www.iFourWinns.com

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to start by saying what an excellent site! I am fairly new to boating and recently purchased a 97 Horizon 180 RX back in October. I fell in love with the water after purchasing a 2000 Seadoo Sportster the begining of last summer. We have a family cabin in northern MI with plenty of inland lakes. Long story short, I found out real quick that the Seadoo was much too small for what I was looking to do. (Water sports, fishing, crusing, etc...) I bascially grew up on boats spending much of my childhood on boat trips in the summer. My father has been a great help with all of my boating questions up to this point, but I still have quite a few yet to be answered.

I am forunate enough to be able to keep the boat in our poll barn over the winter. I've gone through the winterizing steps prior to putting her away, but I want to take advantage of the winter to get her ready for next season.

First thing on the list: Volvo SX Outdrive (OMC 4.3L)

I am the third owner of the boat and confident the previous owners took good care of everything. However, the outdrive needs to be repainted. Any suggestions/Recommendations? I figured I will need to pull the outdrive to repaint it and contemplating if I should rebuild it while I'm at it. Bellows, seals, etc. considering its age. This will be the first time for me, so I am looking for any advice I can get. I am better off taking the boat in to have the work done? If so, any recommended shops in MI? The boat is near Houghton Lake, but I can also haul it downstate to the Metro Detroit area.

Thanks in advance!

Again, great site!

James

Hi James, welcome, and thanks for posting the intro. The first rule on this forum is, we love pictures. If you don't post pics, it never happened.

As to the drive paint, you can do it yourself, but to do it right is an involved, multi-step process involving products you won't find at the local borg. Personally I'd pay someone who knows what they're doing, but people have done it themselves with good results.

At 13 years old it would be a good idea to at least have the drive pressure tested. Since the drive will be off, it would be the perfect time to check the U-joints, gimbal bearing, bellows and engine alignment - all critical items that can do great harm to your wallet if any of them have an undetected problem.

You probably already know most of this, but you should also replace the impeller unless you're certain it was done in the last 1-2 years, and make sure your anodes are in good shape and of the right material for the water you're boating in.

_________________


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

Welcome! This truly is a great web site for help or for even looking at pictures people have posted, keeps me in the boating spirit lets say. Anyway, welcome aboard. Were up north is your place? We have a place in Lake, about 25 miles east of Reed City.



Best Regards
Jim

_________________
2011 H210 SS
MerCruiser 350 MPIC/Bravo I 300hp
"Crooked Wake"


Prior Boat
1999 Bayliner 1950 CL

Aluminum is difficult to paint, because it starts oxidizing so fast after being prepped. There was a poster over at Boatered.com (GeeBee) who posted the factory approved procedure to paint an outdrive. It is pretty involved, and you have to use proper protection (chemical resistant gloves, goggles, respirator) because the materials you need to use are toxic. My drive looks really bad because it's slipped in salt water and barnacles are a big problem. I am going to try to do it myself over the winter because the boatyards do not go a good job on them. All the work is in the prep like most paint jobs....

_________________
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