That's not corrosion. Why are your bolts painted? Mine are unpainted stainless. The casings are supposed to be painted before assembly. I haven't been able to check the condition of the paint on my drive, but it almost looks like your paint has not been properly bonded to the metal. It looks almost like the anodized aluminum coating on the drive is rejecting the paint. I always wondered why paint the anodized aluminum on Sea Cores, except for aesthetics, but when do you ever see them except in the showroom?

 

That's not corrosion. Why are your bolts painted? Mine are unpainted stainless. The casings are supposed to be painted before assembly. I haven't been able to check the condition of the paint on my drive, but it almost looks like your paint has not been properly bonded to the metal. It looks almost like the anodized aluminum coating on the drive is rejecting the paint. I always wondered why paint the anodized aluminum on Sea Cores, except for aesthetics, but when to you ever see them except in the showroom?

That's what the service manager said, he thinks it has something to do with the drive heating up when on plan and not a good bond.
It looks like the hard anodized coating is also not bonding to the aluminum.

 

Sorry to see that. Haven't you seen not to buy into any new Mercury technology until it's at least five years old? Merc does their QC on the customer's dime.

 

Ya I know, 1st boat and thought it would be better that a non seacore.

The reason I bought new was for the Seacore.

I want the drive replaced not repainted, I'll wait and see what they think.

 

I also noticed that your nuts and bolts are painted and that is not normal. I believe you are looking at paint that is not from the factory. Maybe somebody from the dealer did their own touch up job to fix a scratch or something before they sold it to you.

 

Could the paint on the nuts and bolts be anti fouling paint?

 

All of the paint coming off the entire drive could be anti fouling paint. Strange that there is not a barnicle on there at this point in late August. The anodized coating not bonding to the aluminum would be like rust not bonding to iron.

 

That doesn't look good at all.

 

You know, I've been thinking about this. Last year I had my shiny new black BIIIs come out in October after 6 months in the salt coated with barnicles like a donut is coated with butternut. So, this year I had them cleaned and coated with clear antifoul outdrive paint. After a month in the water the paint had a whiteish antique crackle coat finish to it. It looked horrifying in the water. I did not see it out of the water, but I imagine after it dried it would look just like yours.

 

You know, I've been thinking about this. Last year I had my shiny new black BIIIs come out in October after 6 months in the salt coated with barnicles like a donut is coated with butternut. So, this year I had them cleaned and coated with clear antifoul outdrive paint. After a month in the water the paint had a whiteish antique crackle coat finish to it. It looked horrifying in the water. I did not see it out of the water, but I imagine after it dried it would look just like yours.

I didn't see it out of the water, the dealer emailed this picture to me. I looked at it while swimming and this looks worse than I thought.
It doesn't look like just the paint is coming off, you can see bare aluminum. It looks like the hard anodized coating and the paint is coming off which makes me wonder what the inside looks like.

 

Don't lose sleep over it. You are covered either way with the 4-yr warranty. It doesn't look pitted. The anodized coating does look like bare aluminum because it actually is oxidized aluminum.

Read this: http://www.passagemaker.com/Magazin...s/Newsletter/NewsletterContent/tabid/442/ctl/Read/id/1501/mid/1158/Default.aspx

 

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZb_tZ7kN0Q[/YOUTUBE]

Check out this video. It shows the bolts are not painted. It is unclear whether the inside of the drive is painted, but I would think not. It also shows the anodized coating looks similar to what I see under your flaking paint. The paint flaking off your drive seems very thin. The paint on the half painted drive in the video appears very thick. Something is not right with your outdrive. I'm going to stay tuned to this one. I will post a picture of my drive when it comes out in October.

 

The fact that there is paint on the bolts seems to suggest something was altered after the factory...attached is a pic of my SeaCore upon delivery.

 

Judging from what I see in your picture I am almost 100 percent sure your drive was painted with bottom paint. Normally when bottom paint work is done there is an area around the drive where the gelcoat is not painted. On yours, I don't see that area. Look at the picture that nwboater posted to see the difference. That's the way Sea Ray does it in their factory. Was yours bottom painted by the factory or the dealer?

Dave

 

The dealer did the botom paint.

 

As soon as I hear back from Hyannis I'll post what they say the problem is.

 

:wow: THAT is not pretty. painted then heat peel? mercrusier will not cover dealer mishap.:smt100
Keep us informed I have the same new package seacore BIII:smt013

 

111

 

My 2008 Amberjack is doing the same after 4 months - stored on a rack only in water on weekends - waiting to hear from warranty dept

 

On a Sea Core Drive ?

 

Yes, paint is coming off in chips and cracking

 

Vertigo do you have any pictures of this?

 

Just wanted you guys to know what anodizing actually is, in case you didn't already know. Anodized aluminum can not peel, the color ( in this case black) is actually imbedded in the surface of the aluminum. Anodizing can wear off though but will not show as peeling, only as a worn surface.

Just wanted to give some information to those who wanted to know. The picture by the OP looks like bottom paint as well that the dealer screwed up and will have to eat. Mercury will probably not cover this especially with them looking to deny claims due to the economy.


Aluminum anodizing is the electrochemical process by which aluminum is converted into aluminum oxide on the surface of a part. This coating is desirable in specific applications due to the following properties:

Increased corrosion resistance
Increased durability / wear resistance
Ability to be colored through dying
Electrical insulation
Excellent base or primer for secondary coatings
The process of anodizing is rather simple. It consists of an anodizing solution typically made up of sulfuric acid. A cathode is connected to the negative terminal of a voltage source and placed in the solution. An aluminum component is connected to the positive terminal of the voltage source and also place in the solution. When the circuit is turned on the oxygen in the anodizing solution will be liberated from the water molecules and combine with the aluminum on the part forming an aluminum oxide coating.

 

Just wanted you guys to know what anodizing actually is, in case you didn't already know. Anodized aluminum can not peel, the color ( in this case black) is actually imbedded in the surface of the aluminum. Anodizing can wear off though but will not show as peeling, only as a worn surface.

Just wanted to give some information to those who wanted to know. The picture by the OP looks like bottom paint as well that the dealer screwed up and will have to eat. Mercury will probably not cover this especially with them looking to deny claims due to the economy.


Aluminum anodizing is the electrochemical process by which aluminum is converted into aluminum oxide on the surface of a part. This coating is desirable in specific applications due to the following properties:

Increased corrosion resistance
Increased durability / wear resistance
Ability to be colored through dying
Electrical insulation
Excellent base or primer for secondary coatings
The process of anodizing is rather simple. It consists of an anodizing solution typically made up of sulfuric acid. A cathode is connected to the negative terminal of a voltage source and placed in the solution. An aluminum component is connected to the positive terminal of the voltage source and also place in the solution. When the circuit is turned on the oxygen in the anodizing solution will be liberated from the water molecules and combine with the aluminum on the part forming an aluminum oxide coating.

+1. Thanks.
Your explanation was more eloquent than mine, "The anodized coating not bonding to the aluminum would be like rust not bonding to iron."

Still anxiously awaiting the diagnosis and outcome.

 

I'd be seeing RED. Again best of luck. Are they giving you loaner boat or documenting what they see and getting you back in the water for the weekend?

 

They took it out to take pictures and put it back into my slip. They’ve been good to deal with so far, I don’t think I’ll have a problem with them doing the right thing.
It’s a brand new boat bought and docked at their Marina, nothing I could have done to cause this, we’ll see what happens.

 

In addition to the metal being anodized, they are also painted by Mercury. So if it turns out they need to be repainted, I would be very carefull how you strip the old paint off or deal with any corrosion. Mercury may have some specific recommendations on this process and I would make sure you get that information before you (or your dealer) do anything with the outdrive. If you damage the anodized finish, then your drive is no better at fighting corrosion than any other (non-seacore) drive. I would imagine chemical stripping of the paint is required rather than sanding it off but I could be wrong.

Dave

 

Good point Dave about the anodized finish, I hope they replace it with a new drive.

 

Here is a couple of my observations. If I didn't know it was a stern drive, I would say the surface where the problem is, has been stinking hot. Also, they say in the movie, after the drive is anodized, it is painted. If someone painted the drive after the factory, they did a great job of painting around the blue logo, part you can see in the first picture. Seems all the paint has lifted down to the anodizing.

Couple of questions. Is only the top of the drive affected ? Does the engine get its cooling water thru the hull or up thru the drive ?

If the engine gets its cooling water thru the hull and the water fitting on the transom plate is blanked off, the installer must cut a section out of the water hose between the bell housing and the transom plate too allow cooling water to flow thru the top gear box. As the transom plate comes from the factory pre assembled with the hose intact, it is often forgotten to cut the hose for thru hull cooling.
Sterndrive installation manual, page 65

Check this out, the top box looks as though it's cooked.

 

Here is a couple of my observations. If I didn't know it was a stern drive, I would say the surface where the problem is, has been stinking hot. Also, they say in the movie, after the drive is anodized, it is painted. If someone painted the drive after the factory, they did a great job of painting around the blue logo, part you can see in the first picture. Seems all the paint has lifted down to the anodizing.

Couple of questions. Is only the top of the drive affected ? Does the engine get its cooling water thru the hull or up thru the drive ?

If the engine gets its cooling water thru the hull and the water fitting on the transom plate is blanked off, the installer must cut a section out of the water hose between the bell housing and the transom plate too allow cooling water to flow thru the top gear box. As the transom plate comes from the factory pre assembled with the hose intact, it is often forgotten to cut the hose for thru hull cooling.
Sterndrive installation manual, page 65

Check this out, the top box looks as though it's cooked.

Chris,
Those are keen observations and you presented some very good technical info. Nice detective work.

I have 2 BIII Sea Core drives. I have not looked at my drives out of the water. I can tell you that with my 496s, I do not have through hull water pick-ups. The engine and drives are cooled by water flowing through the outdrive.

I know that the through hull cooling is a manufacturer installation, since I had it on my 290 with BIIIs.

That being said, if the boat did have through hull cooling, would it also have the cooling through the drives as a secondary source, or would that be blocked off? It seems that having both would be the ideal set-up.

 

If the boat is fitted with thru hull cooling, the hose fitting on the transom plate inside the engine room is usually removed and replaced with a metal blanking plate and gasket. Part of the Mercruiser installation kit. When the external hose is cut, water is still forced up thru the gear box cooling passages and simply runs back to the sea. As I said above, if the hose is not cut and the blanking plate is in place, there can be no cooling water flow thru the gear box.

 

Chris thanks for the info, I'm pretty sure the cooling is thru the drive; I wasn't at the marina when they took the picture so I don't know how the rest of the drive looks.

I 1st noticed what looked like a few small spots with corrosion when I was swimming, this picture looks a lot worse that what I saw under water.

I plan on calling them tomorrow to see what Merc told them and will hopefully use the boat all weekend.

 

I can take some pictures over the weekend. The dealer has stated the he was going to push for drive replacement. Should know more by next week. Until then, I will be on the water!

 

They replaced all the zincs on Thursday and ran some tests for 24hrs with the boat in the slip for Merc, doesn’t look like any stray current from other boats or shore power.

They told me Merc was leaning towards replacing the drive.

 

I had a chance to get a good look at my outdrives today in the water. The upper cases looked fine with a nice thick, shiny coat of Mercury Black. The anticavitation plates showed that the paint was flaking off on the trailing edges. This paint was very thin, thinner than a sheet of paper. Underneith was the hard anodized surface. Other than that and a bunch of pesky barnicles, it looks fine. The anodes are all corroding as usual. I'm not worried about the flaking paint, since the anodized surface is better than paint. I'll talk to my Sea Ray service tech about the paint and see what he says.