can tell me what it could possibly be.

It looks to be like dried foam or a dried out chunk of gasket but I can't really tell and I don't want to start pulling stuff out without knowing what it is. It's too hard to get a good look during the day so I snapped this pic with a flashlight shining into the housing.

For reference...on the diagram below where the line ends from the words "Wear Inspection" is exactly where you are looking in the next pic. I see a few weeds in there... could this be lake debris or did a gasket come loose from somewhere else and get wedged here? Any guesses? I took delivery before the ice was off the lakes but I had the dealer do a complete drive inspection and maintenance. They ran everything and it was all good.

 

[ASH]

Rubber flapper from on top of the "Y" pipe is the most likely. If the engine/exhaust got hot at any point during the life of the boat these are the first things to melt…….It is fairly easy to replace.

 

[ASH]

Forgot to mention it is designed to keep water from rushing back into the exhaust valves if you happen to cut power all at once and get a rush against the transom….It would be worth looking into!!!!!

 

[Tonka Boater]

Thanks, ASH...sounds like you are probably correct. I called a few places this morning and that seems to be the consensus. Fairly inexpensive and easy to fix.

 

[wish2fish]

Thanks, ASH...sounds like you are probably correct. I called a few places this morning and that seems to be the consensus. Fairly inexpensive and easy to fix.

and important to fix to avoid water ingestion....right?

 

[Tonka Boater]

and important to fix to avoid water ingestion....right?

Correct.

 

[ASH]

If you are a do it yourselfer you will order a pair of butterflies and also the rubber "holdlers" that hold them in the "Y"……If you see a parts blowup you will see what I mean. I am thinking that will be right on the 1997. They had changed design at one time. Should be less than $50 for parts and if a shop were charging prob no more than 2 hours if they can just loosen rubber to fix. If they have to take more loose it could be another hour or two and some gaskets. Hope this helps….

 

[CliffA]

when i replaced the exhaust flappers on the 215EC i found that spraying some WD-40 between the side of the flexible exhaust tubes and the hard exhaust collectors helped a lot regarding sliding the exhaust tubes out of the way to reach the flappers...the flappers were at the junction of the flexible tubes and the hard collector tubes.....i did not have to remove the exhaust tubes, just loosen them up and slide them out of the way...but this was on an 5.7L with an Alpha drive so this may be different from your engine/outdrive combo....

cliff

 

[Tonka Boater]

If you are a do it yourselfer you will order a pair of butterflies and also the rubber "holdlers" that hold them in the "Y"……If you see a parts blowup you will see what I mean. I am thinking that will be right on the 1997. They had changed design at one time. Should be less than $50 for parts and if a shop were charging prob no more than 2 hours if they can just loosen rubber to fix. If they have to take more loose it could be another hour or two and some gaskets. Hope this helps….

I'm going to have a shop do the work and you are spot on with the price...$250 parts and labor.

 

[PMC]

I did a flapper replacement on my 280DA - Different engines and out-drive, but should give you an idea of what it looks like. Cost me $60, and a fairly easy DIY project.

Old sloppy flapper

New

 

[Tonka Boater]

I did a flapper replacement on my 280DA - Different engines and out-drive, but should give you an idea of what it looks like. Cost me $60, and a fairly easy DIY project.

That's good to know... I'm not sure if it's the flapper or not. I've been trying to fish the mystery object out but it's just a hair too big for the opening.

Here are some clearer pics too. It's not foam as I originally thought. As I pulled at the foam I see that it's a square metal plate wrapped in foam with 2 to 4 holes in the plate...can't really see down in there to tell the exact number of holes. I will need to have the shop disassemble that section to remove it.

Anyone have a wild guess what it could be? I will buy the winner a beer the next time they're up in MN.

 

[craigswardmtb]

The flapper is a good preventative measure but will not always stop the flow when you stop suddenly. Volvos do not even have these, unless they recently changed.

 

[ASH]

I don't like beer, however I am a big Captain Morgan fan!!!! Im still certain I am right….I am only one state below you too!!!!!!