2008 338 Four Winns

[Boaterdan278michigan]

We have an accepted offer on a 2008 Four Winns 338 vista. The boat has Volvo DPS-A outdrives. During survey we took oil samples from the drives. Readings showed high levels of iron and small amounts of water in each drive. Just trying to decide how serious this is and a reasonable path forward.

 

[alldodge]

Unless there is something else like there was a lot of filings on the magnet I wouldn't worry about it. Don't know when the lube was last changed and given these are gears meshing together the iron would be higher than on a motor

 

[Lou C]

I did an oil analysis on my Cobra dog clutch drive about 10 years ago out of curiosity and it also tested high on iron but no water. And there was never anything but a tiny bit of fuzz on the magnet of the drain plug.
I don't think the high iron is as much of an issue as it would be in an engine oil analysis as all dodge above said as long as you don't see a lot of filings/chunks on the magnet; but water suggests that the drives should get a pressure/vacuum test. Could be as simple as a bad gasket on a drain/fill plug or propshaft seal (common).
I recently had to replace the seal on the water pump driveshaft on my Cobra because of gradual water intrusion. That's the only seal I have had to replace on it in about 20 years!

 

[Horigan]

Ask for a pressure test and vacuum test of the drives. One of the seals may be close to failing.

 

[tpenfield]

I would inquire as to when the gear oil was last changed . . . if it has been a while, then the higher readings may be explained by such.

Did the surveyor comment on the look of the oil? Was anything abnormal noticed about the drives/shifting during the sea trial?

Keep in mind that the drives (and everything else) are 18 years old . . . It's not going to be perfect.

 

[tpenfield]

Also, in your annual boat maintenance budgeting, plan on some repairs each year. My Formula 330 was 16 years old (740 hours) when I bought it. I did end up replacing seals after a few years. I also did some clutch maintenance when the drives were about 20 years old.

 

[tpenfield]

In my Googling of outdrive oil analysis, the trend is a better indicator than a single snap-shot. Not many owners have the oils sampled very often, if at all, so a trend would be hard to establish.

Were the engines also sampled for oil analysis?

You may be best to change the oils and do a yearly sample, keeping track of the engine hours for each iteration.