Getting a 3.7L 470 Ready for Season

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I bought a 1989 WellCraft Classic 180 with a 3.7L Merc & Alpha1 outdrive last summer.

I'm getting it out of storage ready for boating season.

What recommendations do y'all have for annual pre season maintenance?

I'm thinking replace engine oil, oil filter, water seperator and lower unit engine oil.

I assume the oil and filters are pretty straight forward replacement, but if anyone has any tips or suggestions please share.

I've replaced lower unit oil in an outboard but never an outdrive...any instructions/helpful advice would also be greatly appreciated.

If there is anything else that I should do, let me know.

Websites like this is one is the main reasons I'm keeping this boat...you guys have been a great resource for helping me fix a few items last summer. As my first I/O, I'm learning that this boat require a little more attention.

Thanks!

 

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Re: Getting a 3.7L 470 Ready for Season

go to the adults only sticky at the top of the i/o fourm. look at the summerization/winterization thread...

your oem service manual has a list of scheduled maint. items to check as a part of preventative maint. along with winterization procedures and bringing it back into service.

if you don't have a service manual. you need one. the oem one too. not the aftermarket. get one and read it. it has all the facts in it for servicing your rig.

changing lub in a alpha1 should be very similar to my 1 drive. just drain the old lub out and put new in. put the new in from the drain hole with a pump till it comes out the vent hole and it's full. replace the vent plug first so as to not loose all the lub when you remove the fill pump from the drain plug hole. quickly put that plug back in after you remove the pump. if you have a gear lub monitor there's more steps to do. though i didn't go read what they are. don't know if ya have one of them or not.

ya might read this too. it regards the 470 version engines.. http://www.sterndrives.com/470information/470coolantleakrepair.html
that engine has some peculiarities to it that no others have..