I am new to boating and purchased a 1996 model with an 5.7L inboard last
spring. What maintenance do I need to perform after de-winterizing the boat?

Oil Change ( I have no idea if/when the previous owner had it changed)
Belts?
Hoses?
Any other fluids, filters, or things that need to be changed/adjusted?

Scott,

Did you get the engine booklet that came with the boat? If so, its got annual maintenance
instructions in it. If not, I'd suggest going to a dealer and buying a manual, because it will be
well worth the $30 investment over the time you own the boat. The basics a

0) Charge or replace the battery! Its likely to be flat after sitting over the winter.

1) Change engine oil and oil filter
2) Check belts and hoses (My 1996 has the originals, and they are still going strong)
3) Change fuel filters (my rig has two--A spin on, and a small filter in the carburetor)
4) Check battery water level (if possible)
5) Check and clean battery terminals
6) Check the propellor for nicks, dings, corrosion

If it is an I/O instead of a true inboard, add the following:

7) Drain and replace lower unit lube oil. Note--The main reason to do this every year is to check
for a water leak in the lower unit. If you bump something with your prop, its not uncommon to put a
small bend in the prop shaft, which quickly destroys the prop shaft seal. Water then leaks into
your lower unit, and the gears and bearings rust eventually destroying the lower unit. This is a =
$1K repair. If the lower unit oil is a grey-whiteish (milky) color, you've got water in the lower unit.

8) Check and refill the tilt/trim pump hydraulic oil as needed
9) Grease the outdrive swivel points.

Also note that your gas tank probably has stale gas in it from sitting over the winter. Its a good
idea to add as much fresh gas as your tank will allow, to dilute the stale gas.

Good luck with it,

Don W.

Scott Shirley wrote:

I am new to boating and purchased a 1996 model with an 5.7L inboard last
spring. What maintenance do I need to perform after de-winterizing the boat?

Oil Change ( I have no idea if/when the previous owner had it changed)
Belts?
Hoses?
Any other fluids, filters, or things that need to be changed/adjusted?

Have the manifolds and risers pulled and inspected. At that age, if they
haven't been replaced they probably need it. Neglecting this little item
will dump water into your engine, causing an untimely death. Otherwise, oil
and filter change, change the RW pump impeller, change the antifreeze
solution if it's FW cooled, and get a service manual and make up a
checklist.

--


Keith
__
....at least I thought I was dancing, 'til somebody stepped on my hand.
"Scott Shirley" wrote in message
news:dtmqc.111140$Ik.9057297@attbi_s53...
I am new to boating and purchased a 1996 model with an 5.7L inboard last
spring. What maintenance do I need to perform after de-winterizing the
boat?

Oil Change ( I have no idea if/when the previous owner had it changed)
Belts?
Hoses?
Any other fluids, filters, or things that need to be changed/adjusted?

And assuming I/O, every 2-3 years, pull the outdrive (or better still have
your trusty mechanic do it) to grease the universal etc, "break it"
(assuming mercruiser) to replace the impeller. And I recommend picking up a
Seloc repair manual ... www.selocmarine.com ... (it's not a shop manual,
but imo good enough) for your particular engine/outdrive combo.

And then there's the hull buffing and waxing, etc.

And if you trailer, give it a looksee ... e.g., grease the wheel bearings
(those bearing buddy's (sp?) are an excellent investment), touch up the rust
spots.



"Don W" wrote in message
m...
Scott,

Did you get the engine booklet that came with the boat? If so, its got
annual maintenance
instructions in it. If not, I'd suggest going to a dealer and buying a
manual, because it will be
well worth the $30 investment over the time you own the boat. The basics
a

0) Charge or replace the battery! Its likely to be flat after sitting
over the winter.

1) Change engine oil and oil filter
2) Check belts and hoses (My 1996 has the originals, and they are still
going strong)
3) Change fuel filters (my rig has two--A spin on, and a small filter in
the carburetor)
4) Check battery water level (if possible)
5) Check and clean battery terminals
6) Check the propellor for nicks, dings, corrosion

If it is an I/O instead of a true inboard, add the following:

7) Drain and replace lower unit lube oil. Note--The main reason to do
this every year is to check
for a water leak in the lower unit. If you bump something with your prop,
its not uncommon to put a
small bend in the prop shaft, which quickly destroys the prop shaft
seal. Water then leaks into
your lower unit, and the gears and bearings rust eventually destroying the
lower unit. This is a =
$1K repair. If the lower unit oil is a grey-whiteish (milky) color,
you've got water in the lower unit.

8) Check and refill the tilt/trim pump hydraulic oil as needed
9) Grease the outdrive swivel points.

Also note that your gas tank probably has stale gas in it from sitting
over the winter. Its a good
idea to add as much fresh gas as your tank will allow, to dilute the stale
gas.

Good luck with it,

Don W.

Scott Shirley wrote:

I am new to boating and purchased a 1996 model with an 5.7L inboard last
spring. What maintenance do I need to perform after de-winterizing the
boat?

Oil Change ( I have no idea if/when the previous owner had it changed)
Belts?
Hoses?
Any other fluids, filters, or things that need to be changed/adjusted?

Bowgus wrote:
And assuming I/O, every 2-3 years, pull the outdrive (or better still have
your trusty mechanic do it) to grease the universal etc, "break it"
(assuming mercruiser) to replace the impeller. And I recommend picking up a

Agreed... just didn't want to scare him before he even got the boat in the
water. Personally, with a "new to me" used boat, I'd do the following:

1) Pull the prop and regrease the splines (use the proper grease)
2) Pull the lower unit, and inspect/replace the impeller
3) Pull the outdrive downhousing and grease the u-joints and splines (proper grease
again).

Of course, someone who is not mechanically inclined should take the boat to a
mechanic to have the above done. Even though fairly easy, there are some things
you can muck up--the shift linkage for example

Seloc repair manual ... www.selocmarine.com ... (it's not a shop manual,
but imo good enough) for your particular engine/outdrive combo.

And then there's the hull buffing and waxing, etc.

And if you trailer, give it a looksee ... e.g., grease the wheel bearings
(those bearing buddy's (sp?) are an excellent investment), touch up the rust
spots.

Right on! I strongly second the suggestion of repacking the trailer bearings,
and putting on "Bearing Buddys". I've had them on our trailer since new (1997)
and the original bearings look like new. I pulled and repacked them last year,
but they didn't need it.

If you are trailering a new-to-you boat, pull those wheel bearings and inspect/
repack them. Replace the grease seals while your at it. You'll save yourself
a lot of grief

Now all of this sounds like a lot, but it really isn't that bad, and after you've
taken care of it you won't need to worry about it for a few years again.

Don W.

Keith wrote:
Have the manifolds and risers pulled and inspected. At that age, if they
haven't been replaced they probably need it. Neglecting this little item
will dump water into your engine, causing an untimely death.

Talking this over with a longtime boat mechanic/dealer friend of
mine, he said that this is primarily a concern with sal****er I/O's
which pump sal****er to cool the manifolds. According to him, in
freshwater it isn't a problem.

Has anyone running a Mercruiser in freshwater had the problem of the
Manifold and risers rusting through allowing water to be pumped onto
the exhaust valve? If so, I'd really like to hear about it before it
happens to me!

Don W.

"Scott Shirley" wrote in
news:dtmqc.111140$Ik.9057297@attbi_s53:

I am new to boating and purchased a 1996 model with an 5.7L inboard
last spring. What maintenance do I need to perform after
de-winterizing the boat?

Oil Change ( I have no idea if/when the previous owner had it changed)
Belts?
Hoses?
Any other fluids, filters, or things that need to be changed/adjusted?

I-M-P-E-L-L-E-R in the water pump. Sure beats an overheated, seized engine
12.8 miles from the trailer/dock/shop up some creek.....

Give it a new one every year and never run out of COOLING WATER....(c;

Larry

"Scott Shirley" wrote in
news:dtmqc.111140$Ik.9057297@attbi_s53:


I am new to boating and purchased a 1996 model with an 5.7L inboard
last spring. What maintenance do I need to perform after
de-winterizing the boat?

Oil Change ( I have no idea if/when the previous owner had it changed)
Belts?
Hoses?
Any other fluids, filters, or things that need to be changed/adjusted?


Larry W4CSC wrote:

I-M-P-E-L-L-E-R in the water pump. Sure beats an overheated, seized engine
12.8 miles from the trailer/dock/shop up some creek.....

Give it a new one every year and never run out of COOLING WATER....(c;

Larry

Good advice on the impeller. Many people have caused themselves major repair bills by overheating
their motor without realizing it.

Now a little more information that most people should ignore, but some will find interesting. Those
little rubber impellers are good for a lot longer than most people think as long as your running
them in clean water. My 1996 Maxum still has the _factory_ impeller in it (8 years old now). I
crack the lower unit and inspect it every year, and I even have a brand new overhaul kit (impeller
and metal sleeve) sitting on the shelf. So far, I haven't been able to bring myself to replace the
impeller because the sleeve is smooth, and the factory one still looks as good as the replacement
I'd be putting in. Its not like it hasn't gotten any use either, because our hobbs is now showing
over 250 hours. I suspect that since the boat is primarily run from a marina slip in a deep
clearwater lake (Lake Travis), that it just hasn't had much sediment run through it, and that the
sand and sediment is really what kills the impellers.

A more experienced friend of mine tells me that it is living on borrowed time, but I'll be darned if
I'm going to change it out as long as it remains flexible, and doesn't show much wear.

BTW, I'm not advising anyone else to try this...

YMMV,

Don W.

Don W wrote in
m:

Those little rubber impellers are good for a
lot longer than most people think as long as your running them in
clean water.

Only problem is they get hard long before they fall apart. They are
stuffed into a cavity they don't really fit into bent over sideways like
that. They, eventually, take the shape forced into them, especially if
they sit idle quite a bit (like 90% of the boats you see). The blades on
one side sit forced over further than the blades on the other side. When
rotated, these hardened blades don't make proper contact with the walls of
the oblong cavity, so they leak their little load of water back to the next
blades coming up. Pressure drops, but not enough to hurt anything,
really.....until it's too late.

You can help, by the way, if you'll get them wet and just rotate the engine
once a month while it's stored to squish up some different blades and let
the ones squished up last month relax.

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 22:18:14 -0000, in message

Larry W4CSC wrote:

Don W wrote in
om:

Those little rubber impellers are good for a
lot longer than most people think as long as your running them in
clean water.

You can help, by the way, if you'll get them wet and just rotate the engine
once a month while it's stored to squish up some different blades and let
the ones squished up last month relax.

Or better still, remove the impeller and let it sit round and
unstressed when the boat is layed up for the winter. If nothing else
it guarantees an annual inspection.

Ryk