Maintenance on an inboard???

[jsledder]

Picked up a boat Friday and it's an inboard Mercruiser. Anyone have one and what kind of maintenance should I be sure and do? I've had outboards before but this is my first go at an inboard. Are there any seals that are prone to leaking between the I and the O.

It's a Lund Tyee and does not have a cut out for a kicker, am I screwed or is there a good way to mount a kicker on these and tie it into the steering wheel?

 

[Gimpster]

Yes, keep an eye on the gimbal seal boot (do a search). Have fun changing oil. I suggest getting one of those suction kits to drain it out the dipstick tube

You might want do some measureing for the kicker motor to see if a long shaft motor will cut the mustard. A little searching will turn up a kicker bracket to mount on the back of the transom to allow mounting of a kicker motor. If you go this route, make sure to silicone the bolts where you drill through the transom to mount it. Adapters are available for the steering also
When winterizing, drain the block AND the manifolds

----- Gimpster -----

 

[Mafesto]

Regarding the winterization,
Here's our procedure.
Add Stabil to gas
Run engine to warm up oil
Suck out oil as Gimpster suggested above
Change oil filter
Add new oil
Drain manifolds
Add RV antifreeze
Check gearcase oil, change if needed
Remove prop, apply fresh marine grease to propshaft, re-install prop or rebuild if needed
Check battery condition, then dis-connect
Remove boat plug, place in baggy & zip-tie to steering wheel

In the spring, simply connect battery, install plug & go!

If you are not comfortable doing this, contact me (I'm only 70 miles from you)

 

[jsledder]

Thanks.

I own a 900 so I should be able to handle that. But if it comes to anything serious I'll look you up.

Edit: I remember pulling batteries out of my other boat and storing them in the garage over the winter, is that necessary? It'll be stored in a garage but it wont be heated.

 

[triple]

Mercruiser has maintenance manuals on-line. Your dip stick tube should have a large threaded end about half an inch from the rop of the tube to pull the oil out of the dip stick tube. Mercruiser recommends that you change the engine oil in the fall. I don't. I change the leg oil, pull the drains, let it flow, when it stops pump the oil up from the bottom until it comes out of the top hole, check the seals on the plugs and screw them in. I change the oil in the spring instead of the fall. I con't want to run oil that's been sitting in the engine all winter.

 

[Abominable]

Go to your local boat dealer and give the first guy you see $200 - this will help get you used to that 'cause you'll be doing it alot in the future.
They don't call boats "A hole in the water you throw money into" for nothing!

Congrats on the purchase, you'll enjoy it!

 

[ski-doober]

B O A T means Break Out Another Thousand

and there should be a drain on the engine block too both sides if it is a V8