Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

[MarkSee]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Thanks for telling me this. I am a complete newb when it comes to boats, so I was unsure if a lower drive cover replacement was a simple procedure or not. I had heard the lower drive removal was only a few bolts, and since the exterior was referred to as a cover, I assumed there was an interior carrier assembly.

This makes me feel a bit better about the issue. Same with your comments about the snap in carpet. Without the photos from the surveyor, my imagination may be getting the better of me, and the attitude of the dealer was the original cause of that.

I'll sit tight and wait for the surveyor report due in tomorrow.

There is a bearing assembly in the upper case that the driveshaft is part of and the lower/rear carrier behind the props.
My B3 was leaking gear oil from the top seal so while I had the drive off and saw the lower/rear carrier had some corrorsion, I decided to replace that as well; just another $400 and some tools to add to my collection.

I also had a mechanical survey done before purchasing my 7.4/B3 which paid for itself as a bad exhaust valve was found during the compression test that necessitated a valve job be done.
We asked for a $1,500 allowance from the seller for this work and he agreed.

Maybe you should see if the seller/dealer is open to you having a mechanical inspection done that would include removing the props and taking a look. For my mechanical inspection, we had the mechanic do a "drive-off" inspection where he did pull the drive and check for additional items.

Then adjust your offer or walk away.

Mark

 

[rick3452]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Rick, I knew someone on here had a photo worse than mine! Mine was from 2 years in freshwater (7 months a piece) when I was mistakenly turning OFF my Mercathode system! Yikes!

Going on two years later and still has not let anything in,or out!!! But I do change it 4 times a year (every hundred hrs.)

 

[Toddavid]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Hi, me again.

So, after inquiring with the seller about the lower drive anomaly and wanting some sort of explanation, he handed me over to his service advisor, and here is what he said:

"I have searched the previous owner?s service records and cannot find any evidence of the drive being replaced here. Additionally, I checked the warranty registration under Mercury and found no information about a drive replacement. If the drive was replaced, it would have to have been done at another dealer. In short, I am at somewhat of a loss on that question. It is conceivable that the customer hit something and had it replaced under an insurance claim elsewhere. Or, the lower could have simply been repainted at some point."

Once he mentioned the possibility of a repaint, I asked for photos of the prop shaft with prop removed. This is what he sent:

http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/u418/Toddavid/?action=view&current=propshaft_zps99d1e19f.jpg

Opinions?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Looks beautiful.

 

[Don S]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

The service adviser is correct, there is no way for him to know what happened if not reported to Merc what was done.

I'm really not sure what the big deal is, there is very minor corrosion on the drive, and it may have been replaced for some unknown reason. Either buy the boat and fix the minor paint problems, or go find a new boat so everything is new for you to start out with. Then you can have full knowledge of every thing that happens to it.

 

[Toddavid]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

The service adviser is correct, there is no way for him to know what happened if not reported to Merc what was done.

I'm really not sure what the big deal is, there is very minor corrosion on the drive, and it may have been replaced for some unknown reason. Either buy the boat and fix the minor paint problems, or go find a new boat so everything is new for you to start out with. Then you can have full knowledge of every thing that happens to it.

Don,

The big deal is that the seller has been extraoridinarily difficult to deal with, so my trust in him is shot. The surveyor pointed out some oddities with the drive, and I am doing my due diligence to make sure nothing is being covered up.

I may be naturally cynical when buying complicated machines (been on the professional side of the auto business for a couple decades) and I know better than to take things at face value. With this seller, even more caution seems warranted. The possibility of a repainted lower drive, in my mind, could have suggested a cover up of corroded internals.

If no one sees cause for alarm in the above photos, my fears can be set aside. Bottom line, I don't know boats, which is why I am coming to the collective wisdom of the forum.

 

[Don S]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

The big deal is that the seller has been extraoridinarily difficult to deal with, so my trust in him is shot.

Then just walk away from the deal, there are other boats out there. :facepalm: NEVER Trust the seller, trust your surveyor if you hired him.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Just to add to Don's comments, and having just bought a boat myself the other day . . .

I would say that you are trying to do something that is very difficult, in buying a boat that is so far away and not being able to see things first hand. Trust in the buyer/seller relationship is important, and if it is not there, then maybe there is a good reason.

There are plenty of boats for sale, so don't hang your hat on something that will keep you up at night.

 

[jtracc]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Then just walk away from the deal, there are other boats out there. :facepalm: NEVER Trust the seller, trust your surveyor if you hired him.

agreed. if the seller isnt acting right walk away. i would.

i also just bought a used boat recently and i dont know a hell of a lot about boats and the boat was 4 hrs away. i saw pictures of it but i had no way of knowing if this boat was as prestine as the owner said and also why is it so prestine if its 12yrs old? when i got there it wasnt as prestine as he claimed but it was very very clean for a 12yr old boat non the less. i brought my friend who knows a lot more about boats then i do but in no way a mechanic. the seller was very nice and SEEMED honest enough and explained the history of the boat. we took it for a ride sounded great ran great had no issues and we went over the entire engine twice. thats the most i could have done, and that guy could have been lieing through his teeth. i still dont know if he was, but the boat is running great so far so i may or may not, be in for a lemon boat. my point is when buying used thats the kind of the risk you take, but if you have a gut feeling and something seems shady then i would definately walk away even more so.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

that rear bearing carrier and the case is perfect. No worries there.

 

[Toddavid]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

that rear bearing carrier and the case is perfect. No worries there.

Thanks, that's all I was looking for. I figured the rusty looking goop where the prop exits the case was just marine grease, but I didn't want to assume.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Actually, that "goop" is the washer for the inner prop with some grease on it. They just didn't take it off the shaft when they removed the prop.

 

[Pete104]

Re: Bravo 3 corrosion: What is normal? Help...

Probably, it is a used boat.



That depends on how crazy you want to go with the repair, I would wire brush it off clean, sand smooth, primer, and paint with some Rustolem black paint and move on.

A lot depends on if you keep the boat in the water or trailer it each time.

What primer do you like?