Maintenance intervals

[achris]

...Most important maintenance item you can do to your boat, hands down is USE IT.

This...

 

[dcf1999]

'OEM' doesn't always mean 'Merc'.

For example, for most engine parts OEM is GM, for drive bearings OEM is Tinken... Hope you follow...

Chris.......

Ok I should clarify… I use merc stuff for all my repairs except for engine oil and the spark plugs / plug wires (when I changed them). Everything else is merc.

Whatever I’m working on whether it be marine or my ATV’s, snowmobiles, motorcycles, cars… I always order the genuine parts for that manufacturer. Exceptions being plugs, misc body connectors, engine oil and other fluids (on certain things). I’m sure there are other things that I use aftermarket as well that aren't critical. I do use merc hi perf gear lube for all my outboards and stern drive.

 

[achris]

Ok I should clarify… I use merc stuff for all my repairs except for engine oil and the spark plugs / plug wires (when I changed them). Everything else is merc.

Whatever I’m working on whether it be marine or my ATV’s, snowmobiles, motorcycles, cars… I always order the genuine parts for that manufacturer. Exceptions being plugs, misc body connectors, engine oil and other fluids (on certain things). I do use merc hi perf gear lube for all my outboards and stern drive.

Yes, I get that. What I'm also implying is that the equipment supplier (Merc in the case of your boat engine) aren't always the ORIGINAL equipment supplier. Merc get base engines from GM, so use GM parts for the engine, things like oil pans, engine bearings, gaskets (taking care to use marine for heads), oil pump, pistons, rods, crankshaft, timing chain, drive belts, etc, etc, etc.... And Merc don't make the bearings in the drive, they use Timken, so why pay Merc's markup on exactly the same part you can buy from any bearing shop?

Chris.......

 

[dcf1999]

Yes, I get that. What I'm also implying is that the equipment supplier (Merc in the case of your boat engine) aren't always the ORIGINAL equipment supplier. Merc get base engines from GM, so use GM parts for the engine, things like oil pans, engine bearings, gaskets (taking care to use marine for heads), oil pump, pistons, rods, crankshaft, timing chain, drive belts, etc, etc, etc.... And Merc don't make the bearings in the drive, they use Timken, so why pay Merc's markup on exactly the same part you can buy from any bearing shop?

Chris.......

Gotcha. I see what you’re saying and makes sense.

 

[dubs283]

so why pay Merc's markup on exactly the same part you can buy from any bearing shop?

I can take a dump in a box and give you a guarantee....

Point is, when I head to parts room I'm getting a quality part, after all it's not my money, ymmv

 

[achris]

I can take a dump in a box and give you a guarantee....

Point is, when I head to parts room I'm getting a quality part, after all it's not my money, ymmv

Most people here are doing their own maintenance aren't going to get a warranty on a Merc part anyway. Merc would fight it with every lawyer they could buy because the person who fitted the part wasn't a 'Merc Certified Technician', so any warranty on a 'Merc Genuine Part' isn't worth the salt they'd rub into the wound.

And yes, when you are a Merc Certified Tech and have a client paying, you use the parts that come out of a Merc branded box (same as I did when I ran my shop)...

Chris.....

 

[dcf1999]

So I was looking up a part on Mercury’s parts website and went to the Maintenance Kits section for the alpha 1 gen II drives.

They have a 100 hour maintenance kit and 300 hour maintenance kit. The 300 hour maintenance kit includes the bellows, gimbal bearing, shift cable, anodes, and water pump. What’s that about?

Again, I trust what you guys are saying and looking at my bellows last night, they look great, so I’m not messing with it. To be the devils advocate, I guess I wonder why, if Mercury doesn’t recommend replacing that stuff at certain intervals (just inspect and R&R if needed), why do they sell a kit that replaces that stuff at a certain interval?

 

[Rick Stephens]

why do they sell a kit that replaces that stuff at a certain interval?

Money

 

[dcf1999]

Money

Makes sense. I was just wondering.

 

[Rick Stephens]

IMHO, 300 hours is a nonsensical number. Only by using average boat hours of use per year, which is well under 50 hrs/year if I remember right, can you use a fixed hour for maintenance on stuff like bellows and lower shift cable. That puts replacement in the 7-10 year range. Even then it is a true WAG. Is the boat in the water all the time? Is it in salt? Acidic water. Stored in the sun with the drive up? And so on.

 

[dcf1999]

Yea I’m going to do what I do with all my other toys. Inspect every fall / spring and R&R items at fist sign of wear / failure. Obviously fluids get changed on regular bases (every fall for boat). Not hard to pull drive to inspect internals like bellows and such.

 

[dcf1999]

IMHO, 300 hours is a nonsensical number. Only by using average boat hours of use per year, which is well under 50 hrs/year if I remember right, can you use a fixed hour for maintenance on stuff like bellows and lower shift cable. That puts replacement in the 7-10 year range. Even then it is a true WAG. Is the boat in the water all the time? Is it in salt? Acidic water. Stored in the sun with the drive up? And so on.

True. Seems like all my toy’s maintenance schedules are by hours but it’s just easier to do things annually and most of it is inspect and replace when needed. I created checklists for everything I need to inspect. I’ll have to re-do my boat checklist to include inspections of other items now that I didn’t think of before.

Fluids get changed annually or every 2 years depending on item & fluid. Only maintenance I do per hours is my tractor which gets used heavily throughout the year.

 

[achris]

Look in the service manual, it says 300 hours or 3 years (whichever occurs first)....

But yes, Rick said it in one word, money. Sounds like you're on the right track with 'inspect regularly'... (Wish more people did that)

Chris...

 

[Lou C]

Maintenance intervals well you can use the manuals as a good guide but also common sense/mechanics knowledge. Examples:
Bellows, regardless of age replace when you see small cracks forming between the folds. That means the rubber is not pliable & getting stiff.
Shift cable, as soon as you notice stiffness investigate.
Impeller I go by my my own data, after 3 years I start to see small cracks in the rubber forming so 3-5 years max. Now this isn’t Merc it’s my old OMC…..
So for me bellows last 10 years
Shift cable is 20+ years old still shifts with 2 fingers so why replace?
Impellers 3-5 years, sooner if any elevated temps are noted
Your mileage May & will vary

 

[achris]

common sense

is no longer common...

 

[Lou C]

is no longer common...

yep and mechanic's knowledge, is like the quest for the holy grail. I guess because we as teenagers already knew how to troubleshoot lawn mowers, dirt bikes and when we got to cars, had a bit of experience. The video game/internet generation, not so much. But, they can learn here so that's all good!

 

[Lou C]

Yes, I get that. What I'm also implying is that the equipment supplier (Merc in the case of your boat engine) aren't always the ORIGINAL equipment supplier. Merc get base engines from GM, so use GM parts for the engine, things like oil pans, engine bearings, gaskets (taking care to use marine for heads), oil pump, pistons, rods, crankshaft, timing chain, drive belts, etc, etc, etc.... And Merc don't make the bearings in the drive, they use Timken, so why pay Merc's markup on exactly the same part you can buy from any bearing shop?

Chris.......

the beauty of old school inboards and I/Os is unlike outboards, you can get GM/Chevrolet parts for the engines, and, since the small block Chevrolet is the most popular boat, hot rod, etc engine at least here in the USA, the aftermarket behind it is HUGE, just look at JEGS and Summit Racing, just a few supppliers of all things small block Chevrolet. Outboards you are held hostage to the OEM price of most things.

 

[dcf1999]

A looked at my bellows today and they seem in good condition. Still flexible with no cracks.

My shift bellows does have some signs of dry rot in the folds. And the metal clip is pretty rusted. Still ok or change shift bellows?

 

[achris]

Pull that rusty clamp off and put a cable tie in its place.

 

[Scott06]

A looked at my bellows today and they seem in good condition. Still flexible with no cracks.

My shift bellows does have some signs of dry rot in the folds. And the metal clip is pretty rusted. Still ok or change shift bellows?

Dont worry about the metal clip, mine rusted away completely- you can put a zip tie on it.
What I cant see much of is the driveshaft bellows. I just changed mine (2004 lift kept fresh water boat) they started to get abrasions by where it contacts the hinge pins and gimbal ring. The old ones were much stiffer than the new ones , exhaust bellows ripped two years prior.

You're on the right track observe and replace. do your annual oil and drive lube changes hit the grease points and watch the rest.