Outdrives

[Cavalierbond]

What hours would you rebuild the outdrives ( bravo 2 )
I know it depends on use and maintenance history
Also heard Wayne Maddox is good on the east coast ..
thanks

 

[Portofino]

Once water ingress has knackered the multitude of gears , pinions and bearings .Or the sea water immersed alloy casing has fizzed away .
Its a how longs a piece if string Q .

 

[ChromeDome]

Make sure you sit down when receiving the quote.

'Rebuild' can be many a thing, none of them inexpensive.

 

[Momac]

If it ain't broke don't fix it

 

[madabouttheboat]

I own 3 outdrives. One from 1989 and two from 1997. Annual maintenance and the odd seal is all they have needed in my, many years, of ownership.

The doom mongers will, of course, tell you otherwise, but I have found outdrives to be cheap and easy to own and maintain and have had at least one drive in my ownership for the last 25 years. There are horror stories out there, but there are also the same for shaft drives, IPS and outboards. There is no magic drive system that is guaranteed to give you years of trouble free boating, but a well looked after drive is as good as any other system and offers economical advantages over shaft drives if you like to use your boat

 

[Cavalierbond]

Thanks … I’m using about a inch of the top up bottle per 3 house of use .. leak somewhere and was going to seen both drives off as pro active maintence ..

 

[simonfraser]

Thanks … I’m using about a inch of the top up bottle per 3 house of use .. leak somewhere and was going to seen both drives off as pro active maintence ..

Where is the oil going ?
is the oil in the drive contaminated ?

 

[julians]

Thanks … I’m using about a inch of the top up bottle per 3 house of use .. leak somewhere and was going to seen both drives off as pro active maintence ..

Might not be a leak,might just be an airlock/airbubble in the drive that is working its way out with use.

Once you get rid of the airlock the oil level should remain steady

 

[scottie]

Pressure and vacuum testing will tell a lot

 

[QBhoy]

Maybe not the case with you…but it’s certainly the case that after the gear oil is changed (if it’s fully allowed to drain it’s entire contents including the header bottle tank)…you’ll need to top up the header tank a couple of times at least. There is an area of void to take up and settle between the vent plug on the drive and the header tank itself. Takes a while to settle.
Other than that…on the bravo…they are known to have corrosion issues at the point where the oil stainless fittings go into the rams. Two dissimilar metals and poor earthing in marinas accelerate the issue.

 

[Cavalierbond]

Thanks for the reply’s .. I’ve done about 30 hours since service so the air must have come out by now ..,
Has anyone used Wayne Maddox or can recommend a mercruiser out drive man ( or woman ) or person …….

 

[oldgit]

[QUOTE="madabouttheboat, post: 8027368, member: 11246"

There are horror stories out there, but there are also the same for shaft drives,
[/QUOTE]
If you look hard enough ?

 

[ontheplane]

I've had 3 boats on stern drive, all old.

Other than routine maintenance also never a problem

 

[madabouttheboat]

[QUOTE="madabouttheboat, post: 8027368, member: 11246"

There are horror stories out there, but there are also the same for shaft drives,

If you look hard enough ?
[/QUOTE]

I don't need to look. I'm in the industry so they come looking for me

 

[GrahamHR]

2x DPS drive equipped boats. The first for 3 years, No corrosion issues ( yearly anodes and VP active protection system fitted).

Likewise the second, 9 years.

 

[oldgit]

"I don't need to look. I'm in the industry so they come looking for me "

In the car park yesterday.
Approached by club member, assisted him to get his Bavaria with a couple of 290s on the back ( only one was working) up to local marina, last year .
the work came to 7K.
It had previously had new rubberware fitted only the previous year before that.
Tried to start the engine a couple of days ago, it would not start.
The rubberware has leaked, the starter motor has seized, any guesses as to the bill, this time
So its back out again for how long ?.........and yes he has just about had enough.

Do remember having to fork out for some new cutlass bearings on previous two shaft driven boats, they were all about 30 years old and had done about 1000 hours each while in my care.

 

[ontheplane]

But it's about choice. Sub 30' basically.you can have Outboard or Sterndrive. Above that shaft Sterndrive or shaft rive with odd outboard, above 50' all Sterndrive or shaft.

In general it's going to be determined by boat size and type as much as personal choice.

 

[simonfraser]

large and OB, possibly a little over budget

 

[ontheplane]

And owned exclusively by oil sheiks?

Problem with that is partly cost but mainly lack of pontoon side petrol availability. I think these are the kind of boats the OXE and COX diesel outboards are perfect for - where the purchase cost will be balanced a bit by the fuel savings

 

[dave1dpc]

If it ain't broke don't fix it

If it ain,t broke fix it till it is.