Sign of a hot drive?

[EMC 1810SS]

I am fairly new to this fourm but I have owned my boat about 10 years. and been around boats my whole life. (this is the first sterndrive) Its a 1995 Starcraft 1810SS open bow with a 4.3 LX Mercruiser Alpha 1 gen II 1.84 gear with a 21" SS 3 blade prop. For the past few years I have noticed the upper unit always has a haze on ith after a good outing but the lower doesnt. Didnt think about it much untill today when it was just myself and my baby girl (she is 10) out on the lake. I think the upper may be getting warm and the haze I see is from the water evaporating off the upper drive? And since the lower is in the water under load that would cool it enough not to get the haze?

I am not even sure how to verify this since when I stop the intire drive gets submerged cooling it.

Ideas? Think a Drive shower would help? BTW the gear oil is new this season and the old looked brand new comeing out.....

 

[JustJason]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

It's normal. Drive do get hot while under load. Just make sure you change your gear oil once a year and make sure it's not leaking/low/full of water and you'll be good to go.

 

[EMC 1810SS]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

Thanks, thats kinda what I thought, but it was one of those epiphany moments "Hmmm, Hun, I need to buy a fancy drive shower for the boat or we could get stranded." That last part ALWAYS creates a green light to cash!

 

[JustJason]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

The way you need to look at it is if 100 Merc engineers thought it needed a drive shower, it would have come on it from the factory.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

Anytime the out drive gets wet and then dries. The water leaves but the minerals and crap stay behind creating the scale on your outdrive Since the top of your drive is going to go thru that cycle MUCH more then the bottom. Its going to build up alot more scale/crap/crud

 

[EMC 1810SS]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

The way you need to look at it is if 100 Merc engineers thought it needed a drive shower, it would have come on it from the factory.

This I DO happen to disagree with. Working with engineers for a liveing, the engineer that stays employed is the one that can design the part that is just BARLEY adiquate. COST is an issue and if you save 10% per widget, and it still lasts in NORMAL use beyond the warrenty, then you are the HERO. Haveign said that, I have run it as is for 10 years so I dont think that catastrophic failure is eminent if i dont put a drive shower on it.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

I clean mine real well with CLR and it really shines it up, have been trying for years to figure out some type of protectant that will stop it from happening. Havent had too much success but constant cleaning with the CLR and a bit of Rainex seem to keep it looking nice all season.

 

[EMC 1810SS]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

Mine usually comes of fairly easy with one of those kitchen sponges with the scrubber side. Again, one of those things that sparked an idea in my head.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

Ayuh,... While drive showers are Not at all necessary,...
Anytime you can cool something runnin' in oil, it's usually a Good Thing...

A shower is something I've always been gonna build, but haven't gotten to yet...

 

[JetBote]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

The way you need to look at it is if 100 Merc engineers thought it needed a drive shower, it would have come on it from the factory.

This is a joke...I hope.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

This is a joke...I hope.

OK. Ill bite.

Tell us why O' wise one. I didn't see any humor or sarcasm in his post...

 

[Don S]

Re: Sign of a hot drive?

First of all you should be changing your gear lube every 100 hours or yearly which ever comes first. When you drain the gear lube, if it's not black and smelling burned, you don't need a drive shower.
I have seen some boats benifit from them. Usually big boats single outdrive and running many LONG hours on plane at full or nearly full speed on a daily basis.
This seldom happens to plearsure boats. Usually commercial charter boats.
If when you drain the gear lube it's just slightly darker, you don't need a drive shower. BUT, if it makes you feel better, go for it. Sure won't hurt anything.