Volvo Penta V Mercruiser??

[Solitaire]

I've seen the results of this corrosion. Somebody else was told it was the Mercathode going wrong as well.! Also read the small print in the warranty - I'm led to belive, for it to be valid, the anodes need changing about once a month!!

The problem seems to be hitting the Hamble at the moment!!

How do you check? A lift is really the only way. That's how those who have suffered found out!

 

[MedDreamer]

A search on here may throw something up but its mainly on USA based sites. Try the Bayliner Owners Club or Boatered.com. if you post on there I am sure you will get replies.

Martyn

 

[Alistairr]

Well my current boat is a 23'6" Cuddy, so its really a towable sportsboat. When we bought it 2 years ago, we knew the boat was going to be permanently moored in a Marina, so deceided against paying £2600 for a trailer.
Since then we have been unable to take the boat out to tow it too the clyde to enjoy it, and when it comes to servicing, we either pay £250 for lift out, lift in, or we beg/steal/borrow, a big trailer, unable to take it out just to check things, clean its bum, and the Reason we are trading in for a New boat is it would be mighty difficult to sell a sportsboat with no Trailer. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I was mad really when you think about it!!!!
Well we learn by our mistakes.

Cheers

Alistair.

 

[Alistairr]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

So with all the talk about Bravo 3 corrosion problems, What can be done to combat it?
And what is the Mercathode system, What is it, and how does it work??

 

[oldgit]

Re:Active vs Passive

Think that the Mercruiser device is an active system with current obtained from battery needed to function.Volvo is passive.
The old old Mercathode system on my old old early mercruiser legs was either not working or totally useless.A leg ram could corrode in less than six months or so.
Must stress again that all gear involved was very ancient.

 

[oldgit]

Not suprised that no problems with ribs fitted with legs,no blimming weight.The result may be different with 5/6/7 tons of proper boat to get up on plane.

 

[tinstaafl]

Are these corrosion problems just bravo 3 related or should i be worrying about our alpha?

tinstaafl

 

[duncan]

it's actually the opposite - the main drive issues ( BIII) outwith corosion are with ribs. The BIII runs very hot, on many ribs they run high in the water and at constant high (drive) speed which can cause a problem. The other problem is going airborne - or rather landing - which puts huge shocks through the drive. These are not 17ft speed boats playing around on wakes. A visit to ribnet will find examples of hatred of the larger Yanmar (6LP) / BIII drives. It is difficult to actuall get to the bottom of the scale of the issue though - like the exhaust valve issue with the 6LPs (not the 6LPAs which are modified)

Now on to corosion...........my drive melted when the last marine proffessional permitted to do anything on the boat did an oil and anode change one winter. It took less than 4 weeks. The cause was inappropriate (zinc) copy anodes that looked as shiny and new after 4 weeks as the day they were fitted..........I had no problems before, and have had no further problems since (I do however go through 3 sets of anodes a year). I don't have shorepower, and there isn't even power to the pontoon the boats on. If you don't keep the anodes up to shape you will have problems. I only have the 4 anode drive with 1 mercathode - as outined above all new drives ship with 6 anodes and all installations should have 2 mercathodes per drive (never did get a response about that hamble boat when I asked about their installation).
If you really get to gripps with the Merc manuals and documentation you will find a recomendation for changing the drive oil every 50 hours too........I don't but it's there.

Despite the above suggests I would buy another BIII drive on a midsize single engine installation unless I got a Volvo engine in which case I would get their latest drive.

 

[mercman]

Nonsense!!! The only drives with corrosion are Ribs where do you get you info from!!! The Bravo 3 has a corrosion issue FULL STOP! I high lighted this 6-7 posts ago. I have just been on a Barrus product update course and told you the forth coming improvements on this model.
The dealer on hand over of a new boat can recommend a secondary mercathode system to be fitted but it is not statuary.
There are a lot of people out there buying these replica anodes thinking they are saving a few quid.....they aint. McDuff do mercruiser anodes and Aquafax and Mark Dowland marine supply these iffy zincs to.
On Ebay a company advertising as a mercruiser dealer (Solent Marine) over on the Hamble are supply cheap mercruiser anode kits these are incorrect anodes to fit and do more damage.!!!
As i also said about the Bravo 3XR this will combat the compatability with the 6LP 315hp.
Although Hot Lemon (Scorpion rib twin yanmar 6lp/b3) runs lovely and holds many speed/endurance titles with this set up.
Alphas have no corrosion issues except the odd anchor pin here and there as long as the correct anodes fitted.

 

[duncan]

[ QUOTE ]
Nonsense!!! The only drives with corrosion are Ribs where do you get you info from

[/ QUOTE ]
these are your words not mine, what I said was that the main issues with the BIII drives <font color="blue"> outwith </font> corosion seem to be raised by rib installations.
I agree with all of your other points and would even go as far as to predict that the 6LPA with a BIII XR will become a very common and efficient combination for RIBS and other fast/light craft.

Back on corosion I don't think we are disagreeing either; although it is unfortunate that Mercruiser warantee arrangements with importers and distributors does appear to drive the 'recomendations' or 'advice' each issue.
Personally I won't be replacing (or cross drilling) my prop
shaft to fit an additional anode on it but will continue spending my heard earned pennies changing the ones I have 3 times a year.

 

[Solitaire]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

Here are some pictures I took today of severe Bravo 3 corrosion. The boat had only been in the water, with new anodes, for 4 months!. I also have it on reasonably good authority that it has been discovered that there is some doubt as to the efficacy of the MerCathode system in moving water. Another interesting fact is that from June 17th 2003. additional anodes were fitted (in US) to the gear case and prop shaft thus "further enhancing the standard MerCathode corrosion protection, all Bravo Three drives now feature additional protective anodes on the anticavitation plate and propshaft"

Now the pictures:

 

[Its_Only_Money]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

Its not possible for this mercathode wotsit to be wired up backwards and have a positive corrosion effect is it?????

Open question Soli, I know your self-admitted level of techie knowledge /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Solitaire]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

Techie what?? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MidlandsOnSea]

I'm finding this thread useful, if a little disconcerting. I've arranged to have my Sealine lifted, so I'll be able to check if anything has changed since I acquired it in November.

In the meantime, is it possible to tell by visual inspection whether the anodes currently fitted are original Mercruiser parts rather than the duff ones you refer to?

Also, is it being recommended that older Bravo 3 legs (mine date from 2000) should be retrofitted with a second Mercathode on each drive?

Many thanks for your continued input folks.

 

[duncan]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

so there's a bit of cosmetic work to be done over the winter on the drives..... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

can't help noticing that the ony visible anode (ram ones removed for some reason?) looks pristine and I would be checking it's provenance if that was my drive. If the anodes aren't loosing metal then the drive will.

Easy comparison is weight - standard BIII anodes have a high aluminum content and are around half the weight of some copies I have come across (same volume).

 

[MedDreamer]

Coming back to your original question, I think I now agree with your choice of Volvo. There are obviously still issues with the B3 drive although no doubt there must be a number of happy users, but why have any doubts.

Martyn

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Hi Alistair - I'm late in on this but for what its worth, all the engines are more or less the same. They are big American blocks that are fairly bullet proof. When things go wrong, its usually the peripheral equipment on the engine that make it a "marine" engine, which fails.

As for DP's - they are reliable and again, for what its worth, the DP system is as close to non-slip as propellors can get.

I would get the extra Gee Gee's and the DP.

 

[Solitaire]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

Drives are being replaced with Bravo 1's! The boat belongs to a club member by the way! The anodes ain't been removed mate, they gone!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[duncan]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

Anodes gone - which will be the reason the drives going now. Large anode on visible on the front of one drive is untouched - bet it's not a merc part. If the under cavitation plate was a poor copy too then you have 4 small ram anodes to protect 2 drives - would have lasted beyond 4 weeks but the stailess bolts would still be there. Whilst there is no doubt that someone has screwed up I would suggest even on the slightest of evidence here that it's not the BIII units at fault per se.

 

[Canboria]

Re: More advanced electronics translated into boatspeak means

Correct me if I am wrong but when you apply antifoul aren't you supposed to leave a gap round the drive of around 1 Inch, I was always told if you don't it could cause a reaction because of the copper content.

Most boats down our way seem to follow the rule.