www.iFourWinns.com

Is there a way to grease the coupler without taking the drive off? My last mercruiser had a fitting on the coupler. I have not crawled in to the back of the new boat to check yet and would rather not if I don't have to.....

2004 VP 5.7GS/SX

Thanks

_________________
2004 230 Horizon
5.7GI/SX
Towed by a 2000 Expedition

As far as I am aware the only part of the coupler that needs greasing are the splines; this is taken care of by greasing the splines on the outdrive input shaft on refitting the outdrive after it's yearly removal. (using molybdenum dilsulphide ( disulfide) based grease, not molybdenum oxide as indicated in some manuals).

Graham

Yes, the splines are what I am talking about Graham. My last boat which had a Mercruiser Alpha drive had a nice grease fitting on the coupler where the shaft went in so you could grease the splines without removing the outdrive . Pretty convenient. I was hoping the new VP had the same.

_________________
2004 230 Horizon
5.7GI/SX
Towed by a 2000 Expedition

If you don't have a service manual, You should probably get one.

Mercury suggests removing the drive once every 100 hrs or once a year which ever occurs first. You could grease it when you do that. Mercury also puts zerk fittings on all the couplers now (As you indicated.....mine is a 97 and it has them)

Removing the drive once a year is a sort of "one size fits all" policy. It's for the boat that sits in salt water all year. Mine sits in my garage most of the year and doesn't go in salt at all. I don't pull my drive nor do I R&R the drive oil each year...

I do pump a little grease into the coupler though.


Cheers,


Rick

_________________
1987 Four Winns Liberator 211, formerly OMC 460 King Kobra powered, replaced in 2006 by a 1997 Mercruiser 454/Bravo III

Being a salty boater (slipped in salt 6 months)...I have to do the deluxe version of the drive service...replace drive oil....pull every year...check bellows...gimble...ujionts...grease gimble with drive off..grease ujoints....grease driveshaft splines with OMC/Bombardier triple guard grease (best waterproof grease in the WORLD!) this stuff sits on a propshaft in salt water 6 months and looks like new!

BTW it may seem like overkill, but there is somthing very satisfying about having a 21 year old Cobra that runs and shifts like a new drive....as long as I can get parts...

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks. This is my first year with this boat. I will get the service manual this summer.

On my last boat I changed the drive lube and engine oil each fall. I did not remove the drive, just lubed the splines through the coupler fitting. Mine is 100% fresh water and stored on the trailer.

I learned about this the hard way after stripping a coupler from lack of grease thanks to a sleazy shop that did a "Full outdrive maintainence" for $400 but did not grease the shaft. After that I installed the updated greasable coupler.

Winnisquam marine had my new outdrive off 50 hrs ago(2 years ago) so I am assuming it's fine for the rest of the summer as grease does not evaporate as far as I know...
I will pull it in the fall to inspect but I think most bearings in there are sealed.

Thanks

_________________
2004 230 Horizon
5.7GI/SX
Towed by a 2000 Expedition