How Critical is Seasonal Drive Removal for Maintenance?

[PITBoat]

Is this something specific to these older models? I just read an article comparing jet boats to stern drives, and removal was not mentioned as part of the yearly maintenance for the SDs.

I asked my boat's PO the other day about the last time it was off, and he didn't know. He thought greasing the zerk on the RH side of the drive (which he said is the gimbal bearing) took care of any greasing issues. He said the owner prior to him didn't mention it either.

I'm just wondering if I'm really gambling with the life of the drive the longer I put that off. We have a 70F day (though a little windy) forecast for tomorrow and I'd kinda like to put the plugs back in, etc. and cruise around the lake for a couple of hours. I need to get some Stabil in the tank anyway and get that run through the carburetor.

 

[tpenfield]

The u-joints should be greased and that is the main reason to pull the drive off. If not every year, certainly every 2 years.

while the drive is off you can also get a look at the bellows and other mating parts.

 

[Lou C]

If you looked at any shop manual for Merc, Volvo or OMC they will all tell you that you are supposed to remove the drive once a year to check the bellows for water, check and grease the gimble bearing, u joints and driveshaft splines. The bellows last between 5 and 10 years depending on use. If the bellowes leaks water in it will corrode the gimble bearing and u joints and can corrode the splines of the driveshaft into the coupler making the drive very hard to remove.If the drive has not been removed for a number of years it can corrode in place and cost you a bundle to do all the repairs made neccary by the lack of maintenance.
I’ve done it each year and been able to avoid problems. So the answer is very important!

 

[PITBoat]

Ok, thanks. I guess I was just looking for a loophole that isn't there. I'll probably have a better appreciation for all that once I've seen those parts and put my hands on them.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Its as important as changing your oil

 

[Lou C]

Once you come to terms with the fact that I/O boats are the highest maintenance type of marine propulsion system, you can make them last a long time. However if you fight it and do not do the maintenance or have it done you will be unhappy with an I/O boat. If you want low maintenance outboards are preferred, but I would not buy an old one here in salt water, preferably less than 5 years old.

 

[Lou C]

The drive jack really helps!

 

[PITBoat]

Yeah, I didn't know some of these things until after I bought this, but I am still very happy with it. The I/O setup is just more aesthetically pleasing to me, and at least the engine is something familiar to me (and an outboard wouldn't be). I like that I got a V6 too, instead of an I4, though there'd be more room in there with one of those.

The jack deal looks good. I already have some 4x4 posts out back and a chain hoist that I had planned to use (with an eyebolt in place of the gear oil dipstick), then I guess I'll drop it in the back of a truck and bring it around to the garage - which I'm going to be forced to make space in, and some kind of bench/vise to hold it in to work on it.. Just some pains I will have to take : ).

BTW, I say I'm familiar with the engine, but although I've owned 2 cars and a truck with points ignition in my lifetime, I never had to set any of them, so I'll prob. have some questions about that too when I go to tune it up. Maybe not though; I've seen some pretty good posts on that. Another thing I'll just have to do to "get it".

Make that 3 cars and a truck, heh, heh. I've had more than my share of GM V8s; two of them big blocks...

 

[Scott Danforth]

read the stickies. everything you need to know about points is in the stickies.

 

[Lou C]

PS if you have any questions about that 1988 OMC 4.3, just ask away because I have owned one for a long time, done a number of repairs (replaced heads, new head gaskets, rebuilt the Quadrajet, converted from the old bat wings exhaust to the Volvo style center riser exhaust, to name the main ones)…..also am familiar with the tricky OMC Cobra shift adjustment (when you follow the steps with the right tools, it is not hard)….'

Ignition points, you have a Prestolite points distributor with mechanical advance. It just takes a bit of maintenance. For setting points having a remote starter switch and a dwell meter in addition to feeler gauges will make it easier. I learned on 60s VWs, and had a Ford 302 and Chevy 350 with points back in the '70s. I liked the GM Delco V8 distributor with the allen adjustment for the points so you could adjust the dwell with the engine running. Great idea from them! Only the V8s had this. Still have the special tool for that job.

 

[PITBoat]

Thank you! I really want to keep this old boat operational for as long as it, or I, will go.

 

[derek4325]

If you run in salt water check it every year, fresh water you can get away with every 2 years, but still good to check every year. Good time to check for water in your bellows, grease your u joints, and owning an engine alignment tool is a must if you don't want to rip apart your gimbal bearing. FYI Lou C is a very good source to follow.

 

[Lou C]

PS the bellows on the Cobra is pretty easy to do, just like a Volvo SX and easier than on the Merc Alpha. Another good point on the Cobra is the very easy to replace impeller. I've gotten 10+ years out of an OE bellows, and I usually run the same impeller about 3 seasons.
If you have the V6 with the bat wing one piece manifolds/elbows and eventually need to replace them, I know the correct Volvo Penta parts you need to make the later style center riser exhaust mate up with the OMC Y pipe. This way you can use good quality but reasonably priced Barr replacement manifolds and elbows but the expensive VP 90* exhaust pipes that mate the 4" riser to the 3.5" Y pipe are what's needed to make it all fit like factory and not leak.

 

[Lou C]

Here's the center riser exhaust conversion with the Barr manifolds and elbows and the V/P exhaust pipes and hoses.