How frequently do you get your engine/drive serviced?

hyperzap said:
Thanks all for the guidance! I'm with @Pirate Lady on getting a pro mechanic - maybe in a few years I will have more confidence doing some maintenance myself, but for now I think burning some money each year is a good way to go for peace of mind.
Click to expand...
If you have found good mechanics that's awesome. Around here every shop is looking for techs as the older guys call it a day. So now you have a guy that doesn't shave yet working with an apprenticing young fella popping zits. We all have to learn but not on my dime, thanks. You will never go wrong learning new skills. Buy a service manual, read it and understand it. Then get to work!
 
SKybolt said:
The "don't leave in the water all year" is for outdrives, because of the bellows and should that freeze your boat could sink if the rubber tears.
Click to expand...
That's a common myth.
First, modern "rubber" is very tough and durable compared to 30 years ago. Second, you presumably have a working bilge pump with a float switch. Even the smallest bilge pump will keep up with the minor flow of water from a bad u-joint bellows. Water comes in through a small 1/8" or less space at the coupler, usually filled with grease and other muck. IF you don't have an automatic bilge pump (you know you must), and you don't have enough sense to open your engine hatch and look once in a while and you stay on the water for days while your battery dies, with water coming in and flooding the bilge ... then yes you could sink your boat. It will NOT be fast. Even with a shift cable bellows bad too, the chances of sinking even a small boat because of a leaking bellows is very remote. Unless you really work at it.;)
 
Juliery said:
That's a common myth.
First, modern "rubber" is very tough and durable compared to 30 years ago. Second, you presumably have a working bilge pump with a float switch. Even the smallest bilge pump will keep up with the minor flow of water from a bad u-joint bellows. Water comes in through a small 1/8" or less space at the coupler, usually filled with grease and other muck. IF you don't have an automatic bilge pump (you know you must), and you don't have enough sense to open your engine hatch and look once in a while and you stay on the water for days while your battery dies, with water coming in and flooding the bilge ... then yes you could sink your boat. It will NOT be fast. Even with a shift cable bellows bad too, the chances of sinking even a small boat because of a leaking bellows is very remote. Unless you really work at it.;)
Click to expand...

We'll have to agree to disagree. It's no myth and I have seen it happen.
 
SKybolt said:
We'll have to agree to disagree. It's no myth and I have seen it happen.
Click to expand...
If you ever installed an engine/drive unit, you'll realize there is no big hole for water to rush through. If you have seen it happen then you would have watched for days.;)
 
Juliery said:
If you ever installed an engine/drive unit, you'll realize there is no big hole for water to rush through. If you have seen it happen then you would have watched for days.;)
Click to expand...

Grew up in a boat yard, had mobile marine service. If you leave your boat in over the winter and your not there for week(s) on end. A faucet drip can sink a boat.

Like I said, we'll have to agree to disagree on this. ;)
 
SKybolt said:
Grew up in a boat yard, had mobile marine service. If you leave your boat in over the winter and your not there for week(s) on end. A faucet drip can sink a boat.

Like I said, we'll have to agree to disagree on this. ;)
Click to expand...
And I wrote: ..."IF you don't have an automatic bilge pump (you know you must), and you don't have enough sense to open your engine hatch and look once in a while and you stay on the water for days while your battery dies, with water coming in and flooding the bilge ... then yes you could sink your boat."...
 
hyperzap said:
Thanks all for the guidance! I'm with @Pirate Lady on getting a pro mechanic - maybe in a few years I will have more confidence doing some maintenance myself, but for now I think burning some money each year is a good way to go for peace of mind.
Click to expand...
And there's nothing at all wrong with putting bread on someone else's table, either! Enjoy the boat!
 
SKybolt said:
If your in the water year round, then pull in spring and have bottom power washed, possibly need to do bottom every year. When the boat is pulled for that, change zincs regardless of condition. Change drive oil yearly period, doing so will give tell tales of possible seal damage. Change the water pump (if there is one) in drive yearly. End of season change the oil, this is a big one, contaminates sitting in the engine that is not running will damage things over time. Change fuel filters yearly at a minimum.

If you need to change your zincs in 4 months then there is another problem that needs to be addressed.
Click to expand...
I am jumping in this thread with a question, my apologies. In regards to changing water pump (drive) annually I would like to know this: Last season April 1st I put in a complete impeller and pump housing with all gaskets. I did approx 60 hrs runtime on drive last season. Pulled Oct 30th. Winterized that next day. Do you really think I need to put a new impeller in again?....I was hoping 2 seasons.
 
Tclark18 said:
I am jumping in this thread with a question, my apologies. In regards to changing water pump (drive) annually I would like to know this: Last season April 1st I put in a complete impeller and pump housing with all gaskets. I did approx 60 hrs runtime on drive last season. Pulled Oct 30th. Winterized that next day. Do you really think I need to put a new impeller in again?....I was hoping 2 seasons.
Click to expand...

The issue is this, the water pump in the drive is a plastic housing and the bottom of the housing is also the top drive seal for the lower unit. That is a big fail point especially if the shaft bearings start to ware, you will notice the play in the shaft and should then have the drive pressure tested for leaks. If your just changing the impeller every two years you are taking a very big risk of not knowing the state of the drive. I would also change the housing with the impeller, but yearly. This always helped me and some of the boats I serviced stay in operation. Yes the drive oil will also let you know about a leak, but by changing the pump housing you can really see what's going on. Especially on older boats/drives.
 
SKybolt said:
The issue is this, the water pump in the drive is a plastic housing and the bottom of the housing is also the top drive seal for the lower unit. That is a big fail point especially if the shaft bearings start to ware, you will notice the play in the shaft and should then have the drive pressure tested for leaks. If your just changing the impeller every two years you are taking a very big risk of not knowing the state of the drive. I would also change the housing with the impeller, but yearly. This always helped me and some of the boats I serviced stay in operation. Yes the drive oil will also let you know about a leak, but by changing the pump housing you can really see what's going on. Especially on older boats/drives.
Click to expand...
I so did not want to hear that. I did pressure test after I did the pump and housing last season. No leaks all good, held pressure. The manual states every 100 hrs or annually. Whichever comes first.
 
nelson Gay said:
why'd you sell again
Click to expand...
I didn’t sell, its on blocks dreaming of warmer days.
2BDEC709-B1B3-43B1-AA53-0B532862E051.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,237
Messages
1,429,058
Members
61,119
Latest member
KenBoat
Back
Top