This feels like it is going to be expensive

randy56

I would like to know also seems like failure with low hours of use, Mine had a crack and low speed wobble made me look drunk all the time. here is one theory :

A dealer mechanic told me not to troll at idle speed (800 rpms), his comment was the idle speed does not create a full even load on bearings & seals as opposed to higher rpms having a balanced load rhythm going on ...
It maybe BS..........
You would think merc could do a better job on design,.

davidbrooks

Well for me the first transom assembly was trashed from impact.  The cost to just replace the broken pieces and swap out was more than the cost of the whole assembly.  We were talking the bell housing, lift cylinders, trim sender, hoses bellows etc...all were trashed on one.  The other i messed up.  I was removing the raw water nipple that bolts to the inside to look at the water hose and snapped off a bolt inside the transom assembly.  The design for the old water hoses is terrible and i couldn't even get a medium phillips screw driver through the water hose opening.  That is how much it was restricting water and cooling.  Couldn't drill out the bolt so that engine had to come out.  Found a brand new one on Craigs list within driving distance for $1500 and wrote a check for that one.  My only thought is that they take a lot of abuse.  Sit in the water and get vibrations from the engine as well as the occasional smack on the bottom.  My thought is that if you get 10 yrs out of it then just replace with new and move on.  Personally i feel a lot more confident with them being back there brand new.  All i have to do now is get my second outdrive rebuilt this winter and i will basically have a brand new boat from the transom back.  Now to just start working forward. 

J3ff

I'm thinking I have to get my out drive rebuilt too.. hoping it's not crazy expensive. 

davidbrooks

@J3ff Highly recommend calling George at http://www.allamericandriveservice.com/.  Shipping is $300 round trip.  and complete rebuild with 2yr warranty was under $4800.  It all depends on what you need done.  My next one is going to him this winter.

Dream_Inn

davidbrooks said:

@J3ff Highly recommend calling George at http://www.allamericandriveservice.com/.  Shipping is $300 round trip.  and complete rebuild with 2yr warranty was under $4800.  It all depends on what you need done.  My next one is going to him this winter.

The last B-2 drive I had replaced OEM, cost me less than $2k more than what you've spent.  That includes diagnosis (which was pretty simple), labor, haul-out and block of boat, OEM drive, bellows, gimble bearing kit.  Not sure how much price difference there is between B-2 & B-3 drives, but not sure a savings of $2k would've been worth it for me.  Now, the OEM only comes with a 1-yr warranty.  I also didn't miss a weekend (except the time on the weekend it happened).

davidbrooks

@Michael T  and @J3ff ok here you go.  Like i said before not much of it is exiting to look at but it sure represented a lot of work.  
Here is the busted outdrive.  This one was sent off for a complete rebuild.  Replaced both transom assemblies, underwater light in the center, props and new bottom paint.

After pics
Still have a nick in this fin but will send this one off this winter to get rebuilt.  It doesn't really affect anything now.

Also gave her a good scrub and mid summer wax.
While the engines were out i painted the engine compartment, replaced rusted trim pump brackets and relays that were failing.  Also ripped out old crappy wire, replaced with marine wire and new wire looms.  Moved the trim pumps back and over so i have more room to get back in the corner to work on the generator now. Before and after pics. 


Then the Starboard side.
The last pic is of the rebuilt dash.  Wired in a new wiring harness and all new gauges, chartplotter and Glovebox.

reneechris14

great job in the engine bay sooo clean and bright.

BellevilleMXZ

Nice job!!

Michael T

WOW!!!!!  @davidbrooks AWESOME job!

Glad I asked for pictures. That engine bay is better than OEM from most manufacturers!

What did you use for "paint" epoxy? polyurethane?

davidbrooks

3 coats of white bilge coat paint from west marine. It is just a gloss white enamel.

DanD2

@davidbrooks.....nice job man, that engine compartments looks horny!!!

J3ff

Very nice!!

Dream_Inn

Very Very nice!!  I love looking at clean engine rooms!  I could just sit in them all day and have a drink and admire!

Handymans342

Great job David

rasbury

Mine is nasty..

davidbrooks

The engine room is always one of my personal pet peeves.  Sort of a barometer on how meticulous a person is with maint.  For me it was always a mess and bugged the heII out of me that i gotg greasy every time i went in there. or that it was dark and easy to lose tools, screws etc...I swear if i drop one more socket i am going to come up with some sort of tray system to put around the engines to catch stuff.

rasbury

Easy when you have a motor out, sort of a do over...what can you really do?

davidbrooks

When i put on the first two coats it was 94 degrees out.  Let me tell you.  Working in an engine compartment, in paper painters overalls, painting enamel paint.  Wouldn't classify it as easy.  Every time i bent over sweat poured out the suit.  Getting up as high as possible and not getting paint on wires, hoses etc... took a while.  But you are correct.  Engines out is easier and lets you get under the engine pan.  That was the one area i couldn't get to with the engines in.  Otherwise it is doable.  

Handymans342

You can come paint mine and fix all the peeling gel coat also