www.iFourWinns.com

You're welcome, Dave. Sorry I couldn't remember who I promised the pics to - I looked high and low for that thread and couldn't find it for some reason, which means it was probably right under my nose.



Wild! I think either scenario is viable, more likely the latter. I know they use up whatever they have on hand when changes are made, so it's interesting to speculate about what may have happened.



Please accept my most heartfelt condolences!



Amazing!!



Would that make you an... Imperialist?

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Mike,

No condolences needed for the Escort Mexico; classic rear wheel drive, light and powerful; excellent handling ( but UK 18 mpg, = 15 US mpg when fuel was "cheap" due to the twin 40 DCOE Weber carbs on a 1760 cc engine, it felt like the fuel tank was imploding sometimes!)

As to being an "Imperialist", not really, except we still regard the US as a colony ( only joking!)

Regards,

Graham

No problem, Graham, we certainly succeeded at destroying a perfectly good language...

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

ATCDOUG - your corrosion is very differant than the patterns both chris and I have with our drives. Im afraid I would have to say you have salt water corrosion and it is bad looking but Im certainly no expert. Plus your drive is a differant model. I hope you get some satisfaction on the issue. My drive was 4 months in a fresh water lake and looked like it was 5 years old and uncared for. I did get a new drive based on a known paint defect for that run of drives.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Merc.

If it isn't somehow anode related, it's a defect. Volvos don't normally corrode like this, in saltwater or otherwise.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

From my own experience, this corrosion is unusual; my VP outdrive has had a total of over 18 months spread over 3 years in saltwater with no corrosion to be found even where it is unpainted ( e.g. the water passages). Likewise, my previous one had over 24 months in salt water over 4 years with no corrosion issues. I suspect either:

An anode issue ( genuine VP? Correct type? Electrical continuity between them and the drive?),
A bonding wire issue (is there electrical continuity between all the parts?)?
Boat anfouled with copper containing paint with no gap beteween it and the outdrive?
A paint/ pre treatment issue or last, but not least,
If fitted, a shore power issue (your drive acting as someone else's anode!). Galvanic isolator fitted?

In the photos of the corrosion the radii at the edge of the affected areas look to be very sharp; paints/ films do not like sharp radii. Maybe the pretreatment was originally very thin/ non existent in those areas.

Regards,

Graham

My boat is trailer kept. It was delivered to me on the ICW which is saltwater. I use it in both the ICW and St. John's river. It has never been in either for more than 6 hours. I emailed pics to my dealer and Volvo gave them the go ahead to paint the drive. I don't feel paint is the solution to the problem. Volvo tells me to talk to the dealer. The dealer says that the corrosion is normal for saltwater use. I feel my drive has depreciated my boat faster and I'm very disappointed in Volvo.

I can understand why you're disappointed. No need to tell you to make sure they do a thorough job!

The whole drive is pre-treated in the factory, even the parts you can't see. (from mine, I can see that pre-treatment protects the metal well where it is intact). Then the external visible surfaces are painted to protect them from abrasion that could damage the pre-treatment layer. Clearly the pre-treatment isn't doing it's job and the corrosion is creeping beneath it. To pretreat/ paint the lower support arm properly properly, it's going to need to be taken off; the corrosion could also be creeping along it's top surface, where it mates up to the transom shield (there is no paint there, just the pre-treatment). Where the trim cylinders attach, the paint needs removing well back from the affected area. I'd ask them to smooth off the radii, in case that's what caused the pretreatment layer to fail. I'd also check where the other end of the trim cylinders attach to the gimbal ring, in case corrosion is beginning there

On reassembly the electrical continuity from part to part needs to be confirmed, the anodes can only protect the metal effectively if they are in electrical contact.

Regards,

Graham

Could there be value in talking to a different dealer? A re-paint might be the right solution, but I share the concern that that isn't addressing the root cause. I think Volvo needs to be made to understand that they are toying with the loss of at least one customer by not aggressively working on this.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Guess I might be expecting a little too much, I'm just disappointed that it corroded like it did. If they are going to strip it down, sandblast and repaint it I guess that would be sufficient. If they are going to just touch it up that would not. Right now my dealer says the painter is booked solid and we're waiting. Hope he can get it done by the end of the month. I do know I will be checking the anodes before and after each use from now on. Thanks for the support guys!

Doug

Well doug, keep on top of the painting process to make sure it is done correctly. Sorry your outcome wasn't any better.

To give you an update on my situation....

I have, at Volvo's request, shipped the drive anode to Volvo Canada's HQ for their analysis. It is there now. I confirmed when I removed the anode that it was definately the aluminium "brackish water" anode that was on my drive. I suspect that this is the root cause of my problem. Quite odd that I have these anodes on my boat, as the nearest brackish water to me is about 1500 km east......

Knowing that I have the wrong anode on my boat, I don't know what Volvo is going to do about it, which has me a bit concerned. The Volvo rep that I have been speaking to has not said anything about it yet, but he did say he would be in touch with me tomorrow. I guess we will see what he has to say. I don't understand why the dealer process for prep does not include making sure that the correct anode is on the boat for the local water type! Surely Volvo could ship the boat/drive without anodes, then the local dealer would put on the right type before delivery... that makes sense to me.

So, hopefully some good news tomorrow (fingers crossed)!

_________________
2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Chris I am surprised they havent just repalced your drive yet. Its a paint defect according to volvo. PLEASE call the lady I talked too....

Doug I certainly dont have enough experience with IO in salt water, ask me about inboards and supplimental power for sailboats and Im your guy. My dealer in our conversations said he doesnt recomend IO in salt water, he says when they do sell them they paint the driveds with antifouling paint. Again this is just what he said Im not an expert. I hope it works out for you.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Sorry Dave, I forgot to mention that I did call her, after the Toronto boat show, while trying to get in touch with the Canadian rep that I had spoken to (at the boat show). Of course, her response was that I had to speak to someone from Volvo Canada. That's where I got in touch with the person whom I am dealing with now. At least he is looking deeper into coming up with a permanent solution to the problem. I have discussed your case with him fully, forwarding your pictures and discussing the paint defect to him. He was un-aware of the paint defect, but was going to look into it.

_________________
2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

They are dragging their collective feet on this. Its obvious that we have the same problem but they are trying to figure out how not to pay out on yours and I can't figure out why.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II