pulling out drive for winter question. 5.0 Mercruiser

[Biggredd]

I am getting ready to do my first winterization on my 1995 21ft Marada. I've been watching a bunch of videos and reading posts so I think I have everything down as far as what to do. My main question is should I actually remove the out drive for winter or leave it on? I'm in Denver so winter can get pretty cold. I've read how to remove it as far as bolts go but is there anything that will leak, like the antifreeze, after I winterize it? Or do I just remove the bolts, pull it off, and cover the hole?

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Re: pulling out drive for winter question. 5.0 Mercruiser

I had mine of last winter to make some repaairs with no issues. Keep the weather & animals out and you should be ok.

By the way Bounce brand dryer sheets do seem to work well as a mouse repellent / cheaper brand not so much.

 

[Pete104]

Re: pulling out drive for winter question. 5.0 Mercruiser

Leave it on! Unless you have to fix sumthin

 

[MarkSee]

Re: pulling out drive for winter question. 5.0 Mercruiser

Seems like whenever I pulled my drive off some little bit of water seemed to drain from somewhere even though the drive had been moved up and down and not been in the water for over a week.
I would say pull it off and put it in a warm garage, clean/plug the u-joint bellow then maybe put a thick trash can bag over it poking the studs through the bag and tape where possible.

Mark

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: pulling out drive for winter question. 5.0 Mercruiser

Leave it on! Unless you have to fix sumthin

Doesn't sound like you're too comfortable/acquainted with the removal/installation process...so unless you've got a reason to remove it, there is no harm in leaving it on over the winter. Many people here(NE Wi) leave 'em on, and it's not called the "Frozen Tundra" for nothing!

Make sure the unit is stored in the full down position if leaving it on to keep the bellows compressed as much as possible.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: pulling out drive for winter question. 5.0 Mercruiser

On.... OFF..... Doesn't matter. If on, cover up exhaust opening in lower end so water doesn't get in and store w/ drive in lowered position to keep stress of bellows.

I, personally take mine off and store on home made stand in garage because:

1. Take off in spring anyway to check alignment, check gimbal bearing, grease u-joints and so forth, so it's no extra work..
2. Boat trailer sits too low to keep drive in down position for that long and bow high, to keep boat drained, else skeg hits ground.
3. I know I still have ownership of drive unit in spring. Someone can't steal what's not there.
4. Everytime I go in garage during the winter, reminds me how much winter sux.

 

[ziggy]

Re: pulling out drive for winter question. 5.0 Mercruiser

My main question is should I actually remove the out drive for winter or leave it on?

you should remove the drive, fall or spring. it makes no difference. leave it on or off, makes no difference. like previosuly stated, if on, leave drive full in/down to relax the bellows.
as stated above, these are some of the reasons you need to remove the drive.

1. Take off in spring anyway to check alignment, check gimbal bearing, grease u-joints and so forth, so it's no extra work..
2. Boat trailer sits too low to keep drive in down position for that long and bow high, to keep boat drained, else skeg hits ground.
3. I know I still have ownership of drive unit in spring. Someone can't steal what's not there.
4. Everytime I go in garage during the winter, reminds me how much winter sux.

i'll add to check for water intrusion into the bellows to his list + grease up the shift shaft and lever assy.

also when ya remove the drive. be sure the remote at the helm is in fwd. it has to be in fwd or the drive will not come off. w/o breaking something, like shift shaft(s).

I've read how to remove it as far as bolts go but is there anything that will leak, like the antifreeze, after I winterize it?

mine would weep anti freeze when i used anti freeze. now adays i use air for winter lay up.
i personally store my drive inside too. for reasons stated above. to cover the bell housing i made this.

ya can see the anti freeze in the water passage that has drained out over time.
to make my cover i used plexiglas and an old pill bottle glued to the plexiglas. i'm stored in rev. so the shift slide is shortest to fit inside the pill bottle... old hose for spacers and the washers and nuts that hold the drive on. ya could make this cover out of anything ya want. wood, etc...