Bellows/boots on outdrive.

[nipper]

Still trying to sell my 1985 Formula. I have fixed her up, cleaned her up, drained all fluids and she seems to be running well and shifting into and out of gear. I am worried about the bellows/boots (there are 2, right) on the Mercruiser (pre alpha) outdrive. On visual inspection, they look fine. However, I would hate to sell it and have someone put it in and start taking on water because of old/cracked/dry rotted bellows/boots. The closest body of water to me is about half an hour away, but those thieves at the launch ramp charge $20 to launch, $30 on the weekend. The next closest body of water would be well over an hour away, and although launching would be free, I would have time and gas $ invested. Is there any way of checking the integrity of the bellows/boots short of putting it in the water? They were changed out 5 years ago, but then the boat sat for the next 4 years without being used.

Here's link to my ad on Craigslist.

[email protected]

[spareparts]

see if you can poke a hole thru them with your finger(harder than it sounds). Don't worry about the exhaust bellows, just the driveshaft and shift cable bellows(be carefull with the shift cable bellows, its not as tough as hte other two). Visually look at them for cracks between ridges.

[nipper]

Thank you, Spare. I gave a bad link to my ad in the earlier post.

Am I being too paranoid and should just say "as is?" I suck at selling things because I tell the buyer everything I would want to know and actually know.

So, guys, if on visual inspection and finger poke inspection they look fine, should I just ignore it and not say anything about bellows being susceptible to drying out with non-use and time and potentially leading to a sunken boat?

[nipper]

Oops, link to ad is:

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/boa/2394877757.html