SEI outdrives

Are SEI's made in China? I thought they were made here.

SEI is located in Florida
Not gospel but per SEI website...
Globally sourced parts, assembled Florida.

Yeah, I would suspect some of the parts come from China -- but I bet some of the Mercruiser drive parts come from China too. I don't have direct experience with SEI, but know people who do and have had good experiences - they definitely are a good more economical alternative to OEM.
 
How did this drive work out? Looks like I’m leaning that way. Used units worth a damn seem impossible to locate and 4K for a complete bravo 3 seems hard to beat with warranty.
 
Fabulous. Long breakin that MUST be adhered to, (details below), But very happy with it. I just got the lower for a B1, at $1200 compared to $3000 for Merc.
At haulout/winterize, mechanic flushed the drive, said no metal in oil. Ran perfect, no hiccups.
Has a 3 year no fault warranty. Means, hit a rock, replace free, anything goes wrong replace free. Cant beat that. Of course return shipping costs are on you, but being in Florida, you could probably drive it to them.
Basically, 10 hours of putting around, dont plan on installing and taking a trip the following week...

How do I break in my new drive?

It is the same if you change just the upper, lower or both. For the first 5 hours do not run a constant RPM. Vary the RPM's every 5 minutes or so. Do not exceed 75% throttle for the first 5 hours. Shift into forward and reverse a minimum of 10 times in the first 5 hours. For hours 5-10 you should do short runs at full throttle. After 10 hours normal operation can resume. Change the gear lube between 10 and 20 hours.
 
Fabulous. Long breakin that MUST be adhered to, (details below), But very happy with it. I just got the lower for a B1, at $1200 compared to $3000 for Merc.
At haulout/winterize, mechanic flushed the drive, said no metal in oil. Ran perfect, no hiccups.
Has a 3 year no fault warranty. Means, hit a rock, replace free, anything goes wrong replace free. Cant beat that. Of course return shipping costs are on you, but being in Florida, you could probably drive it to them.
Basically, 10 hours of putting around, dont plan on installing and taking a trip the following week...

How do I break in my new drive?

It is the same if you change just the upper, lower or both. For the first 5 hours do not run a constant RPM. Vary the RPM's every 5 minutes or so. Do not exceed 75% throttle for the first 5 hours. Shift into forward and reverse a minimum of 10 times in the first 5 hours. For hours 5-10 you should do short runs at full throttle. After 10 hours normal operation can resume. Change the gear lube between 10 and 20 hours.
How many hours do you think you put on it?

I don’t want to sell this boat with a subpar drive, but I’m also trying to limit the bleeding
 
Installed last winter; breakin most of April; 3 day trips across the Bay, multiple short runs down the river; wife had car wreck 7/19 which ended our boating season.
Maybe 10 12 hours?maybe less.
It’s definitely not subpar. I did a lot of research all last winter before going with SEI. Couldn’t find anyone local owners and mechanics that had a bad word to say.
What is wrong with yours? My original had a prop seal leak and was too corroded to repair. 32 years old.
 
Installed last winter; breakin most of April; 3 day trips across the Bay, multiple short runs down the river; wife had car wreck 7/19 which ended our boating season.
Maybe 10 12 hours?maybe less.
It’s definitely not subpar. I did a lot of research all last winter before going with SEI. Couldn’t find anyone local owners and mechanics that had a bad word to say.
What is wrong with yours? My original had a prop seal leak and was too corroded to repair. 32 years old.
It’s knocking like a solar salesman from the lower. Ran down the river for about an hour yesterday and when I came off plane in the manatees zone, I had a rhythmic thump that followed engine RPM. Only in gear and not affected by steering or trim angle. I limped home and it got a little worse.

Nobody wants to touch a 17-year-old anything down here
 
How many hours do you think you put on it?

I don’t want to sell this boat with a subpar drive, but I’m also trying to limit the bleeding
The Alpha that I replaced ran grief free for six more years that I'm aware of (likely longer). Don't know how many hours that represents, but I would think at least five or six hundred.

Given a proper break-in and a few hours, there is no way an SEI replacement drive could be considered a subpar anything. You are to be commended for exhibiting such a concern, but I don't perceive it as being an issue given what I've seen of their stuff in the past.

Didn't you already replace the transom assembly earlier in that thread?
With everything aft of the flywheel replaced, I would think that should increase the value of what you have rather than diminish it in any way.

On a different note, It looks as though NuWave Marine may be selling these even cheaper than SEI does. If they're going to drop ship it from SEI and pay that shipping, the fact they are in Jersey shouldn't be of much consequence.

NuWave Marine

I don't know these guys. Use your own due diligence.
Hell, I'd call SEI and ask if they would honor their price. Maybe they would; who knows.
In any case, I've avoided shipping in the past by going and picking it up myself.
 
Nobody wants to touch a 17-year-old anything down here
Thats a shame, if it weren’t for all the old boats here most mechanics be out of business.
Dam shame cause likely you dont need both upper and lower. But without a good guy to examine first you wont know.
Hell man, knocking could be a gimbal bearing and OD fine. 17 years is nothing on an outdrive.
Being January Id keep looking another month for a good mechanic to diagnose first.
 
Thats a shame, if it weren’t for all the old boats here most mechanics be out of business.
Dam shame cause likely you dont need both upper and lower. But without a good guy to examine first you wont know.
Hell man, knocking could be a gimbal bearing and OD fine. 17 years is nothing on an outdrive.
Being January Id keep looking another month for a good mechanic to diagnose first.
The gimbal was new in April with oem quicksilver, the universal joints were new in 2019 and fine when I had the drive off in July. I was hoping it would be one or the other, but the sound stays the same in gear only, regardless of steering or trim angle.

My biggest problem down here is that nobody wants to touch a boat this age and I have the Cape Coral HOA like rules about boat storage. So anytime I need to fix something I need to get it out, get it done and get it back in the water. Not really ideal when it comes to drive problems. I have no problem keeping up after the engine, but I don’t have the tools or knowledge for a drive.

That being said, I did find a guy who comes pretty highly recommended that is gonna come do a diagnosis.

If it winds up being the drive for sure, I’m just gonna go SEI and I’m going to yank the engine with my excavator and change the rear main as well. I have yard space at my shop now.

I want to sell this thing with good conscience knowing that I did everything I could, and there was nothing wrong with it.
 
So you’re selling it? I was gonna suggest if pulling engine change the coupler too. Cheap part, easy replacement while engine out, but if selling that’s different. Most buyers dont really appreciate maintenance done that they cant see and don’t understand.
 
So you’re selling it? I was gonna suggest if pulling engine change the coupler too. Cheap part, easy replacement while engine out, but if selling that’s different. Most buyers dont really appreciate maintenance done that they cant see and don’t understand.
That coupler was new 12/19 as well with the upgraded all steel unit. I may change it anyway if the seal leaked all over the rubber.

When the engine was out in 2019 I went all in
 
Dam, i should sell mine and buy yours. Mechanic told me my coupler should be replaced, waiting for it to let go and experience the tow of shame.
Preventive maintenance? We dont need no PM!
 
Dam, i should sell mine and buy yours. Mechanic told me my coupler should be replaced, waiting for it to let go and experience the tow of shame.
Preventive maintenance? We dont need no PM!
Maintenance is something I never shied away from. Realistically it’s been pretty good for the amount of use it gets. It’s just endless as of late. I knew something major was gonna let go when I pulled the generator for repair . I knew it was 100% guaranteed something was gonna let go when I signed the contract for the upholstery



If you’re serious it will be for sale
 
Maintenance is something I never shied away from. Realistically it’s been pretty good for the amount of use it gets. It’s just endless as of late. I knew something major was gonna let go when I pulled the generator for repair . I knew it was 100% guaranteed something was gonna let go when I signed the contract for the upholstery



If you’re serious it will be for sale
Was kidding sorry. Wife told me, enjoy this boat, its the last one ever. Ever.
 
Thanks all, we are ordering today. Did a lot of research last night. Everyone says following breakin rules are mandatory to longevity.

Just wondering what makes you think the Mercruiser housings are made in the US?

BTW given your circumstances.....the SEI is a home run.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,833
Members
60,931
Latest member
Ebrown69
Back
Top