www.iFourWinns.com

I have a 2000 298 Vista and I have noticed that over the last 6 months or so that I have had about an inch or two of water in my bilge. I know that my bellows need replacing (I am surprised they lasted this long given the 850 hours) but I really don't want to spend $1,600 right now. Will this water being constant in my bilge have a detrimental effect of the structural integrity of my boat? BTW, I am fresh water on a lake, if that matters. Thanks.

P.S. Let me know if $1,600 for new bellows on twin Volvos DP's is in the ballpark.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

In my experience, a couple of inches should not matter provided nothing is submerged that shouldn't be. I have had a chronic problem of water in between two starboard stringers since my boat was new. I believe it is a rain-leak issue but haven't been able to nail it down. It rose to the level of my fume detector once and ruined that forcing its replacement and relocation, but otherwise, not an issue. The (lack of) drainage between stringers is one of the shortcomings in the V358's ER design. My Formula always has rain water seeping into the bilge.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

I always want to see no water in the bilge but always see a little bit that mysteriously appears from no where!!

If the bellows need replacing and you're getting water in the bilge for that reason the repairs could easily exceed 1600 if you let it go too long...water in the bellows can have the following bad effects besides putting water in the bilge:
1 ruin gimble bearing...if let go this can seize up and damage the gimble housing (really big money)
2 ruin u-joints...they are replacable on all but later Volvos then you have to replace the whole driveshaft and it needs to be shimmed when installed (older Volvos...Mercs and OMC Cobras could have the ujoints replaced separately for a lot less $$)
3 rust on the input drive shaft can cause the oil seal to leak allowing oil to leak out of the drive when tilted...also bad runs drive low on oil....can lead to major $$

The fact of the matter is any sterndrive is a high maintenance machine and if neglected they will cost you dearly...if you want low maintenance then do not buy a sterndrive next time....outboards and straight inboards are preferred here for that reason (salt water)....

But you should be able to get two bellows replaced for less than 1600 unless you have bad gimbles...ujionts...etc (you'd be hearing noise when turning and trimming) so I'd get the boat pulled..pull off both drives and just check the bellows...if no water....and no cracks in them...they may still be OK but replacement on a 10 year old boat is sensible....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks for the info and here I was worried about a little bit of water in the bilge. I use the boat quite often and don't hear anything when trimming (but that is usually at high speeds) so hopefully the gimbles are in good shape. Curious, how do you know so much about IO's? Are you a boat tech?

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

Bellows cost approx $35, gimble bearing $70, u-joint $135/pcs (2 needed).

If that bellows is cracked letting water in, even a little, it won't take long at all to ruin the bearing or joints.
Most of the cost for fix is in labor, to pull a drive is $300 ish. That's why I do my own.

If boat is kept in water, I would recommend having bellows replaced every other season, but inspected at least every year.
Our boat is stored on the trailer, so I can easily inspect before any trip.

I just replaced gimble bearing on our boat 2 seasons ago, when bearing starts to go, you will hear loud bearing noise. From transom anytime motor is running, as the drive shaft will be spinning. Of course this would apply to any joint noise as well.

Pulling drives off is easy with a drive lift/stand. Do a search here on this site. There are a few of us here that have posted how to make or where to buy a stand.

Good luck and do not wait to get bellows checked out

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

Thanks for the info and here I was worried about a little bit of water in the bilge. I use the boat quite often and don't hear anything when trimming (but that is usually at high speeds) so hopefully the gimbles are in good shape. Curious, how do you know so much about IO's? Are you a boat tech?[/quote]

Well I'm just a stubborn shadetree/driveway mechanic as a hobby for the past 37 or so years and have a compulsive urge to understand and maintain all the machines I'm running...I do all the maintenance on the vehicles (2 Jeeps and a Subaru) and the old boat as well...

I have the OMC factory shop manuals and have maintained it since I've had it (7 years) only taking it in to the shop when I know that the job is over my skills....

We are in a salt water region where many people moor their boats or keep them in marinas and neglected sterndrives are common and a finanical disaster in the making....they can last a long time and be quite reliable but almost like an airplane they need scheduled maintenance done regularly....I pull the drive off when the boat comes out of the water in the fall and check the bellows for water and the gimble bearing and ujoints...if all is good (including no water in the drive gear oil) I grease up the gimble and ujoints and change the drive oil and store it in the garage. Come spring I install the drive with a new impeller do a tune up and go boating...if I find a problem in the fall that I can't handle (drive seal leaking for example that repairing requires special tools) I take it to my local mechanic who does drive work over the winter...

People who have had a boat here for a while will either maintain it well....get out of boating...or get a power package that doesn't need so much maintenance in salt water such as an outboard on smaller boats or a straight inboard on larger ones...For my next boat I would have an outboard on a boat less than 25 feet but anything bigger and it's going to be a straight inboard....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I too have water, and I plan on pulling the drive next month. It also recomends checking the allignment with a tool, what tool? and does anyone here have one I could rent?

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2006 300 Sundancer
2007 Trailblazer LT V8
2004 Grand Prix GTP Comp G (For Sale)
Previous Boats:
2006 255 Sundowner 5.7GXI-G
2000 CrownLine 202BR
1994 Baja 180 Islander
1980 Galaxy 18' BR

Do you have a good place to order shop manuals from? My marina will let me pull the boat and store it on-site for a while. Since I am clueless when it comes to this stuff, I am going to have my mechanically inclined brother do the work and replace the bellows, outdrive oil, zinc anodes, and then paint the outdrives and bottom. I ought to be shot for neglecting this boat for so long, but that is what happens when you are a two boat owner for 4 years.

P.S. Let me know if there is other maintence I should address while I have her out of the water. Thanks.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

The 'Tool' is just a shaft that represents the drive shaft with out the splines on it. It must go through the gimble bearing and easily go into the flywheel, if not, engine is out of allignment.

Search Ebay, you can buy one for cheaper than you could rent and ship two directions. Other option, try to rent/borrow from you local boat dealer, may not lend when they are scrounging for work themselves.

BTW, same tool for both merc and volvo.

I intend to get dimensions and make one very soon. But I have said that for some time now.

Really if the driveshaft slides into the flywheel with ease, allignment is still good.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

You have a Volvo right...you can down load the right manuals right off the Volvo Penta website all you have to do is put in your model #....

As far as yearly maintenance to keep a sterndrive happy...
Once a year we up north winterize and at that time we:
Put some Stabil in the gas for the last few runs of the season so the fuel is stabilized...
Run the engine on the muffs to get it nice and warm then change the engine oil and filter...
Change the drive oil and check for water...
Run the engine on the muffs again again and fog it (spray fogging oil in the carb when running it to coat the cylinders with oil so it doesn't start to rust during winter storage)..
Shut her off and drain all the water out...then replace the drain plugs and fill the engine and manifolds with no tox -100 antifreeze...Change the water seperating fuel filter...inspect the contents for water in the gas...
Inspect the bellows...gimble and ujoints...get anything needing attention fixed over the winter....
Charge batteries and spray engine with corrosion block for winter storage...

OK now in the spring...we pull the drive out of the garage...install a new raw water impeller (these should be changed every other season but inspected right away if you have any troubles with overheating)...check the alignment with the tool mentioned above...grease up the gimble and ujoints...and shift linkage on the Cobra...and then re-install the drive. I use a drive stand I built out of 2x6s to do this saving my back. Then charge the batteries....hook up the muffs and water hose...crank her to life (usually takes about 3 good cranks to pump the old Rochester Quadrajet full of gas) be prepared for a big cloud of smoke as the fogging oil burns off...
Let the engine warm up...turn it off...check all fluid levels to make sure they are OK. Next I replace the spark plugs..and give it a normal tune up (my engine has points and condenser ignition so I put the tach/dwell meter on it and adjust the dwell angle..then set timing and idle). More modern engines have electronic ignition so that's not needed but some require the timing and idle set. Then run it again on the muffs and check the shift system...make sure it shifts properly into FWD and REV.

Well that's pretty much it...all that should be done once a year and you should have a good running sterndrive...really not that bad especially if you are in freshwater...

Oh and one other thing...you use different anodes in freshwater...use magnesium...we use zinc in salt...zinc may not be active enough to protect in fresh water...
And when you paint the drives do NOT use regular copper based bottom paint...that will cause galvanic corrosion and corrode the drive...use a paint for aluminum like Trilux or Petit Alumacoat...both require a lot of surface prep and the use of a primer...

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Jeff,
I got my alignment tool on eBay for under $50 shipped.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

LouC and powellcrazy, great advice and I am sure I will refer to this thread a lot during this undertaking. This forum is very fortunate to have experienced guys like you on board. Thanks again for your help.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

If thats all I need. I'll pull the drive , measure the shaft and have one made here at work for me.
Or maybe a clutch alignment tool for a car with the splines machined off?

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2006 300 Sundancer
2007 Trailblazer LT V8
2004 Grand Prix GTP Comp G (For Sale)
Previous Boats:
2006 255 Sundowner 5.7GXI-G
2000 CrownLine 202BR
1994 Baja 180 Islander
1980 Galaxy 18' BR

I've been told that the a/c condensate drains into the bilge on 298's. My bilge is always got some water in it, worse during the summer. The water is always crystal clear.

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama