***Gimbal Bearing/Driveshaft Spline/Coupler)*** Is this hard to get to or am I looking over it all. Can you get to these parts without taking something else off? I have everything else done and Im sure this stuff needs to be serviced. Thanks, Timmy.
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Originally Posted by Knot 4 Me
I have a 2004 260SSi Chaparral with a 496MAG. It came with 6 years of warranty on the motor/drive (2 from Merc, additional 4 from manufacture). There is no issue with warranty on doing annual maintenance yourself as long as a problem does not occur from doing the maintenance improperly or using improper materials (i.e. wrong weight engine oil). I've done all the annual maintenance since day 1 and it is both easy and inexpensive to do. I'm pretty anal about my maintenance and therefore do a little more than required but it is still dirt cheap. Here's a quick rundown of what I do and the corresponding ballpark costs:
Oil changes twice per year (mid-season/winterization) using Mobil 1 15W50 (9 quarts per change) and Wix filters - @$110
Fuel/WaterSeparating filter (winterization) - @$10
Greases (Gimbal Bearing/Driveshaft Spline/Coupler) - @$3
Gear Lube (mid-season/winterization) using Merc High Performance Gear lube (3 quarts per change) - @$60
Pink Antifreeze (2 gallons) - @$6
Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer (winterization) - @$12
There are a few misc items I left off such as 2-stroke oil for "fogging" the motor at winterization and a good water-resistant grease for the prop shaft splines but the list hits the high ticket items. I also had some up front costs associated with doing my own maintenance such as an oil changer, prop wrenches, alignment tool, etc. But for about $200 year I easily cover my own maintenance. Keep in mind you do not necessarily need to do a mid-season oil and gear lube change depending on how many hours you use the boat and the type of water you run in. I do the mid-season changes as they are cheap and give me peace of mind. I pull the outdrive every other season to check alignment and grease the driveshaft splines (u-joints are now sealed) so if you do not have a means to support during the removal/replacement process that is another cost to consider. I built my own drive cart.
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