worth keeping?

pooz · **Joined:** Fri Aug 24, 2012 10:30 am **Posts:** 8

Hey All - I'm looking for opinions. I have a 1998 Horizon QX 4.3 Volvo. Hull is in good shape. Boat ran great up till 2 years ago. Gimble bearing was making noise - was never lubricated since new. Shop could not get lower unit off, so cut the drive shaft to get lower unit apart. So new gimble, drive shaft, baffles, etc. Cost me $1500 - boat ran good last year. Now this year wouldn't pull me on ski's with load in boat. Shops said clutch was "baked" - replaced clutch. Still wouldnt pull, so replaced prop. Pulled for a few weeks - blew out exhaust hose. So I'm into it for about $900 this year. Motor runs strong, but things around it seem to be falling apart. Mechanic said after they get 10 years old or so, time to get rid of them. Any opinions?

ric · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:45 pm

pooz wrote:

Any opinions?

Find a new mechanic. That one is ripping you off.

Walt · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:56 pm

agreed...
10 yrs??? If you have snap-in carpet, and take care of the seats, the only thing left is the noisemaker. Try a different mech, and put the one behind you.... if only because they had to cut the drive shaft!

What was wrong with the clutch, if the whole drive was done less than 2 years prior?

Winter Sux · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:07 pm

I'd be getting a new mechanic. My boat's a 95 with close to 800 hours on the engines and everything's working good. Things don't suddenly go to hell at a given age :shock:

John

pooz · **Joined:** Fri Aug 24, 2012 10:30 am **Posts:** 8

Shop said the "ribs" on the clutch had worn smooth. Showed me a clutch that supposedly came off my boat - I couldn't tell you if it was normal or not. This mechanic is "volvo penta certified" - thought I was better off going to an actual dealer as opposed to a local shop. Is it true you can't get to the nipple to lube the gimble without pulling the drive? There are many four winns on the lake here that are older than mine - and they are skiing and tubing with no issue. I'm sitting on the shore with my thumb up my butt and my boat getting more road time than water time. I was always told four winns is good equipment, but last two years not so good

ric · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:27 pm

When a cone cluch "burns out" that means it's glazed over. Kinda like a glazed over clutch in a car, it will get revv happy and slip under load. Meaning you put the boat in gear and it revvs but you go nowhere but the revvs skyrocket. If it was doing anything else, it wasn't the clutch.
The only way that happens is if someone used the wrong oil, or there was water in the drive.

Everything you're explaining about the drive screams water intrusion. For a long time. The drive bellow needs to be replaced every 3-5 years. When was the last time you replaced it prior to it initially having issues? When was the last time you changed the drive oil?

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

What maintence schedule have you been following? What exhaust hose are you talking about? If the bellows then someones being misled, being they had to cut the lower unit off last year....wonder how they got unit off enough to cut shaft if stuck...

Basically I agree with mechanic.....ten years and trash if no maintenance....actually ten years on an unmaintained out drive is good.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:49 pm

Depends on use. 10 years and with 100 hours on the clock it's still brand new and time for it's first service. 10 years old used often untouched yeah it's going to have water intrusion from broken drive bellow and eat itself alive.

Drive bellow VP says every 3 years. Most people agree 5 is fine though. I go with the 3 year schedule as my boat sits in fresh water most of the year. It's cheaper then a bearing.

pooz · **Joined:** Fri Aug 24, 2012 10:30 am **Posts:** 8

what does it cost to replace a bellows?

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:11 pm

First things first.
What you have, an inboard/outboard or I/O power package, is the highest maintenance power package you can have in a boat. They must be maintained, or then you have noisy gimble bearings and outdrives that won't come off. If you want low maintenance, you don't want an I/O, you want a modern outboard. But you have this boat now, and you've put some money into it, now if you sold this one, what would you have to spend to get something you are going to like? I'd say that I'd get my boat in to proper shape and then get it on a maintenance schedule that will prevent those problems from recurring. But that is not going to be cheap unless you are like me, a backyard mechanic for 40 years that fixes all my own stuff.

So you can sell this, but if you buy another I/O, in a few years you will be in the same boat so to speak. If you want to sell this one, then get an outboard next time. If not, then fix what's wrong and start maintaining it by the book. That means, removing the drive at the end of each season, checking the bellows for water, greasing the gimble and ujoints (some newer ones you can't grease bu they can and should be checked for wear). Also you change the gear oil and look for water in the gear oil, if you find that you get it resealed because it is leaking.
You also have to make sure the shift linkage is adjusted right and the anodes are in good shape.

I do the winterizing, springizing, tune ups, drive r+r, starter changes, manifold changes, all of it. That's the only way to keep an old boat reliable. I turn the key it always starts.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:27 pm

Yep. VP drives are simple to remove. My H180 I did all my own work, but the new stingray I gotta let the dealer do it if I want my warranty $$$. It's a non-stop job if you use your boat often.

But it's already paid for itself. New trim pump, labor, etc.. $25 dollars. If I had to do it on my own? Close to $1000

Oh and warranty doesn't cover maintenance parts like gimble, bellows, impeller, etc... but if you want that warranty you better have a VP service record!!

www.iFourWinns.com

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