Outdrive Service/Overhaul advice

[Scubadoo]

Hi All,

Just want some advice before I commit to the cost of having my DPE outdrive overhauled.

This year I discovered for the first time in 20 years the Outdrive oil to be milky. So decided it will need more than a normal service (oil change, bellows etc) i.e. seals replaced (prop shaft/selector), pressure test etc.

While it is in the workshop should I also get the cone & shoe replaced as the drive has done nearly 1000 hours. The Volvo dealer said they can't tell if it needs replacing by a visual inspection. I don't remember having any issues with the clutch/gear operation i.e. operating as normal. So undecided if I need to do this.

Also will have the UJ checked, steering bushes replaced, is there anything else I should consider.

With all the above being done, it will be quite expensive, so just trying to judge what needs to be done vs nice to have etc.

Thanks.

 

[Greg2]

I will be interested in responses and hopefully we won’t get too much thread drift with people expressing their views on the wisdom of having outdrives

Our drives have done similar hours and I was pleased to see clear oil draining out last week but I am thinking of having them re-furbished as a bit of proactive maintenance. There is a place in Kent I think who will do a refurb and do whatever needs doing when they strip them down. My thinking is that it may be a sensible step in spite of the cost.

 

[julians]

It might be that the shaft seal has worn a shallow groove in the propellor shaft which has let the water into the drive. If this is the case then it'll need a new shaft or I think there are some places who can recondition the shaft, but I have no experience of reconditioning.

I'm sure your chosen maintenance place will investigate what caused the water in oil and advise accordingly.

Can't help with the clutch and cone advice, but am watching with interest.

 

[Greg2]

It might be that the shaft seal has worn a shallow groove in the propellor shaft which has let the water into the drive. If this is the case then it'll need a new shaft or I think there are some places who can recondition the shaft, but I have no experience of reconditioning.

I'm sure your chosen maintenance place will investigate what caused the water in oil and advise accordingly.

Can't help with the clutch and cone advice, but am watching with interest.

If memory serves the shafts can be repaired with chrome - I think that petem had his done.

 

[A_8]

Unless you have issues relating to the cones I would let it be. You are not saving much by letting them do it while on the bench anyways.
The cones don't typically break from one day to the other so you will get prior warning, 1 st sign is softer gear changes and eventually there will be a delay in shifting gears.

 

[volvopaul]

I will be interested in responses and hopefully we won’t get too much thread drift with people expressing their views on the wisdom of having outdrives

Our drives have done similar hours and I was pleased to see clear oil draining out last week but I am thinking of having them re-furbished as a bit of proactive maintenance. There is a place in Kent I think who will do a refurb and do whatever needs doing when they strip them down. My thinking is that it may be a sensible step in spite of the cost.

I cannot imagine for one second that your drives are at the level and condition they would need to be sent to the company you mention .

 

[volvopaul]

Hi All,

Just want some advice before I commit to the cost of having my DPE outdrive overhauled.

This year I discovered for the first time in 20 years the Outdrive oil to be milky. So decided it will need more than a normal service (oil change, bellows etc) i.e. seals replaced (prop shaft/selector), pressure test etc.

While it is in the workshop should I also get the cone & shoe replaced as the drive has done nearly 1000 hours. The Volvo dealer said they can't tell if it needs replacing by a visual inspection. I don't remember having any issues with the clutch/gear operation i.e. operating as normal. So undecided if I need to do this.

Also will have the UJ checked, steering bushes replaced, is there anything else I should consider.

With all the above being done, it will be quite expensive, so just trying to judge what needs to be done vs nice to have etc.

Thanks.

Sounds like you need new shaft seals , if the gear engages ok with no delay then there is no need to change the cone .
As it wears the forward engagement gets softer, they font like emulsified oil .
There are a few tweaks I do when replacing a cone , synthetic oil actually makes it slip over conventional earlier oils .

 

[Scubadoo]

Hi Paul,

Sometimes there is very very slight delay when the gear engages and other times none at all (if that makes sense, or maybe it's just me), but does engage okay. How many hours would you consider usual when replacing Cone etc.

I suppose as someone mentioned, for the smallish extra cost maybe I should get it done, I think is will add about £440 to the bill. Mind you buy new Props as well so it all adds up.

 

[Greg2]

I cannot imagine for one second that your drives are at the level and condition they would need to be sent to the company you mention .

That is helpful thanks Paul.

 

[Mr Googler]

I have one which delays both forward and reverse from time to time. If I push the morse a little further (sort of past the notch but without putting on revs) it works fine. Is that stiff cables or still a cone issue?

 

[BruceK]

I had my drives overhauled by the local Volvo dealer which included cone and shafts etc. They did a great job but let me forewarn you it's a sizeable bill. If the seals have worn a groove then it's likely they have done it to both inner and outer shaft. Parts bill there is eye watering. Basically my bill game to just shy of 6k which also included new gear cables and drive fitting etc. There comes a point (which I have passed) where to resurrect a drive you end up chasing the rabbit down the hole and in hindsight it's cheaper to replace them hard as that is to believe.

 

[Scubadoo]

Hi Bruce, I guess I have to be thankful that I only have one outdrive to worry about. I already have a quote for the whole job and it is quite sizable but doesn't include shafts. This is the first time in 20years owning this boat from new that I will have a higher cost than just a service, so not bad (except trim rams, which was a corrosion issue-another story). Thank you for the heads-up appreciate your feedback.

Thanks to everyone who has responded, I think I will go ahead and get the cone/shoe replaced while in the workshop, the last thing I want is find in 12months that I need to do it again which will be a costly mistake.

 

[BruceK]

yes mine were just over 20 years old when I had the work done. Before you start down that rabbit hole just make sure you have costs for the entire job.

 

[BruceK]

I have one which delays both forward and reverse from time to time. If I push the morse a little further (sort of past the notch but without putting on revs) it works fine. Is that stiff cables or still a cone issue?

based on my own limited experience I'd say that is cable related. Either a routing issue or cable adjustment issue (too short a throw basically) or in rare cases you've bent the bell-crank slightly. Of course if it's not so much a past the notch affair so much as a delayed affair, then the selector may be worn or you've over filled with oil.

edit

re bell crank. If I swap drives over one of my drives becomes a bit notchy going from forward back into neutral. Can you imagine my irritation after having them returned from the shop and finding them on the wrong engines. I now have to wait till next maintenance season to sort. Does your head in. Yet if you look at the bell crank you can see no discernable difference , it should make zero difference, and I am at a complete and total loss as to why it makes a difference, I can only put it down to mechanical bedding in/ wear of matching parts.