KAD32 with VP DP-SM out-drive??

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Friend went to look at a Regal 2250 yesterday and I joined. I was a bit surprised when I saw what looks like a DP-SM out-drive rather than the DP-290.

Now, it's still duo-prop (stainless props), but i'm wondering is this normal?

Here is a link to a pic of what the outdrive looks like: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Volvo-P...-DPSM-Complete-Outdrive-3868913-/172315493757

I notice that any Regal's I Google have that out-drive, but these are all petrol boats.

I'm concerned with ratios etc... - If it's normal and is the done thing on some boats then fine, but I want to check.

I'm not familar with these out-drives. Are they essentially the same as DP290's? But with different ratios? The out-drive looks a lot more complicated than the DP290.

Are they more complicated to work on? Changing the oil looks similar apart from that you have to remove the props to get to the drain plug. What about a bellow change?

 

[Boat2016]

Both drives were supplied with the KAD32, the one you are referring to is also used with the D3, I have been considering a boat with twin D3s so would welcome any feedback on these drives.

 

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Both drives were supplied with the KAD32, the one you are referring to is also used with the D3, I have been considering a boat with twin D3s so would welcome any feedback on these drives.

Many thanks. That's news to me... you learn something new every day.

 

[scottie]

Are the SM drives not a evolution of the takeover of OMC by Volvo

 

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Are the SM drives not a evolution of the takeover of OMC by Volvo

Looks very similar.

 

[[2068]]

The drives were "small cutout" (transom), and tended to be fitted to smaller/lighter sports boats.
Similar drives were fitted to petrol engines, and then morphed into what you currently see attached to a modern D3.
Advantage over DP-E is that it is fractionally lighter. But DP-E is the "chunkier" drive that can handle more torque.

 

[spannerman]

Very straight forward to work on, you can remove the entire drive in 5 min and the bellows are easy to change if you have worked on Mercruisers and do it the way most do and that is remove the bellows through the gimbal house. Takes me around 30 mins to remove, clean and replace with the correct adhesive once the drive is off, but I have changed around 2000 bellows in the past 20 yrs! The trim rams are easier to replace than 290 drives but in practice give no problems and neither does the drive, I can't remember seeing one with water in the oil, whereas the 280/90 drives have water in at least 40% of those I have worked on. I seldom have serviced a twin installation where both drives were water free, in the workshop it created more of a stir if they were both ok!